These are the questions that are stumping the world's top scientists and governments, but these issues are also worrying high school students right here in Bathurst.

St Stanislaus' College may have already had two counsellors in place to assist with student welfare before the pandemic, but these days the questions being asked are very different.

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"There's the impacts [of COVID-19] on family life and the additional stress of having people confined in small spaces and not being able to participate in sporting activities," head of college Lindsay Luck said of students' concerns.

"Being a young person has its challenges."

Ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day this Thursday, September 10, Mr Luck said student mental health has always been a top priority for the college.

"There has always been a need for the counsellors," he said.

Mr Luck said students are encouraged to look out for each other's mental health and seek help from counsellors for their classmates if it's needed.

"When it comes to suicide, people often don't say anything," he said.

"We encourage our staff and our boys to talk about changes they're seeing in their friends.

"It's often friends and peers who notice first and they're often reluctant to speak up, especially if it's risk-taking things their friend is doing."

Mr Luck said student welfare is part of the college's formal curriculum and is also regularly discussed among staff.

"I've got a good team and everything is better with a discussion," he said.

"Once it's out in the open, certainly a team can work on it."