Local youth mentoring programme Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wellington is aiming to raise $5,000 in 15 days with its first ever Givealittle campaign being run between 15 and 29 September.

“Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wellington recruits, trains and supports adult volunteer mentors across Hutt Valley and Wellington, matching them with children aged between six and 12 who are in need of a little extra support”, says Programme Manager Ashleigh Stallard.

“Through quality training, we equip mentors with the ability to build resilience in young people and support positive relationships that are critical to childhood development.

“For one hour, once a week our ‘Bigs’ and ‘Littles’ spend time together sharing hobbies and interests. By simply showing up each week and being themselves, our mentors provide encouragement, promote confidence and build self-belief in young people. For some of the children in our programme, the weekly interaction with their mentor may be the only time they are afforded the undivided attention of an adult.

“Studies show that 98 percent of the youth Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors believe they now make better life choices as a result of the relationship with their mentor.

“We need the support of our community to keep our youth mentoring programme going in Wellington. Every dollar donated over the next two weeks will be invested straight back into the Wellington community, supporting vulnerable tamariki and their whānau.”

Grant Tregurtha, who mentors Thomas Lee O’Donovan Karangaroa, says: “When I started mentoring Thomas Lee, nearly 12 months ago, he was very quiet and a little shy. Since then, I have seen his confidence grow as well as his thirst for knowledge. He asks a variety of questions from how a building is built to how a person gets paid – things I haven’t thought of since my children were little.

“Thomas Lee often asks me about topics his teachers have taught him, and we get to discuss these more in-depth or from a different angle.

“Thomas Lee forgets nothing. He will start a conversation by saying ‘you told me about something’, and then wants to know more.

“BBBS is like stepping stones to help equip Thomas Lee for life. By being in the mentoring programme, Thomas Lee is working toward being better prepared for life as he grows up.”

Watch our video showcasing the impact a Big Brother or Big Sister can have on a child’s life here (password: bbbs). Our Givealittle campaign can be found here.
 

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