YOU CAN SIT WITH ME – 10TH ANNIVERSARY SPEECH

Good evening everyone,

Thank you for being here tonight. Thank you to Muriel and the team at Blue Eye dragon for hosting and congratulations on your 20 year anniversary. 

Tonight, we not only celebrate your achievement, we celebrate a very special milestone; 10 years of YOU CAN SIT WITH ME.

In 2015 sadly one of my students was terribly bullied that she felt her only way forward was to take her life. It was in that moment I decided something had to change and YOU CAN SIT WITH ME was born. 

That small yellow wristband of hope became the beginning of something much bigger than we ever imagined. 

Today, we are an Australian charity, a nationwide movement, built on the belief that kindness can change lives and we have proved that it does.

I would like to thank our incredible ambassadors, our state advocates, our board members, and our amazing volunteers- your passion, your time, and your heart are the very soul of this program. You are proof that kindness isn’t just a value — it’s an action, and a powerful one.

To our generous sponsors over the years including Paspalis, Ray White, ABC Bullion, Tip Top, AEI, Felicia Aroney, Intercontinental, thank you for believing in us. Your support has helped us grow from a small classroom message to a national voice for inclusion.

And thank you  to my gorgeous husband and daughters and  every single person who has ever worn the yellow wristband, made a donation, or simply told someone, “YOU CAN SIT WITH ME”, you are part of this story

When we launched, our aim was simple: to ensure that no child ever feels alone at school.

Over the last 10 years , YOU CAN SIT WITH ME has reached thousands and thousands  of children — from preschools to high schools, from teachers to parents, from playgrounds to classrooms all across Australia.

We’ve seen time and time again how one small act of kindness — a smile, a seat, a yellow wristband, can start a ripple effect.

And that ripple has now become a wave — of empathy, of connection, of  inclusion.

But tonight isn’t just about looking back.

It’s also a reminder of why we do this.

Because the reality is still heartbreaking:

• 43% of bullied children in Australia have considered suicide.

• 38% have self-harmed.

• And more than 1.5 million students have experienced school refusal due to fear, anxiety, or social isolation.

This cannot be our normal.

But here’s the good news, together we are changing the story.

Over 1,000 schools, clubs, and communities have now embraced YOU CAN SIT WITH ME. And in those places, we are seeing evidence based change.

School enrolments are increasing.

School attendance is on the rise.

 Classrooms are becoming kinder.

 Communities growing more connected, compassionate, and kind.

And we’re not stopping here.

YOU CAN SIT WITH ME has touched every state and territory across Australia and now we are working our way to get into every school so every child has someone to sit with.

 We want to reach every child who feels left out, isolated, or alone, before the damage is done.

And are actively doing this; We’ve expanded beyond the classroom:

• With Ray White, we’re creating safe spaces on the way to and from school to help get our children back to school.

• Through YOU CAN SHARE WITH ME, we’re embedding kindness in preschools, starting at the earliest, most critical age.

• We’re giving teachers practical tools to build inclusive, respectful classrooms — where kindness isn’t just taught, but lived.

• We are meeting with Education ministers around the country sharing the benefits of YOU CAN SIT WITH ME.

We’re having our voice heard at the national level — and we are actively working towards nationalising the Working With Children Check (WWCC), to ensure every child in every state is protected by the same high standard of safety.

And just this year, we launched an exciting new initiative.

A radio segment in the Northern Territory with TEABBA Radio, called the YOU CAN SIT WITH ME: Parenting and School Yarn. This segment is already reaching 29 remote communities across the Top End, creating important conversations around kindness, parenting, education, and inclusion.

Through partnerships including Catholic Education, Library for All, NSW rugby, we’ re developing inclusive learning resources to reach every student — no matter their background, ability, or location.

Because at the heart of all of this is one simple truth:

When a child is included, supported, and safe — they can thrive.

That is our mission. That is our promise.

Many people ask how they can help; Please consider bidding in the silent auction, making a donation, become a volunteer, or simply continuing to share our message.

Thank you for sitting with us, not just tonight, but over the past 10 extraordinary years.

Together we can build a future where every child feels included and accepted.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your support and kindness and always remember YOU CAN ALWAYS SIT WITH ME.

YOU CAN SIT WITH ME is an inclusive, evidence-based, peer-led program reducing school refusal, social isolation, bullying, exclusion and non inclusive behaviour. It has been recognised as a “Tier 1 Preventative Program” in the Australian Government’s Anti Bullying Rapid Review.

YOU CAN SIT WITH ME provides free programs for schools, sporting clubs and community groups.  

Please consider supporting education for children across Australia. Your generous, fully tax deductible donation can help make a real difference in many young lives. Thank you for your kindness.

You Can Sit With Me has been recognised as a “Tier 1 Preventative Program” in the Australian Government’s Anti Bullying Rapid Review.