You Can Sit With Me Founder- Sophie Sparks

If you’ve ever felt left out…
If you’ve ever been bullied…
If you’ve ever sat alone and wished someone would notice you —
This episode is for you.

Sophie Sparks is the heart and founder of You Can Sit With Me, one of Australia’s most important and game-changing kindness movement that’s helping students feel seen, safe, and supported at school — all through one simple yellow wristband.

She started it after seeing too many kids hurting in silence. As a teacher, Sophie saw first-hand how many students were sitting alone, struggling to find their people. In 2015, driven by a message from a distressed student and a need to take action, she ordered 500 yellow wristbands from her home and launched a campaign that has helped more than 900 schools, sporting clubs, and community groups embrace its message. Fast forward 10 years, and thousands of schools are using the wristbands to create safe, inclusive spaces. What started as a simple idea to help lonely kids find a friend at school has become a nationwide anti-bullying initiative changing lives one yellow wristband at a time. Now, it’s giving students the power to say: “Hey, I’ve got your back. You can sit with me.”

In this episode, we talk about:
💛 How to bring You Can Sit With Me to your school
💛 What to do if you see someone being left out
💛 How one wristband can spark real friendships
💛 Why kindness is actually pretty cool

Whether you’re in high school, starting Year 7, or just need a reminder that you matter — this one’s for you.

We talk to Sophie about how it all began, the power of kindness, and what every teen (and adult!) can do to make school a more inclusive place.

✨ We hope every listener leaves this ep inspired to grab a yellow wristband, reach out to someone new, and remember: you can always sit with us.

🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review if this episode made your day a little brighter.
💛 To learn more or get involved, visit youcansitwithme.org

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.