The Hero’s Journey: Helping Young Kiwi Men Find Their Strength

Since launching in late 2025, The Hero’s Journey by Kiwis for Good has quietly begun changing the lives of young men across New Zealand.

From rural towns to major cities, young men from all walks of life have joined the programme carrying vastly different stories, struggles, and hopes for the future. Some arrive battling anxiety and isolation. Others are searching for purpose, confidence, direction, or simply someone who genuinely believes in them. Many have spent years feeling unheard, unsupported, or disconnected from the world around them.

What has become clear through this journey so far is that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for young men.

Every young man’s journey looks different. And that’s exactly why this programme works.

Why The Hero’s Journey Was Created

Built as a free year-long wellbeing programme for young men aged 16–25, The Hero’s Journey was created in response to a growing crisis in New Zealand. Our country continues to face one of the highest youth suicide rates in the developed world, yet meaningful long-term support specifically designed for young men remains incredibly limited.

Kiwis for Good wanted to create something different.

Not Another Short-Term Intervention

Not another short-term intervention.
Not empty motivational slogans.
Not surface-level support.

But something real. Something human. Something that walks alongside these young men for the long haul.

What Makes The Programme Different

At the heart of the programme is relationship, accountability, and genuine connection.

Each participant is paired with a facilitator and supported through regular one-on-one mentoring calls, group sessions, physical wellbeing support, counselling access if needed, and guidance across all aspects of life — mental, emotional, physical, social, and practical.

Supporting Every Aspect of Life

• Mental wellbeing
• Emotional wellbeing
• Physical wellbeing
• Social wellbeing
• Practical wellbeing
• One-to-one mentoring
• Group sessions
• Counselling support when needed

As programme coordinator, Scott Townsend said, one of the most surprising and inspiring things has been seeing just how resilient these young men truly are.

Many have experienced incredibly difficult circumstances:

• Isolation
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma
• Family struggles
• School disengagement
• Substance abuse
• Lack of purpose
• Gaming addiction
• Unemployment
• A deep absence of positive male role models and encouragement

Yet despite this, time and time again, these young men continue to show up.

Sometimes all it takes is one person believing in them.
One consistent phone call.
One conversation without judgement.
One small win.
One reminder that they matter.

And from there, change begins.

Small Steps, Lasting Change

The transformations are rarely instant or dramatic overnight moments. More often, they begin quietly.

• A young man who hasn’t exercised in years starts going to the gym consistently.
• Someone struggling socially begins reconnecting with others.
• One participant recently went on his first ever date.
• Others have found employment, reduced substance use, improved their mental health, or started building routines that bring stability into their lives.

For some, success starts with simply making their bed in the morning. And that matters.

Because The Hero’s Journey is not built around quick fixes or unrealistic expectations. It’s built around the understanding that small consistent actions, repeated over time, create lasting transformation.

A Personalised Approach to Growth

During fortnightly mentoring calls, conversations often stretch beyond an hour. Together, we explore every area of life:

• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Physical health
• Finances
• Work
• School
• Relationships
• Home life
• Routine
• Device usage
• Mental wellbeing
• Emotional regulation
• Breathing practices
• Purpose
• Future goals

At the end of each session, the focus becomes simple:

Where are they now?
Where do they want to be?
And what small steps can help bridge that gap over the next two weeks before the next call?

For one young man, that might mean applying for jobs. For another, reducing sugar intake or improving sleep. For someone else, it could simply mean getting outside more or learning how to talk openly about what they’re feeling.

The support is deeply personalised because every participant’s needs are different.

• Some young men need confidence.
• Some need structure.
• Some need accountability.
• Some need encouragement.
• Some simply need someone to listen.

Real Stories, Real Impact

One participant shared that he joined the programme after years of feeling isolated and disregarded by people around him. Having struggled with ADHD most of his life, he said he was searching for something grounding — someone who could listen without judgement while helping him move forward.

He described the programme as uncomfortable in the best possible way: a space where someone genuinely asks how he is doing, holds him accountable, and encourages him to grow.

That combination of support and accountability has become one of the defining strengths of The Hero’s Journey.

Building Brotherhood and Community

In today’s world, many young men are lacking genuine connection, encouragement, guidance, and wisdom. They are surrounded by noise, comparison, distraction, and pressure, yet often have very few safe spaces to speak honestly about where they are at in life.

The Hero’s Journey seeks to change that.

Alongside the one-on-one mentoring, monthly group calls bring participants together from across New Zealand to connect, share experiences, celebrate wins, and support one another. For many of these young men, it is the first time they have experienced a sense of positive brotherhood and community.

The Importance of Physical Wellbeing

The physical exercise component of the programme has also proven incredibly important. Again and again, we are seeing the enormous impact physical health has on mental and emotional wellbeing. Improved fitness often leads to increased confidence, better emotional regulation, stronger routines, and a renewed sense of self-respect.

A Long-Term Commitment

What makes this programme unique is its long-term commitment. Traditional support services often operate in short windows of time. The Hero’s Journey is different. This is a year-long commitment to walking alongside these young men through the ups and downs of real life.

Not just when things are falling apart. But while they slowly rebuild.

Helping Young Men Discover Their Potential

And perhaps most importantly, this programme is not about “fixing” broken people. It is about helping young men recognise the strength, potential, and value that already exists within them. It is about helping them believe they are capable of more. Behind every conversation, every check-in, every gym session, and every small breakthrough is a growing reminder that these young men do matter.

Their futures matter. Their lives matter.

How Supporters Make a Difference

The support of donors and fundraising partners is playing a direct role in shaping that future. Every contribution helps create opportunities for young men who may otherwise fall through the cracks.

It helps provide:

• Mentorship
• Guidance
• Accountability
• Counselling support
• Community
• Hope

Most importantly, it helps young Kiwi men realise they are not alone.

Changing Lives, One Journey at a Time

And sometimes, that alone can change the course of a life forever.