KIDS Helpline is calling for urgent action to combat the rise in bullying among Australian teens, with their recent survey revealing 85% of young people have experienced bullying.

In the last year, over 3,000 of Kids Helpline counselling sessions were directly related to this issue, highlighting the need for more intervention. Australia ranks second highest for teen bullying among 24 OECD countries.
To tackle the issue, Kids Helpline has teamed up with Instagram to launch "How Do You Mean?" (kidshelpline.com.au/how-do-you-mean), a campaign to empower young people to recognise, report, and seek support for bullying.
The Instagram series features Australian content creators Ben McIntosh (@benjmcintosh), Brock Valesini (@brockvalesinii), Sasha Tyers (@sashatyers) and Taz Zammit and Alessia Allfree (@tazandalessia), sharing their own experiences and practical tips to support young people experience bullying online and in their lives, with helpful tips on how to activate Instagram features to support wellbeing online.
Kids Helpline Virtual Services Manager Tony FitzGerald said education is key to helping teens understand, recognise, and respond to bullying.
“'How Do You Mean?' provides practical strategies and encourages open conversations to create more compassionate, safer spaces for everyone,” he said.
More than 178,000 individuals have accessed bullying-related information on Kids Helpline’s website this year.
Mr FitzGerald added the campaign is essential not just to educate young people but to reassure those experiencing bullying that there is a way through it.
“The mental health impact of bullying can be profound, impacting self-esteem and overall wellbeing, which is why it’s vital to remember that support is always available,” he said.
Meta’s Regional Director of Public Policy Mia Garlick said Meta recognises the importance of protecting the wellbeing and safety of young people on their platforms.
“Our policies prohibit bullying and harassment and we invest significantly to prevent it on our services. We work closely with experts and organisations like Kids Helpline to ensure that our efforts are effective,” she said.
“We are very proud to launch ‘How Do You Mean’ in collaboration with Kids Helpline and remain committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all users, especially young people,” she added. “This campaign surfaces some of the tools available to support young people against bullying on Instagram.”
Kids Helpline’s practical steps for managing bullying:
• Get Social Support: Spend time with friends who value you for who you are or focus on building new friendships.
• Do What You Love: Engage in enjoyable activities to reduce stress.
• Focus on Strengths: Celebrate your uniqueness and talents, rather than letting bullying define you.
• Seek Professional Help: Experts can provide tailored advice and support.
• Report it: It’s important to report bullying to a trusted adult or through online tools. The only person who benefits from you not reporting is the person doing the bullying.
• Remember It Gets Better: Bullying is a temporary challenge - many have overcome it and so can you.
https://kidshelpline.com.au/how-do-you-mean
Kids Helpline is available 24/7 for any reason. Young people can call 1800 551 800 or chat online at www.kidshelpline.com.au