Rotorua Big Brothers Big Sisters
We believe potential lives within every young person. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors help form strong positive relationships that express care, challenge growth, share power, and expand possibilities.
Our mentors help ignite youth potential.
OUR PROGRAMMES
Community-Based Mentoring
Community-based mentoring is all about building futures through friendships. The Big Brother or Sister (tuakana) and their younger person (teina) spend one-on-one time together doing things they both enjoy. It is usually for one hour, once a week.
The tuakana arranges the time with the child’s caregiver and picks the child up from their home or school. Most sessions take place in the community, at a library, at the park, at the lake or maybe at a mountain bike track. It’s not so much about the activity but about spending quality time together developing the friendship.
School-Based Mentoring
The Mentors in Schools Programme is all about building a mentoring friendship during school time. Schools register with Big Brothers Big Sisters to be involved in this programme.
Each week the Big Brother or Big Sister (tuakana) takes their Little Brother or Sister (teina) out of class for about an hour. Usually it is around late morning or in the afternoon. During this time it’s all about hanging out having fun, becoming friends. Together they might shoot some hoops, do some baking or even master the game of chess.
Organisations Sponsoring a Tuakana
In Rotorua we have been lucky enough to have a number of organisations sponsor employees to be tuakana in work time. These include Rotorua Police, Rotorua Lakes Council, P.F Olsen, Scion Research, Harcourts Rotorua, Kilwell Sports Alchemy Law and WSP.
Are you interested in sponsoring your staff to be a mentor?
Contact Nicki on the links below to find out how to make that happen.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rotorua partner schools include Ngongotaha Primary, Western Heights Primary, Malfroy Primary, Owhata Primary, Glenholme Primary, Selwyn Primary, Aorangi Primary, Sunset Primary, Kawaha Point School, Westbrook Primary Rotorua Intermediate, Mokoia Intermediate, Rotokawa Primary and Kaitao Intermediate.
HELEN & KARMALEXIS
Helen is part of our Mentors in Schools partnership with Rotorua Lakes Council.
Helen is sponsored by Rotorua Lakes council to mentor Karmalexis each week during work time.
Community collaboration is a key part of Big Brothers Big Sisters creating brighter futures for our Rotorua tamariki.
Know someone who needs a Tuakana (Mentor)?
For parents & caregivers, agencies & individuals that know a young person who would benefit from caring and committed one-to-one mentoring
ROTORUA BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS TEAM
The Big Brothers Big Sisters team work together to ensure our Mentors and Mentees feel supported and enjoy their mentoring journey.
We pride ourselves in our experience in making great matches that are long lasting and that significantly impact young lives.
Quality youth mentoring, that works
Through quality training, Big Brothers Big Sisters equips Mentors with the ability to ignite potential and build resilience in young people all over Aotearoa New Zealand.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Zealand is part of the world’s largest volunteer mentoring network. We make professionally supervised mentoring matches between adults and young people (aged approx. six to twelve) throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Zealand is part of the world’s largest volunteer mentoring network
As a national not-for-profit organisation, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of New Zealand relies entirely on community grants, business sponsorship and donations to provide their quality mentor training.
Studies show that 98% of the youth we mentor believe they now make better life choices as a result of the relationship with their ‘Tuakana’ (mentor)
THE Rotorua Board members
Our governance board is here to support the team on the ground.
They volunteer their time and skills to ensure the programme meets national standards and regulations.
OUR ROTORUA DEFENDERS OF POTENTIAL
Tuakana - Teina
Mā te tuakana te teina e tōtika, mā te teina te tuakana e tōtika
From the older the younger will learn, from the younger the older will learn.
Where the older has responsibilities to the younger, so does the younger to the older.
OUR NATIONAL DEFENDERS OF POTENTIAL
Contact us
Drew Ewan
National CEO
drew.ewan@bbbs.nz
Chelsea Routhan
National Operations Director
Matthew Button
National Practice Manager
Cushla Vass
National Communications Manager
national@bigbrothersbigsisters.org.nz
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