Give us courage to encourage others Dan Jackson
From: Herald Sun
March 16, 2012THERE'S a quote by Winston Churchill I like: "Courage is rightly esteemed as the first of human qualities because ... it is the quality which guarantees all others."
It appeals to me not only because it is equally true on the football field as it is in life but because it fits perfectly with a piece of advice my dad gave me on my first day of school.
It's advice that has stuck with me and that others, especially young people, can learn from.
He sat me down and said: "If you ever see someone being picked on by others, don't stand by and do nothing, step in and say no. Be the bigger person."
Today is the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence and you've probably read, seen and heard countless stories of kids and teenagers being the victims of bullying - whether it's physical, verbal or cyber bullying.
It seems in most situations parents are left feeling isolated and powerless. And that's not to mention the victims of often physically or psychologically debilitating attacks.
Other than the pot shots at my red hair over the years I've been fortunate enough to have lived a relatively "bully-free" life. So I'm not the one to offer suggestions on how to avoid being bullied or how to deal with a bully.
However, my message isn't for the victims nor for bullies.
It's for those, young and old, who have seen bullying first-hand.
It's also to the parents of young children who, like my old man, can help build the courage and character necessary to make a difference in someone else's life.
My message is almost always the same; don't try to deal with difficult issues on your own. Seek help. Find someone who you trust to talk to. Build yourself a network of friends and mentors who can help you work through whatever issue is troubling you.
Over the past 12-18 months I've had the privilege of talking to many school groups on behalf of a number of great organisations.
I have been involved in the Student Resilience Program run by En Masse, which focuses on helping young people deal with stress, anxiety and depression.
I've spoken to teenagers on behalf of Step Back Think, an anti-violence group trying to eradicate mindless drunken violence.
Most recently I was involved in an anti-bullying video campaign run by headspace, the national youth mental health organisation.
My message is almost always the same; don't try to deal with difficult issues on your own. Seek help. Find someone who you trust to talk to. Build yourself a network of friends and mentors who can help you work through whatever issue is troubling you.
Heading into my ninth season of AFL footy I can look back and appreciate that the game has plenty of ups and downs. As many a past player will tell you: "The highs in footy are high, but the lows are very low."
I'VE had to confront plenty of mental demons over the years and have seen others doing the same, some with success, some unfortunately without.
But there seems one key element that makes the biggest difference when everything seems to be going poorly, and that is having people, or even one person, around who care enough to help you out.
AFL players have access to resources such as team psychologists or the AFL Players' Association provides counselling services.
But I reckon the most effective form of support comes from your teammates, the guys who share the "blood, sweat and tears" moments.
So what can young people do for themselves, what can we do for them and, most importantly, what can young people do for each other?
If they don't feel they can talk to a friend, family member or teacher, headspace has centres and an online service providing free, confidential counselling services for anyone 12 to 25.
Schools or parents can contact the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, a charity set up to protect children from violence. They run Better Buddies, which aims to promote a caring environment in schools.
But the most important message parents and other role models can teach kids is the message my dad taught me: to have courage, stand proud and speak out for those who dare not speak out for themselves.
If I was going to come up with an anti-bullying campaign, my message would simply be: "Whose back have you got?"
Dan Jackson is a Richmond footballer and an ambassador for headspace
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/give-us-courage-to-encourage-the-others/story-e6frfhqf-1226300883921
