Proud to be recognised in Australia’s anti‑bullying rapid review

24th November 2025

At You Can Sit With Me, inclusion and kindness have always been at the centre of everything we do. We are proud to announce that our initiative has been recognised in the Australian Government’s Anti‑Bullying Rapid Review Final Report — a landmark national study examining how schools can better prevent and respond to bullying. The report, released in October 2025, highlights effective programs across the country, identifying what is working and where more support is needed.​

What is You Can Sit With Me?

You Can Sit With Me is a peer‑led school initiative built on kindness and a simple idea with a powerful message: no one should ever feel left out. Students who participate wear bright yellow wristbands, signalling that they are approachable and ready to offer friendship to anyone who feels lonely or excluded. This small act encourages connections, builds empathy, and helps create a culture of kindness where all students feel they belong.​

Having impacted 1,000 schools, sporting clubs and community groups in Australia, the program has proven to be a practical, low‑cost way to foster kindness, inclusion and reduce bullying. By empowering students to lead change from within, You Can Sit With Me turns kindness into everyday action .​

Understanding the Anti‑Bullying Rapid Review

The Anti‑Bullying Rapid Review, commissioned by the Department of Education in early 2025 and led by co‑chairs Dr Charlotte Keating and Dr Jo Robinson AM, was established to examine what is working to prevent and address bullying in Australian schools. Over  1,700  submissions from teachers, students, parents, and community organisations were received. The final report, delivered to Education Ministers and now publicly available, calls for national consistency, stronger prevention strategies, and greater student engagement.​

Among its major recommendations are a National Standard on Bullying and a requirement that schools respond to bullying complaints within two school days. It also encourages schools to adopt “whole‑of‑school” approaches that engage teachers, students, and families collectively to build respectful learning environments.​

Recognition of You Can Sit With Me

Within this national framework, You Can Sit With Me was highlighted as an example of an effective preventative initiative that promotes social inclusion—a key protective factor against bullying. The final report identifies our program as part of a growing movement of peer‑based approaches that create safe, supportive environments.​

This acknowledgement validates a simple truth educators and psychologists have long emphasised: fostering belonging is essential to preventing harm. Programs like ours show how compassion can be cultivated through student leadership, not just top‑down policies. It is both humbling and inspiring to see our bright yellow wristbands acknowledged among national best‑practice examples shaping Australian schools.​

Why student‑led kindness works

The report reinforces that student agency is a crucial ingredient in addressing bullying. When young people are empowered to take part in building a positive school culture, they become key drivers of change. You Can Sit With Me embodies this philosophy — students are not passive bystanders but active “upstanders” who create safer spaces through empathy and inclusion.​

The visibility of the wristband gives all children, including quieter or newer students, a tangible sign of acceptance. It helps reframe peer dynamics, showing that leadership can take the form of kindness, not dominance. Over time, this peer modelling reshapes what is socially valued within a school’s culture — turning inclusion into a shared norm rather than an exception.​

A complement to broader school strategies

While peer programs play a vital role, the Rapid Review also stresses the importance of integrated strategies that include clear policies, workforce training, early intervention, and family engagement. You Can Sit With Me complements these broader measures by providing a grassroots tool for everyday connection.​

As the government prepares an implementation plan for the Review’s recommendations, the Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has confirmed a $10 million initial investment — $5 million for a national awareness campaign and $5 million to create new resources for teachers, students, and parents. Importantly, these resources will highlight peer‑based initiatives as proven components of stronger anti‑bullying frameworks.​

In this ecosystem, You Can Sit With Me sits perfectly at the intersection of policy and lived experience—demonstrating how real‑world kindness can reinforce evidence‑based approaches to wellbeing.​

Partnerships that make a difference

The reach of You Can Sit With Me extends beyond classrooms. Through partnerships like Ray White’s “Safe Spaces” initiative, students travelling to and from school know they can find help in local offices displaying the program’s sticker. These collaborations strengthen community networks and reinforce a consistent message: wherever a child goes, they are supported and valued.​

Such partnerships exemplify the spirit of the Anti‑Bullying Rapid Review’s recommendations—linking schools, families, and communities in a shared mission to nurture empathy and safety.​

Celebrating inclusion, continuing the work

Being recognised in this national review is a proud moment for everyone connected to You Can Sit With Me — the schools who champion it, the students who wear it, the parents who support it, and the educators who embed it into wellbeing programs. It affirms that what began as a simple symbol of welcome has become part of a national conversation about safeguarding Australia’s young people.​

Yet, our work continues. The Review makes clear that bullying remains a serious and complex issue, with lasting impacts on mental health, attendance, and academic performance. Real change requires consistent effort at every level—from government and schools to communities and individuals. Kindness must become habit.​

A call to action

At You Can Sit With Me, our message to schools and families is simple: inclusion starts with small acts. By inviting someone to sit with you, listen, or share a conversation, you’re not just offering company—you’re helping build resilience and belonging.

We invite educators, students, and community organisations across Australia to join the movement. Together, we can ensure that every child has a place to belong, every playground is a safe space, and every act of kindness counts toward a culture of care.​

For schools wishing to participate or learn more, resources and program details are available on our website at youcansitwithme.org. The Anti‑Bullying Rapid Review Final Report can be read through the Australian Government Department of Education website. Both remind us of an enduring truth: lasting change begins not with rules, but with relationships.​

According to Sophie Sparks, Founder of You Can Sit With Me, “We’re very proud to have been put forward by education stakeholders as an existing anti-bullying activity for this report.

“Recognition in a national government review is more than a milestone — it’s a testament to the profound impact of student‑driven kindness. As Australia moves toward establishing a consistent national standard on bullying, initiatives like You Can Sit With Me offer a blueprint for how empathy can transform school culture from the inside out.

“Kindness is not optional—it’s foundational. When children learn that sitting with someone new can change a day, a school, or even a life, we all move closer to the inclusive, respectful Australia we aspire to build.” 

YOU CAN SIT WITH ME is an inclusive, evidence-based, peer-led program reducing school refusal, social isolation, bullying, exclusion and non inclusive behaviour.

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.