Watch out for these boys on the road as Big Buddy’s new bright green vehicle signage can be seen from a mile away! With a new makeover, our buddies are travelling with even more style.

Big Buddy are all about bettering the lives of boys whose dads are absent by teeing them up with a trusted Big Buddy to spend time with. The goal is to encourage confidence and resilience in Little Buddies’ lives by giving them someone to spend time with and look up to. The vision is simple:

“Big Buddy envisions a community in which every boy experiences a nurturing one-to-one relationship with at least one adult male. Our highest vision is that every boy without a dad in their lives in New Zealand will have a good male mentor to guide him into adulthood with true self-worth. This will support him to make positive life choices and live a life of purpose and meaning as an involved member of our community.”

They do this by recruiting and screening great men from the community to spend a few hours with them every weekend (with the most discerning screening process of any agency or club known in New Zealand). They do simple things together like kick a ball, walk their dogs, or get outdoors and do a few activities.

Big Buddies are there to share who they are, so the little buddies can learn more about who they are as a person and the person they aspire to become. The most important thing a Big Buddy can do is show up, spend time, and come back again. These simple gestures make a profound difference in the life of a young boy.

Simple words from an impressive young man – Tahana Tippett, an inspiring Big Buddy within our village. Tahana, who is not yet 30, is a successful and generous young man. He holds an Honours degree in Business and is a Business Development Manager for Investment company Select Wealth. He is also fluent in te reo, which he learned from a young age and is very proud of his diverse background in te ao Maori and te ao Pakeha. He continues to summarise his impressive kaupapa. “It’s what people prioritise at the end of the day with their time and Big Buddy is a cause that I prioritise. I understand how important Big Buddy is to our youth in the community and I am happy to give my time in the weekend to help.” Tahana has been a Big Buddy for over three years after being inspired at his local marae while talking with a group of young kids. “I noticed a group of young boys in the park smoking and drinking alcohol and approached them and asked how old they were. One of them mentioned he was only 13 and how he has never had his dad in his life,” Tahana says. “This immediately led me in to finding some way where I can help young males who don’t have fathers in their lives, as I was hoping to make a change and be a role model for our younger generation. I found Big Buddy and was really inspired for what the organisation stands for and how our values were aligned.”

After joining Big Buddy, Tahana formed a strong relationship with a young buddy, enjoying simple things like walks at the park, playing cards, sports, going the movies, attending Big Buddy charity days. Tahana’s little buddy recently moved and is now matched with a new Big Buddy that lives nearer to his new house. Tahana is in the process of getting matched with a little buddy that lives closer to him. “I’ll always maintain a relationship with my previous little buddy as he knows he can always call me whenever he needs help with anything,” he says. Tahana strongly believes Big Buddy makes a real difference in the lives of young boys that don’t have fathers. “I am sure everyone can agree that all young boys need father figures to help them build confidence and resilience. The Big Buddies help the young males make positive life choices and ensure that they always have someone to talk to for advice as we understand this is very important to young males as they go through constant changes,” he says. Tahana believes that it is also as rewarding for a Big Buddy as it is for our boys. He points to a beautiful Maori proverb to describe his thoughts about the beauty of Big Buddy. “Mā te tuakana te teina e tōtika, Mā te teina te tuakana e tōtika — (The older will lead the younger and the younger will lead the older)”

Know someone who would be the perfect Big Buddy?

Do you or know someone in your community who would make the perfect big buddy for a little buddy? Big Buddy are actively seeking for trusted 2021 Big Buddies!

Become a Big Buddy here: https://www.bigbuddy.org.nz/mentoring/become-a-mentor/

If you wish to learn further about Big Buddy and the work they do, head to their website at https://www.bigbuddy.org.nz/ to find out more.