SCRAWLED in thick, chalk letters in the middle of the playground is the message: Be Fearless.
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It's McCarthy Catholic College students' nod to Bullying No Way Day, a national day of action against bullies.
Year 12 school captain Maeve Galvin said standing up against bullies can be hard, but it's powerful.
"It's hard to do because there is always that feeling of, 'Why does it have to be me?'" she said.
"In a big school environment, you can pretend that you don't see it and keep walking, but that sends the message that it's okay.
"It's the same thing online - don't scroll past it. If you see someone make a nasty post, report that post."
Kids Helpline data shows a slight drop in contacts made by children and young people about face-to-face bulling in 2020.
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The helpline is run by yourtown, and head of client services Brendan Bourke said school closures would have affected data.
"But the year-on-year decrease may also relate to a shift in the primary issue that children and young people are presenting with," he said.
"Their primary reason for contacting Kids Helpline may be regarding mental health or emotional wellbeing concerns, and bullying may only emerge as a factor when our counsellors unpack and explore the young person's issues."
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