13 minute read
FEATURE
It really is about the awareness. The true spirit of a Sikh is to treat all human beings as equal. The soul and essence of the campaign is to continue to do good in the community. The main goal is to stop the genocidal mindset and support humanitarian campaigns.” – Jastej Kaur Sidhu, Sikh Nation volunteer
Bunvir Kaur Nijjer, Sikh Nation volunteer, describes the most rewarding aspect of her volunteerism, “The best part is the impact that this campaign has on saving lives. It is not about gender or race. We are all one human race. The good feeling you get that you’ve been part of such a great campaign – that feels great! I’ve made so may friends, through Sikh Nation, who are like family to me.”
Nijjer’s involvement with Sikh Nation traces back to 17 years ago, when her father stopped by the campaign and was amazed to see all the great work being Blood Donation by Sikh Nation began as a tribute to the events of 1984. With the vision of bringing people together, the Sikh community started the Blood Donation Campaign in 1999. The volunteer-led initiative is rooted in the fundamental belief that all human beings are equal, rejecting the concepts of idolatry, ritualism, caste system and asceticism.
done. Not being able to donate, he inquired how he could get involved and help. After meeting the founders of the campaign at the time, he was encouraged to start the campaign in his city, Kelowna. Nijjer accompanied her father as a volunteer until she was herself eligible to donate. Alongside community service, the campaign has been nothing short of father-daughter bonding time for the two, leading her to form a personal connection with the work being done. With the recent passing of her father, Jadvinder Singh Nijjer, she hopes to continue his legacy and, in his honor,
encouraged plasma donations in the Kelowna campaign this year, which would go towards treatment and medical research.
For the team’s tireless efforts, Sidhu describes that it is great to be recognized by the province, “It really is about the awareness. The true spirit of a Sikh is to treat all human beings as equal. The soul and essence of the campaign is to continue to do good in the community. The main goal is to stop the genocidal mindset and support humanitarian campaigns.” Nijjer adds that the achievement truly belongs to the community, and that we should be proud of every donor, as all their contributions have led to this day.
Without a doubt, Sikh Nation’s Blood Donation campaign is doing more than honoring lives lost in 1984; it is teaching future generations about our history and instilling a love for community service. It is downright inspiring to respond to tragedy with positivity and bringing about positive change in society. Sikh Nation is a true testament to the concept of “sarbat da bhala”, meaning “may good come to all”.
For those interested in donating, the best resource for information is blood.ca or sikhnation.net to determine eligibility and learn more. Since the organization is 100% a volunteer-based effort, both donors and volunteers are needed. Driven by selfless intention and the motivation to save lives, Blood Donation by Sikh Nation reflects the power of communal support. When the community comes together, even the sky isn’t the limit. As Sikh Nation puts it, Fateh (victory) with Faith!
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Are our youth safe in sports organizations?
By Naina Grewal
Success can sometimes come at a cost, as many controversies and disputes lace the sports industry. Moreover, it seems that issues can sometimes remain suppressed, not getting the attention they deserve.
Consider the recent stepping down of Stan Bowman, the Chicago Blackhawks General Manager. The executive stepped down following an investigation regarding a 2010 sexual assault allegation made by Kyle Beach against former assistant coach, Brad Aldrich. While the organization has reiterated “deepest apologies” for its failure to promptly respond in 2010, justice delayed is justice denied. With such news gracing the headlines, the fate of our youth in our community sports organizations comes to mind. Youth and children spend most of their time in schools, where many develop their love for sports. Schools are also a common place for issues to come up, bringing up the need for solid conflict resolution processes. North Delta Secondary’s Senior Boys Basketball Lots of times, I see parents using sports clubs as babysitting clubs. Do you really believe that your child will come home and share? This is especially an issue in the South Asian community, where we don’t have open lines of communication and parents are seen as authoritarian figures.”
