Driving courageous and human conversations that inspire action and social change
Rosie Thomas OAM is the cofounder and Executive Director of PROJECT ROCKIT, Australia’s youth-driven movement against bullying, hate, and prejudice. Rosie launched her social enterprise, PROJECT ROCKIT, straight out of high school, determined to create a world where kindness and inclusion thrive. Nearly two decades later, that vision has directly impacted over 800,000 students, with a goal to reach 1 million young Australians by 2026.
In 2022, Rosie established The PROJECT ROCKIT Foundation, a new charity dedicated to supporting young people experiencing disadvantage. Since then, she has raised $3.5 million to provide more than 100,000 young people with fully funded access to impactful wellbeing and leadership programs.
Rosie is deeply committed to shaping a kinder digital world. She has served on global safety advisory boards for major tech platforms, including Meta, advocating to ensure young people’s voices are heard. Her work has been recognised globally, including being named one of UNICEF’s 12 Digital Champions for Children’s Rights in the Digital Age, and receiving the International Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cybersafety in Washington, D.C. In 2019, Rosie was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her service to young people and leadership in bullying prevention.
Rosie also serves as Chair of the Board at Scarf, a social enterprise creating meaningful hospitality opportunities for young people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Rosie is a dynamic and passionate speaker (brace yourselves) who leverages her platform to amplify youth voice.
Talking Points
Passion to Purpose: Tangible tips for creating Social Change
Rosie knows exactly what it's like to be underestimated as a young person. That’s why she launched PROJECT ROCKIT after finishing high school. Rosie shares the story of how a simple idea for change has grown into Australia's first and biggest youth-driven movement against (cyber)bullying. This talk is jam-packed with practical strategies on challenging the status quo, finding purpose, and taking a stand and rallying others to create positive social change - at school and beyond.
Passion to Purpose: Tangible tips for creating Social Change
Inside PROJECT ROCKIT: Building a movement from the ground up
PROJECT ROCKIT started as a community project by two young sisters and designed to tackle bullying at time when there were no anti-bullying school. Today, PROJECT ROCKIT has impacted half a million students, renowned as Australia’s biggest movement against (cyber)bullying. Learn how with no formal qualifications, Rosie created a powerful vehicle for change and an innovative social enterprise that’s procured $3M in partnerships with the likes of Facebook and Google, and positioned as the leading voice on cyberbullying.
Inside PROJECT ROCKIT: Building a movement from the ground up
Building a successful social business... with vulnerability
Rosie Thomas OAM is CEO of PROJECT ROCKIT, an internationally recognised, social business that she launched after finishing school. With no business experience, PROJECT ROCKIT’S reached half million Australians. She’s a globally recognised expert… But have you ever heard about the time she…. In this talk, Rosie pulls back the curtain on the realities of striving to change the world for the better - the epic cringe moments, imposter syndrome, maintaining stamina with a chronic illness, warts and all.
Building a successful social business... with vulnerability
Video
Fast Forward Founder: Rosie Thomas, CEO & Co Founder Project Rockit
Meet Fast Forward Founder Rosie Thomas. Rosie, together with her sister Lucy and their energetic team, are the forces of nature behind Project Rockit, Australia’s most powerful youth-driven movement tackling online bullying hate and prejudice in schools. Their mission is to be in every school in Australia, and empower young people to create an online culture of kindness and compassion.Rosie Thomas In Conversation with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Digital for Good | The Queen's Commonwealth Trust
On August 17th 2020, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust (QCT) joined a group of young leaders from our network and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to discuss social media and the role of the online world as a force for good. Participants in the conversation were Brighton Kaoma, founder of Agents of Change Foundation in Zambia; Hunter Johnson, founder of The Man Cave in Australia; Rosie Thomas, co-founder of Project Rockit in Australia; and, Vee Kativhu, Study & Empowerment YouTuber and founder of ‘Empowered by Vee,’ The discussion was chaired by Chief Executive of QCT, Nicola Brentnall.Audio
We were so lucky to have Rosie Thomas from Project Rockit recently present to the entire Xero Australia team at our kick-off. Rosie spoke from the heart about her purpose and vision for the ... keep reading Xero Australia
Rosie is an outstanding presenter and facilitator. Her energy is positively contagious and she brings warmth and empathy to any room, virtually or physically! We had the pleasure of welcoming Rosie as one of our inaugural Impactologists in 2020 and her presentation was insightful, inspiring, informative and very well received. and captured hearts and minds globally. The work that Rosie, Lucy and The Project Rockit team do is vital in supporting the mental health and resilience of kids and adolescents
Rosie is a high energy, inspiring and compelling presenter and speaker.
There is no question that Rosie and Lucy know how to engage, affect and drive an audience to act positively. They are funny, knowledgeable and above all else, relative on the most human level.
