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Sunshine Coast Charity Nears Launch of Australia's First Youth Mental Health Outreach Truck

Rise & Thrive Co.

Rise & Thrive Co. founder Janelle Parsons is closing in on funding for Checkpoint, with the first truck expected to roll out this Christmas and a long-term vision to build a fleet of mobile youth support hubs.

A Sunshine Coast charity is nearing the launch of what it says will be Australia’s first dedicated youth mental health outreach truck, a mobile support hub designed to go to young people instead of waiting for them to navigate complex systems alone.

Rise & Thrive Co., the ACNC-registered youth mental health charity founded by counsellor and psychology student Janelle Parsons, has almost secured the funding required to launch Checkpoint — a fully fitted mobile wellbeing studio with two private consulting rooms, telehealth capability and satellite communications.

With a capital target of $160,000 to get the first truck on the road, Rise & Thrive Co. is now seeking a naming rights partner and final corporate sponsors to help bring Checkpoint to launch this Christmas and build momentum for a future fleet of mobile youth support hubs.

“The first truck is almost on the road, but the need is much bigger than one vehicle,” Ms Parsons said.

“Checkpoint is about creating safe, visible youth hubs that can move with the communities that need them.”

A Youth Hub, a Circuit Breaker and a Bridge to Support

Checkpoint has been developed in response to a gap Rise & Thrive Co. sees every day: young people need support that is easier to access, easier to understand and easier to engage with.

For many young people, referral pathways can be complicated. Families may face GP appointments, Medicare thresholds, waitlists, transport barriers and services that do not always connect.

“Navigating support as a young person is rarely straightforward,” Ms Parsons said.

“Many fall through the gaps before they ever reach help. Checkpoint is the circuit breaker. It meets young people where they are, not where the system expects them to be.”

Unlike a fixed-site service, the outreach model can move with need. Checkpoint will function as a mobile youth hub: a trauma-informed connection point that can be deployed to schools, community events, sporting clubs, regional towns and high-need areas.

During its 18-month pilot, Checkpoint is projected to reach approximately 2,000 adolescents, 300-plus family members and 150-plus educators across roughly 130 active service days.

That is just the beginning. Rise & Thrive Co.’s long-term vision is to build a fleet of Checkpoint trucks across Queensland, scaling the model so more young people can access support in the places they already are.

Not Bad Kids — Young People Carrying More Than They Should

Rise & Thrive Co. works with young people who are often misunderstood. They are not “bad kids”, but young people navigating trauma, mental health challenges and a need for connection and safety, often shaped by intergenerational cycles of domestic and family violence and disengagement.

Parsons knows this from lived experience. She was a child of the state at 16, shaped by experiences of domestic violence and abuse she has since channelled into purpose. Now a registered counsellor and psychology student, she founded Rise & Thrive Co. with one clear mission: Transforming Trauma into Triumph.

“Young people shouldn’t have to prove they’re struggling to be supported,” Ms Parsons said.

“They need to feel seen, safe and connected. That is where real change starts.”

In 2025, Rise & Thrive Co. supported 315 young people across Queensland schools and communities. Of those, 94 per cent showed improved emotional regulation, 85 per cent reported increased confidence, and schools saw a 78 per cent reduction in suspensions among participants.

Rise & Thrive Co. is also formally recognised as a Proven Provider of safe mental health programs in Queensland, a designation that will provide access to allocated government school funding from July 2027.

Recognition for Community Impact

Parsons’ community impact has also been recognised by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite, acknowledging her resilience, leadership and commitment to supporting others.

For Parsons, that recognition reflects the same purpose behind Checkpoint: creating practical, visible support for young people and communities who need to feel seen, connected and backed.

Closer to home, Rise & Thrive Co. continues to work with schools, communities and government stakeholders to strengthen how young people access trauma-informed support.

Built by the Sunshine Coast, for Communities That Need It

Checkpoint is being built by and for the Sunshine Coast community, with local businesses supporting the fit-out, and Optus providing satellite communications technology to help keep the service connected in regional and remote areas. The truck itself is being sourced through FUSO at Daimler Trucks Sunshine Coast as Rise & Thrive Co. moves closer to bringing the first vehicle to life.

The first Checkpoint truck is expected to roll out this Christmas, with a grassroots fundraising campaign giving everyday supporters the chance to contribute and have their name or message featured on the truck itself.

Corporate partners can get behind the fleet as a Checkpoint Naming Partner ($50,000+), Deployment Partner ($35,000), Major Program Partner ($25,500) or Community Impact Supporter ($5,000). All contributions are tax-deductible through Rise & Thrive Co.’s DGR charity status.

“The first truck is close to being funded,” Ms Parsons said.

“The next stage is building the fleet — and that is where corporate partners, donors and community supporters can help determine how far this reaches.”

To donate or learn more, visit https://riseandthriveco.org.au/donate/

About us:

Rise & Thrive Co. is a Queensland-based, ACNC-registered youth mental health charity delivering trauma-informed early intervention programs across schools and communities. Programs include No Filters Needed, Bounce Back and Better Solutions, as well as the forthcoming Checkpoint mobile outreach initiative. Rise & Thrive Co. is a recognised Proven Provider of safe mental health programs in Queensland. www.riseandthriveco.org.au 

Contact details:

Millana Ayache

[email protected]

0499072922