Hazing activities continue to be an issue in some of the province's schools and throughout Canada - and there appears to be an escalation in terms of the violent nature of the incidents. Such incidents cross the line in terms of what is socially acceptable, and are often not reported until after the fact.

Although effective policy on hazing is important (See PROG-324 - School Athletics Policy), anti-hazing education is critical to establishing that hazing will not be tolerated in our school communities.

The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District believes that hazing prevention education is necessary for students, staff, coaches, volunteers and community members. As such, the District has partnered with School Sports Newfoundland and Labrador, Sport Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Provincial Government (Department of Children, Seniors, and Social Development) to develop a Hazing Prevention Program for Grades 7-12 students, along with staff, coaches and community volunteers.

Topics include: Hazing versus Bullying, Hazing Statistics, Criminal Code, Consequences of Hazing, Severity of Hazing, and The Step Up Model. This education session integrates technology and Google apps for Education and is interactive, providing online registration, quizzes, videos and resources for students, staff, coaches and volunteers.

Using a Train the Trainer Model, the District is offering the sessions for a lead teacher(s) in all schools with a 7-12 configuration, anticipating that each school will have a lead teacher trained by the end of the 2019-20 school year.

This will allow for full implementation in all of our provinces schools in 2020-21.

Please see below for further information on hazing prevention and program partners.

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The following resources are among the trusted sources used to inform the program and can be used to help inform discussions at home, recreational leagues or clubs to further reinforce these messages with students.

• Hazing Information & Myth Busting
  A Canadian resource from the University of Alberta (2019) which aims to provide students, staff and parents with the facts about hazing activities, while also taking the opportunity to dispel some of the myths associated with hazing.

• HAZINGPREVENTION.org
  A North American resource organization with the goal of empowering people to prevent hazing. Their focus is to educate, advocate and engage the community in hazing prevention.

• Stophazing.org
  A North American resource primarily focused on university level sport. Stophazing.org has a mission to promote safe school, campus and organizational climates through research, information sharing and the development of data-driven strategies for hazing prevention.

• End Hazing
  A resource developed by a practitioner in hazing prevention in Canada and the United States, Bruce Wood. The site offers resources and services to help groups and organizations address issues of hazing or implement strong prevention programs.

• When Hazing Becomes Criminal
  This media archive provides information for families on hazing culture. Following the allegations of hazing activities at St. Michael's College School in Toronto came to light in 2018, hazing culture expert Jay Johnson spoke with CBC News Network about what he calls a pervasive issue, and how the act of hazing often crosses boundaries into criminal charges.

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The District recognizes that partnerships are integral to ensuring our students are empowered with information from trusted sources to help them make informed, appropriate decisions about their health and safety. As all our organizations have a vested interest in making sure our young people know what is expected of them when engaging in organized sport, the following groups joined with the District to inform this program.