Events

 

Current Events


 
 

2nd August 2025

RizeUp’s 10th Birthday Gala Ball

Get your tickets here.

 

 

Fran Hurndall is taking on the incredible Reach Out Speak Up Challenge, running 3,800 km from Perth to Sydney to raise vital funds for RizeUp. With every step, she’s shining a light on domestic and family violence, encouraging conversations, and supporting families in need. Follow her journey and help make a difference!

 

Past Events


 
 

21st September 2024

 

 

24th August 2024

RizeUp held our 2024 Gala Fundraising Ball - ‘It Takes a Village’.

Read about it here.

 

 

5th August 2023

RizeUp held our 2023 inaugural Gala Ball - ‘From Danger to Safety’.

Read about it here.

 
 

Publications

 

RizeUp 2024 Impact report

Download the latest RizeUp Impact report and read the latest from us!

Read more here.

 
 
 

RizeUp in the Media

 

Podcasts

 

Nicolle covers the important topic of domestic violence in these podcast

 
 

 
Your approach is wonderfully practical / straight forward / logical, and as we discussed the incredible impact you’re having is testament to such a pragmatic and business focussed attitude.
— Mary Jung​​​​ - PNI Foundation
 

 
From my first interaction with the RizeUp team, I have found them to be positive, welcoming, and professional. The onboarding process to establish our partnership with RizeUp was thorough, and they have gone above and beyond to support us. All requests—from providing digital assets and educational materials for our organisation to information for our campaign—have been promptly addressed and fulfilled. Our communication with the RizeUp team is effortless and makes for a wonderful partnership, everyone is such a pleasure to deal with.
— Anita Anderson - Projects Support Officer , GKR

Fernwood Wetherill Park and RizeUp

Brisbane Grammar School and RizeUp

 
 

GKR Karate and RizeUp

 

Orbit World Travel x RizeUp

 
 

 

The horrifying thing that domestic violence victims and NRL players have in common.

 

On a surface level, it might not be obvious—but there is something both significant and terrifying both NRL players and domestic violence victim-survivors have in common.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease that is caused by repeated head injuries. For years it's been associated with athletes who play contact sports.

But now new research has discovered the first cases of CTE in victims of domestic violence. 

Read more here.

 

 

RizeUp with TSS & St Hildas

 
 

 

'I desperately want to be there for her.' How to help a friend experiencing domestic violence.

 

At Mamamia, we have a year-round commitment to highlighting the epidemic of domestic violence in Australia. During May, Domestic Violence Prevention Month, we will not only raise awareness of the personal impact of violence, but do our best to ensure victims have access to help, and encourage those who abuse to take responsibility and seek help for their behaviour.

Read the full article here.

 

 

It costs $18,000 to leave a violent relationship. The government will only cover $5000.

 

$18,000 and 141 hours.

That's how much on average it costs an Australian woman to leave a violent relationship. Not to mention the emotional and mental toll as well.

For some women, it costs them less. Others it can even cost them more. Not to mention the fact, that for some women, their act of courage can cost them their lives.

The Australian Government offers just $5000 to victim-survivors fleeing abusive relationships. And that's $5000 to only the victim survivors who can essentially 'prove' their victim status and high-risk environment.

Read the full article here.

 

 

MEET NICOLLE EDWARDS

 

Founder of RizeUp, Nicolle Edwards, was recently featured in Inside Gold Coast.

Get to know our founder and read more here.

 

 

6 GOLD COAST WOMEN TO WATCH

 

Six inspiring interviews from 2023 in honour of International Women's Day.

RizeUp Founder, Nicolle Edwards, was named one of six Gold Coast women to watch.

Read the full article here.

 

 

'I'm a completely different person.' Lisa had to lose everything to find freedom.

 
 

There's a reason why *Lisa continues to share her story of escaping violence. She feels "indebted in a way", forever grateful to those who helped her start again.

Read the full article here.

 

 

Nicolle helps women and children escape domestic and family violence. One little girl's question broke her.

 
 

Nicolle Edwards has been pushing for change since she was a little girl.

Hailing from Zimbabwe, she says that social justice, racial justice and gender-based violence have always been issues front of mind.

Read the full article here to learn more.

 

 
 

'I set up a home for a mother and her two kids escaping violence. What I saw was beautiful.'

 

As a charity partner of MammaMia, RizeUp was featured in a recent article.

There are some moments in life that will always stay with you. Moments that resonate, because they were so touching and make you reflect deeply. This occurred the day I read that paragraph and helped set up a home for this art-loving mum and her girls. The day I was one small part of her journey to escape violence.

Read the full article here.

