Mike King
MC

Mike King first founded The Key to Life Charitable Trust back in 2008.  His popular Sunday night radio show, The Nutters Club, prompted people to talk openly about their struggles with mental health and mental well-being.  Soon after Mike began talking to kids in schools.  He talked about his own vulnerabilities, his fears, and how his public persona was a front he put on to protect himself from criticism and judgement.   

In 2016 Mike went on to found I Am Hope.  I Am Hope is a youth-led organisation that promotes mental health and mental well-being.  I Am Hope offers our kids in schools with a number of mental wellbeing programs and resources designed to let them know that if they need to talk to a health professional then it’s perfectly normal to do so.  

In order to facilitate this process Mike created Gumboot Friday.  Gumboot Friday is specifically designed to provide our kids with free professional help.  Since 2019 Gumboot Friday has paid for almost 43000 sessions at a cost of 6.2 million dollars.   

King has built I Am Hope up to be the foremost non-government funded mental health agency in Aotearoa.  He works tirelessly to make sure our kids can get to a better place and reach their full potential in life.