Anti Bullying Suicide Prevention Projects Use Songwriting & Slam Poetry

A top-rated motivational speaker from Canada who specializes in student leadership development has seen anti-bullying and suicide prevention projects use slam poetry, songwriting and filmmaking to empower youth and transform school cultures.

Victoria , Canada - January 24, 2017 /PressCable/ —

A top rated motivational speaker from Canada who specializes in student leadership development, has seen anti bullying and suicide prevention projects use slam poetry, songwriting and filmmaking to empower students and transform school cultures.

27.8%, or nearly 1 in 3 students report being bullied during the school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Suicide is the 2cd ranking cause of death for individuals 15-24 years of age – homicides ranked 3rd. (Drapeau & McIntosh, 2015)

Rik Leaf, Creativity in Education Specialist explains, “Songwriting and slam poetry give students a way to put their values for creating a safe and supportive school into their own words. The most effective solutions are the ones we come up with ourselves.”

For The Sets’ani Anti-Bullying Project, Kindergarten and Grade 1 indigenous students from the Kátlódeeche First Nation in northern Canada came up with a positive solution to the challenges they faced with bullying in their school. The students worked with a professional songwriter to write an original song and produce a multi media video.

“These indigenous students from the South Slave area of the Northwest Territories in northern Canada, were able to incorporate their traditional language into the song,” Leaf explains. “Sets’ani means, ‘Be a Friend’ in the Slavey language. This was a powerful way for their traditional culture to play an active role in their day to day lives.”

Slam poetry, which combines creative writing with public performance, provides students with a positive way to talk about difficult subjects that are important to them. “Slam poetry is a powerful outlet for self expression, and helps students process emotional subjects like bullying, loneliness, self-harm, suicide and isolation in a positive way,” Leaf says.

Higher levels of creative awareness and understanding have been proven to increase empathy and social and emotional sensitivity. “These creative projects help students recognize how their shared experience provides points of connection, and how their differences provide opportunities to work together.” Leaf says.

For more details and information on student lead anti bullying and suicide prevention initiatives in schools contact,

Rik Leaf 250-896-2572 [email protected] http://rikleaf.com

Contact Info:
Name: Rik Leaf
Email: [email protected]
Organization: Rik Leaf Creative Productions
Address: 1607 Camosun Street, Victoria , V8T 3E5 Canada
Phone: +1-250-896-2572

For more information, please visit http://rikleaf.com

Source: MarketersMedia

Release ID: 163354