NBCC is committed to providing a safe, productive, and healthy learning environment for both our students and employees. Our Student Code of Conduct & Employee Code of Conduct together with our Academic Integrity Policy balances the rights and responsibilities with the standards and expectations of a successful educational environment.
Unfortunately, bullying and harassment can happen. Whether you are a student or employee, if you are experiencing any issues, we encourage and want you to report them. Often people will let the behaviour continue due to feelings of embarrassment or fear of retaliation. The problem is, by keeping it a secret, the bullying and harassment continue and the effects can be damaging to you personally, academically and professionally.
NBCC provides resources to help guide you through the process of reporting the bullying behaviour and offers both students and employees added support to help deal with the effects of any incidence.
Students:
If you are being bullied by another student or an employee, NBCC Counsellors are available to meet with any student to discuss or walk you through the process of reporting issues as well as give you the tools to stay on track with your academic goals. Learn more about NBCC's policy for Student Issues and Complaints including definitions, implementation and reporting a complaint.
Employees:
If you are being bullied by a co-worker or a student, learn more about NBCC's policy of Maintaining a Respectful Community including definitions, implementation, and the reporting process. Your direct supervisor or human resources would also help you walk you through the process to report any bullying or harassment behaviour. To help you deal with the effects, you also have access to the professionals at Homewood Health for the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP).
There are different ways in which bullying and harassment take place, all can have lasting effects. According to Stats Canada:
Cyber: Using electronic media to deliberately threaten, embarrass, intimidate or exclude someone, or to damage their reputation.
Social or Emotional: Trying to hurt someone through excluding them from groups and events, spreading rumors or ignoring them.
Verbal: Using words to assault, dominate, ridicule, manipulate, and/or degrade another person and negatively impact their psychological health.
Physical: When physical actions involve a person being harmed or their property being damaged.
Give support: Let the person know you were a witness and get help if needed. This act of kindness can go a long way toward helping the person feel less humiliated.
Report it: Many cases of bullying come down to one person's word against another's, so it is helpful to have input from any witnesses. The more information officials have, the clearer picture they have and can take steps to deal with it.
This may seem obvious, and yet people forget to treat others the way that you want to be treated. Before making a joke about someone you know, ask yourself if it seems hurtful. Would it bother you if the roles were reversed? If so, keep it to yourself.
Be mindful that we are a world of many cultures and what may be funny to you, may be hurtful or disrespectful to another.
If you accidentally hurt someone’s feelings or take a joke too far, apologize immediately. It takes guts to admit that you were wrong, and the gesture won’t go unnoticed. It is always best to apologize, even if you think someone is being overly sensitive. Do not blame that person for his or her reaction. Be honest: “I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t think about how it would affect you. It won’t happen again.”
Pink Shirt Day (last Wednesday of February)
NBCC participates in promoting equity, diversity and inclusion. We invite you to wear pink and join us to take a stand against bullying & harassment.
These eBooks provide added resources that discuss how bullying starts, the psychological impact and intervention strategies.
Perspectives on Bullying by
This book provides information on bullying from expert researchers in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, sociology, criminology, counseling, and social work. It reflects our broadening perspectives on bullying and addresses bullying in adolescence, adulthood, the workplace, and online settings.
Emotional Intelligence by
This book seeks to help readers understand the term and the role emotional intelligence plays in education and business. It addresses the influence of bullying and harassment in the workplace and strategies for coping with challenging experiences, providing anecdotes and case studies.