I Am Hope has been lauded in recent years for its mental health advocacy, and a nationwide tour visiting Nelson next Friday will enlighten the relationship between climate change and youth anxiety.
A New Zealand-first study commissioned by the advocate has revealed that climate anxiety is severely affecting young Kiwis aged 18 to 25.
Nearly 60 per cent of the study’s 600 respondents consider climate change to be the fundamental global issue and 42 per cent believe it’s the main problem facing Aotearoa New Zealand.
A quarter of respondents feel some impact on their mental health from climate change, nearly 35 per cent feel worried, scared or anxious and more than a third experience regular stress because of it.
More than half expressed a sense of moral duty to address climate change, yet many feel that the government and industry are making slow progress, adding to their sense of frustration and helplessness.
In response, the I Am Climate Hope Tour, a collaboration between I Am Hope, Genesis, and supporters UBCO and Ara Ake, serves as a vital initiative to provide communities with resources and support to navigate these urgent challenges.
The tour’s leader and mental health advocate Mike King is riding on an electric UBCO motorbike that requires up to six battery changes daily during the nationwide tour to highlight the importance of the cause.
Mike says the study’s results “paints a disturbing picture of the mental health crisis brewing among rangatahi [young people]”.
He says the Nelson visit on the nationwide tour will acknowledge these fears among youth and offer hope and tangible solutions for a sustainable future.
"We want to meet with people from all walks of life, listen to them and hear their concerns. We want to let them know that we are here to support them, and show that together, we can face these challenges,” he says.
“It’s clear that their well-being is deeply intertwined with the health of our planet.”
Nelson’s free-entry event will be held at the Mahitahi Co-Lab on Hardy St on 11 October at 6:30pm.
Along with Mike, it will also feature Deputy Mayor Rohan O'Neill-Stevens, and Lucy Byrne, who is a Take the Jump Ambassador for the Nelson Tasman Climate Forum.
