One of Aotearoa’s most prominent voices for mental health is entering a new chapter.
In late 2025, Mike King, the outspoken mental health advocate and founder of the I Am Hope Foundation, announced he is stepping down from his role as Chief Executive of the charity he helped build from the ground up. King’s leadership over the past decade has made Gumboot Friday and other initiatives household names in the fight for better mental health support – especially for rangatahi.
Listen to the full audio interview with Mike King here:
https://waateanews.com/2025/12/08/mike-king-founder-of-the-i-am-hope-foundation/
King’s work has always been more than organisational leadership – it has been a movement. He turned his own experiences with mental health into a platform that normalised difficult conversations, encouraged vulnerability, and helped break down the stigma many people – especially men and Māori – carry around mental distress. His willingness to be open about his own struggles helped many whānau see that it’s okay not to be okay.
Alongside Gumboot Friday, the I Am Hope Foundation has become synonymous with free counselling support for young people, particularly those aged 5-25. Since the foundation’s launch in 2019, the initiative has funded tens of thousands of counselling sessions – more than 137,000 free sessions nationwide for rangatahi struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma and other mental health pressures.
In announcing his decision, Mike King said the foundation has reached a point where it needs a new voice and a new vision to take it forward – someone who can build on the legacy and help the organisation evolve for the next stage of its life.
King emphasised that he is not leaving the cause. Rather, he will continue to play a role in I Am Hope in a new capacity, focusing on connection, advocacy and challenging systemic problems in how mental health services reach young New Zealanders.
At times, King’s approach has been controversial – including public conversations about alcohol and mental health that drew criticism – yet those moments also kept national attention fixed on persistent gaps in services, equity and public understanding.
Many Māori communities acknowledge that King’s mahi helped keep mental health inequities in Aotearoa – especially the disproportionately high rates of suicide and distress among Māori rangatahi – in front of public consciousness. His candour and presence in public life have encouraged difficult conversations to be had in homes, schools and workplaces.
For Māori listeners, King’s influence was not just about what he said – but that he used his platform to amplify voices, demand better systems, and push for culturally responsive support where it was needed most.
Now, as I Am Hope begins its search for a new chief executive, leaders in kaupapa Māori and mental health sectors see this as a crucial moment to deepen collaborations with Māori providers, strengthen investment in community-led support, and ensure whānau voices remain central in shaping mental health services.
King’s decision to step aside is both a closing chapter and a call to action.
Mental health advocacy isn’t a solo endeavour – it’s a collective one. His work has shown that systems change happens when government, community organisations, whānau, schools and young people engage with honesty, urgency and compassion.
As Aotearoa heads into 2026 and beyond, the challenge now is to expand the momentum, keep young voices at the centre of policy, and ensure that no one has to struggle in silence.
Mike King may be handing over the reins of leadership, but the hope he helped build continues – in the work of many, and the lives of countless young people whose stories remind us why this mahi matters.
