What's Inclusion and Why Does It Matter? - Episode 26

For the month of March, we are talking all about inclusion! For this week’s episode of PACERTalks About Bullying, we are digging deeper into what inclusion means and ways that we can all demonstrate it in our school and community.

Transcript

Hey everyone. Welcome back to PACERtalks about bullying. I'm Bailey. We're glad you're here.

This month we're talking all about inclusion. Now I know inclusion can be a pretty vague word sometimes. So this month we're working on breaking it down. We have some really exciting videos planned for the month of March including interviews with students, professionals, and well, I don't want to give it all away just yet.

In this week's episode, we're digging deeper into what the word inclusion means, why it matters, and how it relates to bullying prevention. Now, let's get into the episode.

First to get started, let's talk about what inclusion even means. By definition, inclusion means the state of being taken in as a whole. Inclusion means everyone feels respected. Everyone feels valued for who they are and everyone feels like they belong. Well that definition can help give a little more context to what inclusion is.

You still may be wondering what this has to do with bullying prevention. Inclusion is much more about prevention versus intervention. Now both are important. So often we give students tips and ideas on what they can do if they see bullying happening which is intervention. Inclusion is an opportunity for students to create schools and communities and online worlds that is a kinder, more accepting and inclusive place. When these spaces are more inclusive, bullying is much less likely to happen. Often, students who are different or don't have a friend or support group are vulnerable to experiencing bullying. That's why inclusion is so important because it shows that people care.

To give you an example, imagine this. It's your first day at a new school. You walk into the lunchroom and you don't know anyone. You quickly grab your lunch and sit down at the first open table you see. The entire lunch period no one sits next to you. Imagine how that would feel.

Now imagine if everything was different. You walk into your new school at lunch and it's filled with unfamiliar faces. As you sit down at the lunch table, three new peers come up and sit with you. They ask what your name is, where you're from, and what classes you're taking. This is a great example of what inclusion can look like and why it's so important.

Inclusion is welcoming and reaching out to those are different or may have a few friends. This helps prevent bullying to show them that they're not alone, they're noticed, and that people care.

Now that we know more about what inclusion is and why it relates to bullying prevention, let's talk about ways to be inclusive. See someone at school that you don't know. Be intentional about your actions as what you do matters. One great example of what you could do would be to say hi, introduce yourself, and ask what their name is. Look them in the eye and try and remember their name. Next time you see them, go up and say hi to them again using their name. That can make a big difference.

Other things that you could do is if you see someone that's alone, invite them to recess with you. Sit by them at lunch or invite them to come to an afterschool activity. Inclusion doesn't have to be these big grand gestures. Even the simplest acts of inclusion can make a huge difference.

Now it's also important to remember that inclusion isn't just for students at school. It's for everyone and adults can do this too. Just as we talked about the example with remembering a peer's name, try and remember the name of your barista or a cashier that you see all the time. This can open up the dialogue for conversation that you may have never had before. You can also hold the door open for someone. Let someone go in front of you in line or give a genuine compliment. Your actions can make a difference in your community.

And before we go for the week, we want to hear from you. You're probably watching this video online whether it's through our website or social media. What ideas do you have for creating an inclusive online world? Comment down below. And while that's all that we have for this week's episode, we'll see you right back here next week as we continue to talk about inclusion. And remember, together we can help create a world without bullying. See you.