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Big Buddy - Southland

Organisation:

Presbyterian Support Southland

Category:

Youth & Children

Hours:

Both/Flexible

Locations:

Gore

The Buddy Programme is a mentoring programme for children between the ages of 4 and 12 who are matched one-to-one with a trained adult Buddy. Presbyterian Support Southland work for positive change, strong families and healthy communities.

The children are referred from a variety of different agencies throughout the Gore and Invercargill areas as well as by their own families. They are referred for a variety of reasons. They are all children whose life circumstances indicate a need for additional adult support.

The aims of the programme are:

  • Offer friendship, support and guidance
  • Increase child’s self esteem
  • Develop social skills and help children make positive choices
  • Offer opportunities for new social experiences
  • Fun and happiness

Volunteers are matched with their Buddies depending on gender, personality and interests. Buddies range from 18-80+ years of age, and bring with them a wide variety of life experiences, and people from all walks of life are encouraged to apply.

Once accepted and trained volunteers will be introduced to their Buddy and activities decided on. Group activities are also organised by the Buddy Programme which offer new experiences for the children and Buddies.

Full training is provided which covers communication skills, child development, child abuse and family dynamics. Once accepted volunteers are provided with ongoing support and peer supervision.

Requirements

  • Adults aged 18 years and over.
  • People who are committed and reliable.
  • Friends who are there to listen, support and encourage their Little Buddy.
  • People from varied backgrounds and life experiences.
  • People who have acceptance of differing cultural backgrounds and lifestyles.

A Police background check is required for this role.

Time commitment

Volunteers need to be able to commit to at least 12 months volunteering. Initial training takes 6-8 hours, followed by bi-monthly supervision between 1 and 2 hours. Volunteers then meet their Buddies approximately once a week for two - three hours.

Getting started

The first step is to express your interest by filling out the form below. We will then put you in touch directly with the organisation for more information on the role and how to proceed.

Ref: 2466


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