July has been one of those months where we’ve barely had time to stop and ask: where has the year gone? From schools and fundraisers to music, sport and young people taking on huge challenges, it has been another full-on month for the I Am Hope community.
Everywhere we look, people are finding their own way to back our kids, start conversations and remind young people that support is there when they need it.
Hope in Schools
Our tireless ambassadors Ruby and Noah have been back on the road, taking Little People, Big Feelings into classrooms across the motu. In July they visited Hāwera School and Huirangi School in Taranaki, Macleans Primary School in Auckland, and Highfield School, Twizel Area School and Fairlie School across Canterbury. Every school is different, but one thing stays the same — kids are ready to have these conversations. Whether it's talking about big emotions, learning healthy ways to express them, or simply knowing it's okay to ask for help, these visits continue to leave a lasting impression on students and staff alike.
None of this would be possible without the support of our Principal Partner, the Wright Family Foundation.
Our ambassadors visit schools across the country, helping young people understand their emotions, build resilience and learn that asking for help is a strength. To enquire about a visit to your school:
Gumboot Friday: June Becomes Our Biggest Month Yet
June marked a new high for Gumboot Friday, with more young people reaching out for support than in any month before it.
Young people can choose a registered counsellor who feels right for them, with no referral and no cost. Government funding pays for the counselling sessions. Donations help keep everything around those sessions running — the platform, the team, school visits, resources and the work happening in communities before things reach crisis point.
Every donation helps make sure a young person can find support when they decide they are ready to reach out.
Gumboot Friday is back on Friday 6th of November 2026!
Every year, schools, workplaces, sports clubs, community groups, families and individuals GumbootUp and do something amazing to help provide free counselling for young people across Aotearoa. This year, we're getting started early and we'd love your help.
Mark November 6th in your calendar.
Start thinking about your fundraiser.
Get ready to inspire others.
We’d love to know, what comes to mind when you think of Gumboot Friday.
💬 A Quick Word From Mike
We’ve spent years telling men to open up, speak honestly and ask for help.
But what happens when they actually do?
In my latest article, I look at the gap between encouraging vulnerability and knowing how to respond when a man admits he is struggling in real time.
It is a reminder that listening without judgement matters, that every struggle does not need to be immediately fixed, and that vulnerability is not the opposite of strength.
A huge thank you to everyone behind the NZBLUE Multisports Charity Event.
The day brought together sponsors, supporters, volunteers and friends, with more than $60,000 raised for I Am Hope, Inspire Foundation and I Built Racing. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who organised the event, donated to the auction, showed up on the day or helped make it happen. It was an awesome display of what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose.
🏏 Backing Hope on the Field
How good was it seeing the Black Caps Nathan Smith wearing the I Am Hope wristband out on the field? A massive thank you to Nathan for helping carry the message and showing young people that conversations about mental health belong everywhere. Big Congratulations to Nathan as well for being named ICC Player of the Month for June after an incredible Player of the Series performance against England.
Absolutely awesome stuff from the Black Caps.
📸 @photosportnz
💪 Still Standing for Our Kids
The team at Platinum Chiro recently completed their Still Standing Mental Health Fitness Challenge and raised an incredible $5,240 for I Am Hope. A huge thank you to their team, community, supporters and sponsors for getting behind it. Every dollar raised helps us keep showing up for young people across Aotearoa, and we are beyond grateful to everyone who took part.
🥾 Gumboots for Every Tamariki
We met Tina from Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Awhi Mai at Fieldays, where she told us she wanted every child at the kindy to be able to play outside, even when the weather turned the ground to mud. With help from Number One Shoes, the kindy now has a collection of gumboots ready for tamariki to use whenever they need them.
It means every child can get outside, explore and enjoy the mud without missing out. How good!
🎶 A Little “Luck” and a Lot of Honesty
Twenty-year-old Christchurch singer-songwriter Lucy Ward has released her most personal song yet, “Luck”, alongside I Am Hope. The song was written during a time when Lucy felt lost in herself, her music and where her life was heading.
It captures the pressure of comparison and the feeling that everyone else is moving forward while you are standing still. Lucy first connected with I Am Hope through a Gumboot Friday initiative at school. Now she is using her own experience and music to help another young person feel understood.
Nik, Ben, Jack and Mark are an incredible group of young people in the South Island walking hundreds of kilometres to raise awareness for youth mental health. It is a massive physical challenge, but the purpose behind it is even bigger. Every kilometre helps take the conversation into another community and reminds young people that their mental health matters. We are so proud of Project Gumboot! Young people backing young people — this is what hope in action looks like.
I Am Hope Foundation, PO BOX 10271, Dominion Road, Mt Eden, Auckland 1446, New Zealand