- Kal Dosanjh, Law Enforcement Detective and CEO of KidsPlay Foundation
- Gary Sandhu, North Delta Secondary’s Senior Boys Basketball and Soccer Coach
and Soccer Coach, Gary Sandhu, shares that mental health and conflict resolution, especially at the high school sports level, is all coach dependent. If a coach is comfortable touching upon these topics, conversations will happen, as many schools do not have consistent coaches or established programs anymore. Schools rely on early career teachers to be coaches of school sports. These teacher-coaches are usually putting in considerable time prepping lessons, and volunteering in other aspects of the school community, in addition to coaching a team. “From what I have experienced, teachercoaches care about kids, and they are always doing the best they can for our young athletes. If a player on my team needs something or is having a financial, person or mental health issue, I would help in any way I can. If a harassment-related issue came to my attention, as a teacher, I feel that I have a duty to protect the student and to make sure that the student feels they have a trustable coach. At the end of the day, I’m there to provide guidance and trust, and to teach,” expresses Sandhu.
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According to Dr. Shimi Kang, no matter how minor an experience may seem, any abuse can have a lasting impact and can be traumatic, more so if there has been a breach of trust. For example, in sports, we are not expecting people we entrust to betray our faith. Dr. Kang recommends, “If you have experienced abuse, the bare minimum would be a conversation with a professional – be it a family doctor, counselor, or psychologist. The goal is just to screen for symptoms like anxiety, lack of sleep, or depression.“ A coach needs to understand that an athlete joins sports at a young age to have fun and form social connections, which all elicit a positive impact on mental health. Violation of these objectives leads to disinterest in playing sports, which has shown to have negative consequences on mental health in young individuals.”
As per Sandhu, if a player is being bullied or harassed in any way from a team member or opponent, the coach will usually step in as soon as they are made aware or witness anything of that nature. The harassment would then be reported to school administrators and dealt with through interviews of the parties involved. Harassment from a coach would have to be investigated further and administration and parents would get involved depending on the nature of the harassment. Speaking from the other side, Kinesiology student, Kanwartaj Gill, extracts from his experience as a former player of the BC Tigers Soccer Club, and as a current trainer for the UBC Girls Software Team, “A coach needs to understand that an athlete joins sports at a young age to have fun and form social connections, which all elicit a positive impact on mental health. Violation of these objectives leads to disinterest in playing sports, which has shown to have negative consequences on mental health in young individuals.”
Gill emphasizes that athletes are more likely to be faced with mental health issues due to overtraining, mental impact of injuries, time demands, and self-expectations, complemented by expectations of parents and coaches. Furthermore, research has shown that athletes are less likely to adopt a positive athlete towards seeking mental health support due to their esteemed athletic identity and masculinity ideals.
Undoubtedly, the unhealthy romanticization of masculinity and integration of misogyny is heavily prevalent in sports culture, with “locker room talk” that dehumanizes and objectifies women and femininity. That isn’t to say that males are not subject to any wrongdoings. In fact, Dr. Shimi Kang, Psychiatrist and Founder of Dolphin Kids Counseling, reveals that 1 in 2 girls, and 1 in 4 boys undergo sexual abuse. However, there is collective denial about the issue. The abuse is frequently done by an authority figure known to the child. As such, parents need to meet assistant coaches, be present, check in, and
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proactively ask how things are going.
Law Enforcement Detective and CEO of KidsPlay Foundation, Kal Dosanjh, explains that parents sometimes only see the broader issues from a bird’s-eye perspective, unaware of more intricate problems. Therefore, parents may think that they are involved, but they are not in the know. “Lots of times, I see parents using sports clubs as babysitting clubs. Do you really believe that your child will come home and share? This is especially an issue in the South Asian community, where we don’t have open lines of communication and parents are seen as authoritarian figures,” thought-provokingly suggests Dosanjh. He urges parents and children to build rapport with each other, on a bedrock of trust, encouragement, love, and support, enabled by quality family time spent together.
Of course, this does not free coaches of their responsibilities. Coaches and trainers must understand that they are important role-models and parental figures for youth. Beyond athletic training, coaches must teach youth about real life skills, sportsmanship, professionalism, and proper etiquette, including respect. Founder and President of KidsPlay, Kiran Toor, believes that the onus falls onto the larger community as well, “It is extremely important that we all come to strategize solutions. Education is key and everything starts at home. Not only do we need to educate parents and guardians, but we are also constantly getting large flows of immigrants, who we should both welcome and educate. Most importantly, we need to hear from those who have firsthand experienced such issues.”
Although giving victims a voice is vital, such topics are taboo in our communities and there is much work to be done in regard to creating a safe space for impacted individuals to speak up and
