The Power of Showing Up: How Mentoring Reframes a Child’s Story

One hour a week doesn’t sound like much until you hear what it does for a kid who feels invisible. We sit down with Simon Warrick, CEO of Kids Hope, to talk about school-based mentoring for children facing vulnerability and why a single consistent adult can become the difference between “just surviving” and starting to believe you matter. Simon shares his own story, from losing his father young to navigating bullying, grief, and the long work of healing. We dig into what actually helps kids in the real world: showing up, building trust, and giving steady attention in a time when many children are functionally raising themselves around distracted adults. We also talk about forgiveness, what it is and what it isn’t, and how faith can hold space for pain without denying it. If you care about youth mental health, early intervention, community outreach, and practical faith in action, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with someone who’d love to mentor, and leave a review so more people find the work happening in our schools. Check out the work of Kids Hope here  If Sunburnt Souls has helped or blessed you in any way, can I ask a small favour? Would you consider telling someone about the podcast, reposting an episode link, or bringing it up over dinner with a mate sometime? Word of mouth is how this podcast spreads. We don’t have the budget for advertising, so every share genuinely helps more people discover the conversations we’re having around faith and mental health. 🙏 IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT THE MISSION Help us keep producing Christian mental health podcasts and resources that bring hope to listeners around the world and breaks the stigma in the Church. 👉 Donate to Sunburnt Souls. ALL DONATIONS OVER $2 ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. 🧠 NEW ONLINE COURSE: Loving Life with Faith and Mental Health A 28-day, FREE journey to help you: - Embrace your identity in Jesus - Build life-giving spiritual rhythms - Navigate anxiety, depression, and burnout with honesty and grace 👉 Start your 28-day journey today 📩 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY Get weekly encouragement, bonus podcast clips, and faith-informed mental health resources in your inbox. 👉 Subscribe to the newsletter ⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW Love this episode? Your review helps others discover faith-based mental health resources and find hope for their journey. - Listen and Rate on Apple Podcasts - Listen & Rate on Spotify Sunburnt Souls is produced by Pretty Podcasts — a Christian mental health production where faith meets real life through stories ...