Northland start of Mike King’s I Am Climate Hope Tour to help youth mental health around climate anxiety

I Am Hope founder Mike King will bring the I Am Climate Hope Tour to Whangārei on October 1, Kaitāia on October 2, and Kaikohe on October 3.

As concern among the country’s youth grows about climate change, I Am Hope founder Mike King is starting his I Am Climate Hope Tour in Northland with stops in Whangārei, Kaitāia and Kaikohe.

During the epic awareness-raising expedition, King aims to ride the length of the country on an electric bike to raise awareness of youth mental health, particularly surrounding climate anxiety.

King said the I Am Climate Hope Tour will bring a message of hope to the country as youth climate anxiety grows.

The tour, a collaboration between King’s I Am Hope charity, Genesis, and supporters such as UBCO and Ara Ake, is led by mental health advocate King and will feature guest speaker Jef Ikenn.

The I Am Climate Hope Tour will start its 29-day trek in Whangārei on October 1 at Distinction Hotel from 6.30pm, before heading north, then south again. The tour will be at the Farm Source Store 20 North Park Drive in Kaitāia at 5.30pm on October 2 before he rides to Kaikohe for an event at the Farm Source Store at 38 Station Rd from 5pm, where Far North mayor Moko Tepania will also talk.

King said the tour will focus on raising awareness of youth mental health, particularly in relation to climate anxiety, while highlighting the work being done by, I Am Hope and its partners. The tour serves as an important initiative to provide communities with resources and support as they navigate these urgent challenges.

“This tour is about engaging with young people, listening to their experiences, and reminding them they don’t have to face their challenges alone,” King said.

“Each community we visit emphasises the importance of continuing the conversation around youth mental health. It’s important that young people know there is help available, and by connecting with local communities, we can ensure they feel supported and understood.’’

King accepts he faces a physically demanding journey on this tour, biking up to 10 hours a day on an electric bike with a limited battery life, requiring up to six battery changes daily.

But his commitment highlights the importance of this cause, particularly in the build-up to the Gumboot Friday nationwide event on November 1.

The Gumboot Friday service now has more than 500 counsellors who have provided more than 100,000 free counselling sessions to young people. More than 450 mental health practitioners have applied to join the initiative in the past year.

All the tour events are open to the public and free to attend, giving communities a chance to engage in discussions about youth mental health and how climate-related issues are affecting young people.

For more information on the I Am Climate Hope Tour, upcoming stops, and how you can get involved, visit www.rideforhope.co.nz.

■ In May, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced King’s Gumboot Friday campaign, part of I Am Hope, would receive $6 million of taxpayer money a year for the next four years to fund counselling sessions for young people.