For those who have never experienced it, the Hawaiian Ride for Youth can be hard to fully explain. On paper, it’s a 700‑kilometre ride from Albany to Perth. In reality, it is something far more enduring; a shared experience that stays with riders long after they step off the bike.
In 2026, close to 140 riders and 40 support crew made the journey, travelling through regional Western Australia, visiting schools and connecting with communities. What they – and others before them - returned with was not just a sense of achievement, but a renewed perspective on resilience, on connection, and on the role each of us can play in supporting others.
Because while the Ride is a physical challenge, its purpose is deeply human.
Together, the riders and the support crew are working to improve awareness of youth mental health and raise funds to help Youth Focus deliver life-changing mental health support to young Western Australians. And the need for that support is more prevalent than ever, with almost 40% of young people aged 16-24 years having experienced a mental health challenge.
But for more than two decades, the efforts of the Hawaiian Ride for Youth and Youth Focus have been a consistent response that have been driving positive change, raising both awareness about the need for support, and vital funds for the services of Youth Focus.
Since its inception in 2003, the Hawaiian Ride for Youth has raised nearly $38 million, enabling Youth Focus to provide free, specialist mental health services to thousands of young people across Western Australia each year. In 2024–2025 alone, Youth Focus supported more than 3,500 young people through counselling sessions and education programs, helping them navigate challenges and achieve their goals. These figures reflect the tangible impact of sustained community support.
These funds make an enormous difference, ensuring young people can access the support they need, when and where they need it.
But behind these numbers is something less tangible, and arguably more powerful.
Few people understand that better than James Sutherland, who has ridden every Hawaiian Ride for Youth since its inception in 2003. For him, the motivation is deeply personal, grounded in a belief that supporting young people today shapes the strength of communities for decades to come.
“It’s not always the time on the bike that stays with you,” James says. “It’s the conversations in schools, the moments of connection, and the realisation that simply showing up year after year can make a genuine difference. Supporting young people through challenges like mental health is something we all have a role in, and the Ride gives us a way to be part of that.”
That idea of showing up sits at the heart of the Ride. It is also where the role of the business community becomes clear.
There is a growing recognition that strong organisations are built on strong communities. Investing in community wellbeing is not separate from business success, it underpins it. By supporting the Hawaiian Ride for Youth, individuals and organisations are playing a direct role in empowering young people navigating mental health challenges, while contributing to stronger, more connected communities across the state.
That commitment is reflected by Hawaiian and its enduring, decades-long partnership with Youth Focus and the Hawaiian Ride for Youth. Through the ownership and operation of shopping centres across Perth, Hawaiian sees firsthand how connection, inclusion and support contribute to resilient communities. Viewed through that lens, investing in youth mental health is not separate from business, but an extension of it, and a shared responsibility.
In 2027, the Hawaiian Ride for Youth will mark its 25th year; a significant milestone for an event that has grown from a small initiative into one of Western Australia’s most enduring community efforts.
This milestone year presents an opportunity. An opportunity to step forward and contribute to something bigger than yourself. To be part of a community working together to support young people through some of life’s most challenging moments. And to experience firsthand the impact that comes from sustained commitment and shared purpose.
Expressions of interest are now open for next year’s Ride, taking place from 6-10 April, 2027.
For those considering it, the question is not simply whether you can complete the distance. It is an invitation to be part of something that creates lasting impact, both for the young people it supports and for those who take part.
And beyond cycling as a rider, there are so many other ways to get involved with the Hawaiian Ride for Youth. The impact of the Ride is made possible because the whole community comes together to contribute. Whether it’s volunteering during Ride Week on the support crew, getting behind the Ride as a sponsor, or donating towards the cause, it all helps make an impact for young people in WA.
Because in the end, the Hawaiian Ride for Youth is not just about the road from Albany to Perth. It is about what happens along the way, and the difference that can be made when a community comes together with purpose.
By Youth Focus
