Kindness is cool: Dolly’s Dream and Smiggle inspire Aussie kids in 2025

Back to school, back to kindness.

At the start of 2018, hearts across Australia were shattered by the tragic death of 14-year-old Amy ‘Dolly’ Everett, who was a victim of relentless cyberbullying.

Dolly left behind her parents, Tick and Kate, and her sister, Meg. In honour of Dolly’s memory, they created Dolly’s Dream, a foundation dedicated to preventing other families from experiencing the same devastating loss.

Smiggle and Dolly’s Dream back-to-school kindness campaign

In 2025, Smiggle and Dolly’s Dream are teaming up to encourage Australian kids to choose kindness as they head back to school. Dolly’s Dream, a national anti-bullying organisation, aims to change the culture of bullying by providing essential support, programs, and resources for families, schools, and communities, helping children and young people navigate bullying.

Why kindness campaigns are crucial to prevent bullying

With the back-to-school period approaching, the rising conversations around both online and in-person bullying are raising awareness of the potential harms that many families face.

Kate Everett, Dolly’s mother and co-founder of Dolly’s Dream, highlights the importance of kindness campaigns like this one. These campaigns give parents and caregivers an opportunity to talk to their children about the importance of empathy and kindness, helping prevent bullying before it begins.

Smiggle is calling on its fans across Australia to visit their stores and purchase a specially crafted Choose Kindness badge or reusable bag, with proceeds supporting Dolly’s Dream.

Get your Choose Kindness badge and bag

The Choose Kindness collection, created annually by Smiggle for Dolly’s Dream, is available now. Badges are The badges are $2 and bags are $3 and available in Smiggle stores and online. All proceeds will go toward supporting Dolly’s Dream’s mission to provide resources, programs, and support to Australian families, schools, and communities in the fight against bullying.

Kate Everett encourages Australian children to display their Choose Kindness badges and bags as a year-round reminder to choose kindness. “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Smiggle in 2025,” Kate said.

“Dolly’s Dream and Smiggle believe in the power of kindness, and together, we hope to inspire a generation of compassionate kids who will help stop bullying before it even starts.”

“Parents often struggle to find the support they need,” she continued. “I want every family to know that Dolly’s Dream is here to help.”

Bullying in Australia: A growing concern for parents and schools

Dr. Charlotte Keating, Clinical Psychologist and Advisory Board member for Dolly’s Dream, agrees that this time of year is ideal for opening up conversations with kids. “A recent report showed Australian students are among the most bullied in English-speaking countries, with one in six saying they’ve been made fun of by their peers,” Dr. Keating said. “It’s crucial to talk to children about bullying and what steps they can take to get help.”

Dr. Keating also highlighted that Australian parents’ top three concerns for their children’s health are screen time, bullying (both in person and online), and internet safety. Dolly’s Dream offers practical resources to empower parents and carers, helping them support their children in navigating the online world and responding to bullying.

Actress and mum, Pia Miranda on talking to kids about kindness

Actor and Dolly’s Dream Ambassador, Pia Miranda, views the Choose Kindness initiative as an engaging way to initiate important conversations.

“As a mum, bullying is a real concern for me,” Pia shared.

“It’s so important to help stop this behaviour and provide support to anyone who needs it. My advice to parents is to check in with your kids, talk about how they’re feeling about going back to school, and use these moments to stay connected throughout the year. By making these conversations fun, we can get our messages across while still being open and honest.”