What we do:

Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawke’s Bay make meaningful, supervised matches between adult volunteers and tamariki (young people) ages 6 through to 12.  We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of tamariki.

We operate in partnership with the New Zealand Police.  All mentors are carefully vetted and trained , and  once matched with an ‘at risk’ child the Case Manager offers regular support to our mentors, families and mentees.   Once matched with a mentor the young people have the opportunity to experience the friendship and positive guidance of another adult, and share in fun activities with them.

The donation from Trust House Community Trust has enabled the Case Manager to recruit, vet and train more mentors and match them with young, ‘at risk’ children.

Benefits to the community:

Research has shown children who are mentored through BBBS are 46% less likely to use illegal drugs; 27% less likely to begin using alcohol; 52% less likely to play truant from school; they more likely to stay in schoool, and they get on better with their families.  A Boston Consulting Group study found that every $1 invested in BBBS mentoring generates $18 in social return on investment.

The Eastern Policing District has the highest rate of family violence occurences per head of population in NZ.  BBBS mentoring is trying to construct a fence at the top of the cliff, rather than manning an ambulance at the bottom, and Trust House Community Trust has helped us achieve this goal.