It’s a simple notion – normalise talk about mental health with young people and they will realise they are not the only ones struggling with distressing self-talk and overthinking. They are not alone and help is available. 

Mike King’s I Am Hope campaign has been spreading that message for 10 years in schools and communities throughout Aotearoa. It’s a message not just for parents but for aunts, uncles, family friends and co-workers – anyone in fact who has young people in their life.

“We all have that voice in our heads, that inner critic, second-guessing everything we do,” Mike says. “The voice of doubt that beats us up and tells us we’re failures, that we’re worthless.

“Having an overactive inner critic is not a sign of mental illness, it’s a sign that we are normal. When our kids hear that self-doubt and overthinking is a shared experience, they are more likely to seek formal help earlier.”

Through school visits and community events, I Am Hope ambassadors tackle the myths that surround mental illness, helping young people and their supporters to understand that it’s good to open up about feelings and that friends and family are crucial for getting to a better place. Talking about mental illness also fights the stigma.

I Am Hope's big annual fundraiser is Gumboot Friday. Despite its importance to the organisation, for Mike and the team, Gumboot Friday is just one day. Every day, they say, is an opportunity to normalise talk about mental health. “It’s just a conversation,” is their message, and any of us can start it. Now’s good.

gumbootfriday.org.nz
iamhope.org.nz