Friday, 17 May, marks Pink Shirt Day across Aotearoa, New Zealand. It’s a day when schools, workplaces and communities come together to eliminate bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting kindness and inclusion.
The entire country will be turning mawhero and already nearly 30,000 tees have been sold through the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand’s retail partner, Cotton On. It’s not too late to pick up an official Pink Shirt Day t-shirt from a Cotton On store near you.
The t-shirts support the Mental Health Foundation to fund initiatives designed to eliminate bullying year-round. This includes providing thousands of free resources to workplaces and schools and the development of a free wellbeing initiative for young people across Aotearoa.
Be an Upstander
Shaun Robinson, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, says, “A key focus of this year’s Pink Shirt Day campaign is to encourage everyone to take action when witnessing bullying.
“Be an Upstander and show your support by using words and actions that will let the person being bullied know that you’ve got their back.
“People tell us that bullying has had a strong impact on their mental wellbeing, often creating a sense of feeling alone, unseen and isolated.
“We can all do better to support those who experience bullying by calling it out and being an Upstander.”
There are plenty of free activity ideas and resources to help you take part on the website, too: www.pinkshirtday.org.nz Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!
Workplace Bullying
In Aotearoa, a concerning number of workers – one in five! – have faced bullying on the job. This isn’t just bad for individuals; it hurts our workplaces, too.
A mentally healthy workplace is one where everyone feels supported and safe. We can’t let bullying take root in this environment.
It’s crucial for workplaces to recognise bullying and its effects. This behaviour can be repeated, unreasonable actions that target a worker or group, causing them distress. It can be verbal, like yelling or insults, or nonverbal, like exclusion or intimidation.
Bullying doesn’t just affect the target’s well-being; it can damage team morale and bring down productivity. By creating a clear stand against bullying, we can build stronger, more successful workplaces for everyone.
Mr Robinson says, “To combat bullying, workplaces and schools need to implement strong policies and processes, show commitment to prevention and intervention, foster positive communication, and celebrate diversity.
“When these actions are taken, workplaces and schools will flourish, and instances of bullying will decrease. The power for change is in the hands of business leaders and school communities.”
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