 

 
 

Bringing Christmas joy to victims of family violence

RizeUp was recently discussed in the Sunshine Coast Newspaper!

Read the full article.

 

 

Behind The Scenes on RizeUp’s 2000 Home

 
 

Take a look at our video showing the before and after of RizeUp’s 2000 home.

 
 

 

Business women of the year!

Nicolle was honoured to recently win Business Woman of the Year at the Gold Coast Bulletin's Women of the Year awards.

Check out the announcement letter from Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

 

 
 

Rizeup team completes home number 2000

RizeUp featured on Sunrise on the 1st November 2022 as we achieved our 2,000 home.

 

 

Everyone deserves to be safe

“Everyone deserves to be safe” So much more than a slogan, it’s a driving force for RizeUp Australia Chief Executive and Founder Nicolle Edwards.

As the leader of a not-for-profit organisation which provides practical support for families who have fled life-threatening domestic and family violence, Nicolle works closely with various specialist services, and for more than a decade has created a national charity which delivers ground-breaking, practical support, and importantly, a new beginning for those most vulnerable from our communities.

Read the full article on Queensland Leaders website.

 
 

 

Nomads Brisbane raises $34,000 for RizeUp

Congratulations to Nomads Brisbane on hosting yet another successful Charity Day!

More than 90 players teed off in May at the tight, and challenging, Gailes Golf Club in the western suburbs of Brisbane.

More than $34,000 was raised for the club’s chosen charity – RizeUp.

 
 

 

THE HEALING POWER OF HOME

 

Being able to give families new, quality furnishings and an irreplaceable feeling of ‘home’ reinforces to them that they can move on with dignity and the life they dream of.

Corporate & Partnerships Lead, Danielle Appi was interviewed in Hamilton Reach’s latest community magazine, REALM.

We are so grateful to Frasers Property Australia for their recent donation of beautiful soft furnishings which will be used to create warm and welcoming new homes for the many families we support to create new beginnings.

 

 

Gold Coast Suns dedicate AFL match against Fremantle to domestic violence survivors

 

The team has called Sunday's match against Fremantle the "Round to RizeUp".

Players donated money to RizeUp, a charity established on the Gold Coast to help families and women fleeing violent households.

Gold Coast Suns players put together furniture they've donated for DV organisation RizeUp.

 

 

Gold Coast Suns support victims of domestic violence with RizeUp

 

As shown on ABC National News Story 2022.

 

 

RizeUp offers a new dawn to families escaping domestic violence

 

For Nicolle Edwards it was the story of a woman with one small backpack, a baby and three older children boarding a train in Perth and fleeing across the country to escape family violence that flicked a switch…

 
 

 

GC SUNS players and staff to RizeUp this Easter

 

Gold Coast SUNS Vice-Captain Sam Collins has officially thrown his support behind the 2022 RizeUp Easter Appeal. Driven by the SUNS Major Charity Partner, RizeUp, the appeal aims to provide the thousands of children who have sought refuge from domestic and family violence something to smile about each Easter.

 

 

what is trauma - rizeup video - 2021

 
 

What is trauma? What does being trauma informed mean? What is trauma informed practice? Recovering from trauma.

 

 

the fierce truth about covid-19 and the hidden crisis - the fierce truth magazine - August 2020

 
RizeUp_Nicolle_iRizeUp_RGB_1280x800px.jpg

While the health of everyone is important during the Covid-19 pandemic, we are very concerned about the threat to women and children who are being isolated in the home, potentially with a violent partner or family member.

 

 

NICOLLE EDWARDS FROM Rizeup with Craig and Loretta from ABC Radio - August 2020

 
 

 

COVID-19 IMPACTS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - ABC MORNING NEWS - JUNE 2020

 
 

 

COVID-19 MEDIA RELEASE - March 2020

 
 

Fears that domestic violence support needs will rise in the wake of COVID-19.

 

 

7NEWS Gold coast - Safer suburbs awards - October 2019

 
Gold Coast Safer Suburbs Awards

Some tireless champions of our city have been honoured at the Safer Suburbs Awards. They've dedicated their time to help make the Gold Coast a better place to live. www.7NEWS.com.au #7NEWS

Posted by 7NEWS Gold Coast on Tuesday, October 22, 2019
 

 

You’re it! - Nicolle Edwards - TED x Helensvale Library- AUGUST 2017

Nicolle is the founder of RizeUp Australia. She is an ardent proponent of finding your inner power to create positive change.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx


 
 

Hold an Independent Fundraiser

Looking to hold your own event? We rely on the valuable support of our local community to help us keep going with this life changing service. For more information about how you can help please email Debbie, Events Manager: events@rizeup.com.au