Hastings Catholic college event will support mental health

By CathNews New Zealand

September 18th, 2026

(Damian Gadal/Wikimedia Commons)

Two senior students from St John’s College in Hastings are using their experiences of mental health struggles to make conversations about emotional wellbeing easier for other young men. Source: Hawke's Bay Today.

Max MacInnes, 17, and fellow student Jake Smith, 18, came up with and event titled “24 Hours for the Lads”, in which years 12 and 13 students will stay at St John’s College for 24 hours while taking part in sport, activities, challenges and conversations about mental health.

The event will run from 9am on Saturday, September 19, until 9am the next day. Money raised will go to Hawke’s Bay suicide prevention programme Mates4Life.

Initially reluctant to ask for help with mental health struggles, Max said his attitude changed over time.

“I’m a bit more mature now, so I realised how important it is to open up.”

He said talking to someone he trusts and staying active have become important for looking after his mental health. At school, he realised his experience was not unique.

“I’ve had friends that have struggled with mental health,” Max said. “There’s always like a bit of a stigma around young men and opening up, and we really wanted to change that.”

Mates4Life Hawke’s Bay general manager Tyson Ataera said the organisation had trained the students involved in the event through its Safety Aider programme, which teaches people how to recognise and respond when someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Students will hear from speakers and take part in activities including an obstacle course designed to illustrate how carrying a mental load can make other parts of life more difficult.

Max said the 24-hour format would require the boys to support each other when things became difficult.

St John’s College principal George Rogers said the student-led nature of the initiative was particularly important.

“It’s awesome for our young men to lead our young men rather than adults leading the young men,” he said.

He said the 24-hour initiative also reflected the Catholic school’s approach to student leadership.

LIFELINE 0800 543 354

FULL STORY

24 Hours for the Lads: Hastings students tackle men’s mental health stigma (By Rafaella Melo/Hawkes Bay Today/NZ Herald)