Since being announced in remission in 2016, Jake Bailey has shared his message of resilience across more than 40 cities, with audiences of 3 to 3,000 aged from 8 to 80.
Jake’s audiences have ranged from elite athletes to kids in outback towns, Fortune 500 CEOs to prison inmates, foreign governments to retirement homes. However, Jake’s passion has remained working with youth, & the more than 100 schools he has engaged with across NZ, Australia, Japan, Myanmar & Portugal.
In 2015, sitting around a hospital ward facing his cancer & seeing the impact resilience had not only on his own journey but that of others around him, Jake became fixated on this intangible concept of mental fortitude. Once in remission, he set off in pursuit of more knowledge and understanding about this ability to face tremendous adversity & bounce back: why some people naturally have it, how we can teach it & learn it, & what it takes to create people able to not only recover, but to grow, from immense setbacks.
As a presenter, Jake shares with others all which he has since learnt from a range of sources: his study in positive psychology and learnings from experts, his interviews with those who have overcome great adversity, & of course his lived experience. He shares his journey, what it has taught him, & how others can integrate these lessons into their own lives. Although Jake draws on his experience with cancer to demonstrate the lessons he has learnt, these messages are about far more than cancer & are applicable to all people of all backgrounds & ages, who have faced all variety of adversity. Jake’s presentations are positively uplifting & inspiring, helping many to reconcile their own challenges and to prepare for the future.
Jake also speaks on topics such as medicine from a consumer perspective, leadership during hardship, mindset shift, survivorship, inspiration & motivation, & more.
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Jake Baileys Famous Speech the 2015 Christchurch Boys' High School Prize Giving
Jake Bailey caused a global sensation when he delivered a very moving speech from his wheelchair as Head Boy at Christchurch Boys High School’s prize giving ceremony in November 2015. "Here's the thing, none of us get out of life alive, so be gallant, be great, be gracious and be grateful for the opportunities you have."Jake Bailey Speaking at Tour de Cure Snow Ball 2016
Jake Bailey caused a global sensation when he delivered a very moving speech from his wheelchair as Head Boy at Christchurch Boys High School’s prize giving ceremony in November 2015.Jake was down to earth and very accommodating prior and after the speaking engagement. Jake is a very likable guy, went out of his way for us as an organization but also on the night with th ... keep reading Nelson Cancer Society
Jake is just awe-inspiring… extremely powerful, unforgettable and a wake-up call.
He spoke to the students about successfully developing resilience by striving to overcome the challenges all will inevitably face in life and to be brave in the face of adversity. We each need to fight that inner voice that says to give up and instead display resilience and determination, always striving to do our best, and bounce back again and again, if success does not first appear. Going on the number of questions asked of Jake by the students, they were entertained and informed by Jake’s heart-warming and inspiring words.
The rangatahi of our Kura enjoyed the messages Jake had to share. Through struggle and challenge we can often come to appreciate the blessings we have. Jake’s message was uplifting.
Our students and staff found Jakes presentation inspirational. His story is one that really resonates with our students, and he has a lovely and authentic approach to telling it. Jake has become a fixture in my speaking calendar.
Jake has a real and impactful story to share with teenagers from all walks of life. He delivers this with drama, excitement and humour but most of all with a key message of hope when going through tough times. You need to hear his story!
Jake was easy to work with and flexible in his approach in terms of organising the day. Feedback from staff, students and whanau were excellent. His story connected with our community and the workshop he did with our student leaders was outstanding. I would highly recommend Jake to other schools and would look to use him again in the future.
Jake has had a long-lasting impact on our community following his live online presentation during lockdown 2020 and his visit to the college in person earlier this year. His extraordinary and inspiring story, centred on the theme of resilience, delivered in an honest, no-nonsense manner has captured the attention of our students who continue to explore these themes in our wellbeing lessons and tutorials. We look forward to welcoming Jake back to the college in the future.
Your story was relatable and inspiring, and that you were a very engaging presenter.
Jake Bailey quickly developed rapport with our senior students, staff and wider community. He is a wonderful advocate for young people and was the embodiment of resilience and what that actually looks like. He presented in a convivial and engaging manner and everyone was in awe of how much this young man had experienced in such a short space of time. I recommend him unreservedly and would encourage anyone who has not had the opportunity to hear what he has to say to make sure they make it happen. I will be incorporating some of his gold nuggets into the work I do with young people and am very grateful to have had the opportunity to meet such an inspiring young man
Jake was very warmly received as his authenticity and easy manner resonated with people. He very skilfully tailored his presentations to each differing audience. We have had some wonderful feedback and he has inspired many people in quite different but also quite specific ways. He was great to have around, having a warmth and keen sense of humour and also “mucking in” when he saw an opportunity.
Jake’s story connected with all in our community, often in different ways but fundamental to his message is that resilience often comes during the most challenging of situations. Our students in particular, loved his open style of delivery and his willingness to share his story full of hope. Our parent community were hooked on his story and found the opportunity to work through successful strategies for supporting their own children highly valuable.
Jake Bailey delivered workshops and a keynote to our very excited students last week. He was authentic, engaging, and relatable. The way he integrated lived experience and positive psychology strategies was amazing. In the workshops, our young people were able to identify their own core values and are still connecting them to a range of learning contexts. Memorable is the word that keeps coming up when reflecting on Jake’s visit to our kura.
Jake is a skilled presenter who is passionate about teaching young people to be resilient. Through a seamless blend of personal storytelling, infectious humour, and solid research, Jake fully captured his audiences and made a significant impact on our young people. Even in my own classes this week, students have continued to reflect on and empathise with different facets of Jake’s journey.
Honest, vulnerable, practical, and a powerful message of hope. Our students are pretty vocal on their opinions - and it was hugely positive.
The staff, students, and local community of Kaiapoi High School were privileged to listen to the moving presentations on wellbeing and resilience delivered by Jake. He adeptly tailored each session to target the unique requirements, experiences and attention spans of each group. His personal journey, along with research into positive psychology, has allowed him to craft a set of readily usable tools that everyone can apply to stand tall during the inevitable tough times and when facing adversity.
Jake was a breath of fresh air in our last week of school with year 9 and 10. He held the attention of over 500 girls at a time for over an hour. Jake’s message is powerful but simple, and he left the girls with strategies to enhance their resilience moving forward. Jake also spoke to a group of parents in the evening. They were all really grateful for the opportunity to learn about how to support their young people. We will definitely be getting Jake back to speak to our Seniors next year. I highly recommend Jake and his presentation and message.
