The Bay of Plenty Steamers are teaming up with Tauranga Safe City to tackle the issue of bullying in intermediate and secondary schools.

Steamers captain Colin Burke, Luke Andrews and Phil Burleigh were part of the anti-bullying programme's roll out at Tauranga Intermediate on Friday.

Bay of Plenty Steamers are are helping to promote an anti-bullying campaign.

They were joined by presenter Aaron Bloomfield and beat boxer Andre Harris who shared their stories of being bullied.

Tauranga Safe City's ‘No-one likes a bully' programme coordinator Raewyn Mortensen says the campaign is aimed at Year 7-10 students moving on to high school.

'The aim is to empower bullying victims and to remind them that bullying is always the problem, not the victim,” says Raewyn.

'It's about putting the power and the confidence back into the victim's hands and the bully recognising that in the end, no one likes a bully.”

Raewyn says in partnership with the intermediate school anti-bullying programme, is the development of Year 13 mentors, who support the transition of students from intermediate to secondary school.

'A pilot mentoring programme was started at Baypark at the beginning of the week, where 50 Western Bay of Plenty Year 12 students spent a morning with the Steamers.”

Raewyn says students got a look into the life of a professional rugby player.

'The intention is to show that hard work is necessary to become a role model in today's society, and provide an insight into a group of high achievers in the sporting arena.”