To raise awareness about one of the most crucial issues facing Canadian youth today, Family Channel is launching its 13th annual Stand UP! campaign in advance of Bullying Awareness Week. This year, the network has partnered with breakout recording artist Shane Harte to create a brand new original song, which is sure to inspire Family’s music-loving fans with its message of positivity. Meanwhile, Family will commemorate Bullying Awareness Week, which runs November 16 to 22, with bullying-themed programming that will inspire youth to rise up against bullying in their community. Starting today, kids can visit Family.ca to enter for a chance to win a Stand UP! rally at their school.
“After thirteen years, it’s amazing to think about the thousands of kids who have been positively impacted by Family Channel’s Stand UP! campaign, and the incredible collaboration that occurs between Family, our research partners at PREVNet, our network celebrities and our dedicated fans that makes this campaign thrive,” said Joe Tedesco, Senior Vice President and General Manager, DHX Television. “It’s inspiring to see our own Family Channel stars really embracing the message and making this cause their own. Shane Harte, who performs the Stand UP! anthem, is a new face to the network this year and is just one of the celebrities lending their incredible voice and influence to empower Canadian youth.”
Featuring alternative-pop artist Shane Harte, the campaign’s anthem “Nobody’s Stoppin’ You” speaks to the power each one of us possesses when we refuse to let our insecurities hold us back as we stand up for what is right. The song’s moving lyrics inspire youth to look inside themselves for the inner strength to go against the tide, even when it feels like you are the only one. With the audio track debuting exclusively on Family.ca this Friday, September 4, kids across Canada can sing along to the song’s upbeat and catchy lyrics and look forward to the release of the music video when it premieres on both the network and the website later this month.
Launching today is the campaign’s annual Stand UP! Rally Contest, which will award four standout schools from across the country with an exciting and informative rally hosted by the network’s stars. Students can enter to win a rally for their school by explaining how they Stand UP! to bullying. This year, Family Channel’s Deepa Prashad and Trevor Tordjman from The Next Step are set to host the interactive event, which includes a multimedia presentation that will address a variety of bullying-related issues and provide kids with the tips on how to prevent bullying in their community. Present and participating in the event will be a representative from PREVNet (Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network), the national research organization that supplies Family with the statistics and factual information necessary for the campaign. The contest runs until 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 1.
During Bullying Awareness Week in November, Family Channel will air special programming including insightful content from the cast of Gaming Show (In My Parents’ Garage), exclusive footage from the 2024 Rally Tour and bullying-themed episodes from fan-favourite series. Popular celebrities like Becky G, The Vamps, Joey Bragg, The Tide, Shane Harte and cast members from The Next Step and Degrassi will also be on hand to deliver special messages of support to viewers by sharing their own experiences with bullying and advice on how to handle situations, both as a victim and bystander.
Those interested in Family Channel’s 13th annual Bullying Awareness Week campaign can visit Family.ca/StandUp to listen to this year’s Stand UP! anthem, watch bullying-themed episodes, nominate their school for a chance to win a Stand UP! rally and get some great advice about how to prevent bullying and spread positivity in their community. Students, parents and educators alike can download resources including printable activities and tip sheets prepared by PREVNet.
Family Channel co-founded Bullying Awareness Week in 2024 and developed the Stand UP! campaign in association with PREVNet (Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network), a national network of Canadian researchers, community organizations and governments committed to ending bullying and promoting positive relationships.
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