Pink Shirt Day is a reminder that kindness, respect, and belonging matter — especially for young people who are still figuring out how to navigate friendships, conflict, and their own sense of self. In this Q&A, Youth Worker Lizzie Bottrill from Sea to Sky Community Services’ Squamish Youth Services program shares reflections from her work with youth across the Sea to Sky Corridor. She offers insight into what’s often behind challenging behaviour, how bullying shows up today, and why connection and support can make such a meaningful difference.
Pink Shirt Day often focuses on bullying—from your work with youth, how do you see bullying show up in young people’s relationships and behaviour today?
Because every kid has a phone now, they can’t just go home and leave their bullies at school. The behaviour follows them — into their bedrooms, into their pockets — and it’s easy for it to stay hidden from the adults who could step in and help.
As I’m writing this, I’m sitting with a group of 12–13‑year‑olds, so I ask them about their experiences.
A 12‑year‑old girl tells me that someone recently gave her number out to all his friends, who then started texting her threats and expletives. She blocked each number, but the messages kept coming from new ones.
A 12‑year‑old boy says he’s been through something similar — random people calling him and saying awful things.
I ask the group if they have a name for this kind of thing — “incited mass harassment,” maybe — but they don’t seem to.
The tricky part about digital bullying is how hard it is to call out. Online, people can create endless anonymous accounts, and that anonymity creates a kind of road‑rage mentality. It lets people say things they’d never say face‑to‑face, without having to deal with the real‑world impact of the harm they’re causing.
What are some of the underlying needs or emotions you notice when youth are involved in conflict or hurtful behaviour toward others?
I usually notice the same thing: a need for safety — for both the young person doing the hurting and the one being hurt.
In my experience as a youth worker, most “bad behaviour” is really anxiety showing up in a messy way. Sometimes it looks like one youth trying to wield power over another. Sometimes a young person is trying to create a sense of safety by pushing their uncomfortable emotions outward, almost like they’re trying to get rid of them by placing them on someone else.
That’s why I believe the real antidote is giving those youth access to safe, positive relationships — places where they can feel grounded, connected, and supported. At the Squamish Youth Hub, that’s exactly what we work to build and protect. We create spaces where young people can express the harder emotions — the anger, sadness, confusion, fear — without having to bottle them up or act them out. Those relationships and safe outlets make all the difference.
Can you share an example from your work that illustrates how support, understanding, or connection helped a young person move toward healthier relationships?
As a Youth Worker, I often have youth come to me or our team for advice on how to handle challenging peer relations.
Recently, a youth approached us after receiving some unkind messages from a peer. They were ready to block the person and move on, but they felt unsure about how to set those boundaries without things blowing up. A Youth Worker sat with them, helping them shape what they wanted to say, fine‑tune their wording, and approach the situation from a confident, empowered place. They ended up having a great conversation about the youth’s values and what feels right for them when it comes to choosing who gets access to their time and energy.
We also had the opportunity to sit gently with the other youth and process the friendship loss, and take responsibility for the part they played in the breakdown. We supported that youth to access counselling and other resources.
What would you want parents and caregivers in our Sea to Sky communities to know about how youth experience conflict, belonging, and peer pressure?
Creating a space where youth feel safe opening up about the hard stuff is one of the most important parts of raising them — and honestly, one of the trickiest. If you’re thinking about how to do that, you’re already doing great!
always encourage parents and caregivers to get curious and learn more about how to support their youth online. A little training can go a long way in helping their youth navigate the internet.
When I talk with youth about online safety, I like to frame the internet as a giant city. There are amazing places to explore and tons of opportunities — and there are also some sketchy neighbourhoods you want to steer clear of. Not everyone is who they say they are, and learning how to stay safe and set boundaries is a life skill that will serve them well. For those of us who grew up before the internet, it can feel like learning a whole new language, but don’t let that scare you. Lean in. There are so many great resources out there to help you and your youth navigate it together.
When a young person—or their caregiver — is unsure whether to reach out for support, what would you want them to hear this Pink Shirt Day
It really does take a village to raise a child, and all of our support services are here to be part of that village. We’re here to offer safe spaces, resources, and listening ears for young people, parents, and caregivers alike. Don’t hesitate to reach out. Truly — use us. That’s what we’re here for.
In your experience, what role do caring adults, peers, and community play in helping youth feel safe, supported, and accountable for their behaviour
I believe we all play a role in shaping the culture around us. It starts with modelling strong, healthy relationships built on respect, kindness, fun, encouragement, support, consistency, and clear boundaries. When that’s the baseline, it becomes easier (though not necessarily easy!) to call out actions that don’t align.
It also means not shying away from the hard conversations, and never using shame or blame to end bullying. Instead — in the wise words of Ted Lasso — be curious, not judgmental. Ask questions like: How did this dynamic with so‑and‑so start? Do you realize the impact your words and actions are having? What kind of friend do you want to be?
The truth is, we rarely know the full story of what a young person is carrying. Even the most challenging or hurtful behaviour can be a signal that someone is overwhelmed, struggling, or trying to cope in the only way they know how. It can be an invitation for us to support someone whose life feels incredibly difficult and overwhelming — who has decided to express that overwhelm by bullying another.
When we lead with curiosity, we offer a lifeline — a safe place for those big, painful emotions to land, instead of being acted out on someone else.
Thank you to Lizzie — and to all our Youth Workers — for the care, curiosity, and compassion you bring to young people every day.
Supporting youth is truly a shared responsibility, and no one has to navigate it alone. This Pink Shirt Day, we encourage parents, caregivers, and community members to reach out if they have concerns about a young person’s relationships or behaviour. Asking for help is a strength, and early, compassionate support can help build safer, more connected communities for everyone.
Resources:
Foundry Sea to Sky: Open: Monday-Friday: 9am-5pm
Youth Hub Hours: Wed-Fri lunch hour drop in: 11.30am-1pm and Thur-Sat 3-7pm
Drop In Hours: Wednesdays 2-5pm and Thursdays 12pm-6pm
Give us a call at 604-567-9347 for more info or visit our website
Kids Help Phone: Available 24/7 at 1-800-668-6868 or text TALK to 686868 for immediate, confidential counseling.
BullyingCanada: 24/7 support for bullied youth and families.
Keeping Kids Safe (BC): A guide for parents (K-12) available in multiple languages.
Government of Canada Bullying:Find information on how to recognize and prevent bullying. Also learn about bullying prevention programs.