courtney

Mentee-Mentor Match Stories:

Below you can find the full interview stories for a few of our Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland Matches. We are grateful for our matches that were open to sharing their match story and the profound impact the BBBS program has had on their lives.

From their stories you can hear about why our mentors got involved in the program, how their match is going, and the difference they have made in their mentee’s life.

“Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself and others if you have the time and desire to help. This is a fantastic program to genuinely see the difference you can make and the value that you add to a child’s life. My advice to future mentors is to grab every opportunity you can to be involved and a part of the greater program. The BBBS program is so valuable [For mentors and mentees] to feel connected and be a part of something.” – Graduated Mentor Lily

Sign up to Volunteer: https://bigbrothersbigsistersauckland.org.nz/join-us/ 

24K for 2024 Appeal: We are at max capacity with 100+ children on the waitlist. BBBS Auckland is seeking to hire another mentor coordinator to expand our capacity. Help us grow our amazing program and aid more children in need of mentoring. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/24k-for-2024-big-brothers-big-sisters-auckland

Casey and Storm:

 

Roman and Guy

 

Olivier and Harry

We are excited to announce the launch of our 24K for 2024 appeal campaign; An initiative dedicated to raising $24,000 to support a new mentor coordinator to increase organization’s capacity to match more tamariki. At Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland, we believe in the power of mentorship to change lives, and with your help, we can make a significant impact on our community. With over 100 mentee’s on the waitlist, your donation will help get children off the waitlist, and into a brighter future.

Why 24K for 2024?

Each dollar raised during this campaign will directly fund the recruitment, training, and support of mentors who will be matched with children in need of guidance, encouragement, and a positive role model in their life. Our goal is to ensure that more vulnerable tamariki in Auckland have the opportunity to experience the transformative effects of having a Big Brother or Big Sister.

With over 100 children on our waitlist, we are committed to increasing our capability and addressing the need for mentors. As a small team, we urgently need donations to hire another Mentor Coordinator, like our dedicated Leonie, who is currently at full capacity managing our existing matches. The critical time spent to coordinate each match comes at a cost, and with each donation, we can uplift and support a child’s life with mentoring.

The Impact of Your Support

Your generosity will have a profound impact on the lives of young people like Xoniqe and Kendrik, who, thanks to their mentors, have developed greater self-confidence, improved self-esteem, and a brighter outlook on their futures. Here are just a few ways your donation can make a difference:

• $25 supports a match with an activity out in the community.
• $40 covers the intake process for a child.
• $75 provides a family with social support from a professional for a month.
• $150 supports a match and their whanau for an entire month.
• $2,400: Fully supports one mentor-mentee match for an entire year, covering all associated costs.
• $24,000: Will bring on another Mentor Coordinator and increase our capacity to match more tamariki.

How You Can Help

There are several ways you can get involved in our 24K for 2024 campaign:

1. Donate: Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to our goal. You can donate at our Give a Little Page dedicated to #24Kfor2024: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/24k-for-2024-big-brothers-big-sisters-auckland 
2. Share: Spread the word about our campaign on social media using the hashtag #24Kfor2024. Encourage your friends and family to join us in making a difference.
3. Matchmaker Sponsor: If you represent a business or organization, consider sponsoring a match or matching employee donations. Your support can amplify our efforts and inspire others to give.

24K for 2024 Events

• The Big Quiz 18th July at The Beer Spot. https://the-big-quiz.raiselysite.com/

• The Big Auction 12th September at The Sapphire Room Ponsonby. Link coming soon.

• The Big Dress Up September 

Stay Connected

Throughout the campaign, we will be sharing updates on our progress, success stories from our matches, and special messages from our supporters. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed and engaged.

Thank You

We are incredibly grateful for your support and belief in the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland. Together, we can create a brighter future for the children in our community. Join us in our 24K for 2024 appeal campaign and help us make a lasting difference, one match at a time.

Thank you for being a part of this important journey with us!

Donate

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/24k-for-2024-big-brothers-big-sisters-auckland

#24Kfor2024 #MentoringMatters #IgnitePotential #BBBSAuckland

Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland –18 July 2024 – Big Brothers Big Sisters Tāmaki Makaurau is thrilled to announce an exciting and fun-filled evening of competition, camaraderie, and charity at our upcoming Pub Quiz Night. This R18+ event promises an unforgettable experience while raising funds to support the children and mentoring programs of Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland.

Event Details:

• Date: 18th July 2024
• Time: 7:00pm – late.
• Location: Beerspot Morningside; 596 New North Road, Kingsland
• Age Requirement: 18+ only

Gather your friends, family, or colleagues and join us for an evening of challenging trivia, great beer, and plenty of laughs. The best part? All proceeds from the evening will go directly towards creating new mentoring matches with Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland, helping the 100+ children on our waitlist find mentors who can make a significant impact in their lives.

Ticket Information:

• Individual Tickets: These tickets cover one person. You can join as an individual and we will assign you to a team, or you can specify your team during payment.
• Team Tickets: Enjoy a small discount when purchasing for a team of up to five members. Make sure to choose a team name and fill out the names of your team members during registration.

Register your pub quiz team today and support a fantastic cause, with the chance to win great prizes, enjoy beer provided by The Beerspot, and savor delicious food from Jo Bros food truck.

Fundraising Goal:

We aim to raise $24,000 for our new matches in 2024, as part of our #24Kfor2024 initiative. Your participation and donations will directly support more children being matched with mentors, igniting their potential and making a lasting difference in their lives.

On the Night:

Whether you come as a group or solo, we will ensure you are part of a team. Prepare to test your trivia knowledge, compete for free beer, and partake in our exciting raffle. With Jo Bros food truck catering to all your hunger cravings, you are in for a treat!

Invite your flatmates, whānau, and friends to showcase your trivia skills and enjoy a night of fun while making a meaningful contribution to our community.

We can’t wait to have you join us!

For More Information and Registration:

Visit the event page: https://the-big-quiz.raiselysite.com/

About Big Brothers Big Sisters Tāmaki Makaurau:

Big Brothers Big Sisters Tāmaki Makaurau is dedicated to helping children and young people achieve their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that have a measurable impact. Our vision is that all children achieve a strong start in life and reach their full potential.

Contact:

Chelsey Harnell (Programme Manager)

[email protected]

0212 379 7169

 

Recently our Matchmaker sponsor, Lightspeed, hosted a fantastic skills afternoon for a group of our mentees. Lightspeed, a unified POS and payments platform powering the world’s best businesses in over 100 countries, organized the event as an opportunity for our mentees to learn new ‘tech’ skills and see a future career in the technology industry. We are especially grateful for their partnership as events like these are significant to our mentees’ lives. BBBS aims to give them a new perspective and alternative window to opportunities in the world. 

Thank you Lightspeed for igniting new passions, and giving our mentees opportunities to reach their full potential. 

Lightspeed’s Managing Director, APAC, Andrew Fraser explains, “At the Auckland office of Lightspeed, we welcomed kids, their adult mentors and representatives from Big Brothers Big Sisters for a ‘Skills Arvo’ event. The aim was for the kids to try coding and to experience our point of sale and payments platform in a pop-up ‘Boutique’.”

A group of mentees, accompanied by their mentors, completed Lightspeed’s fantastic block coding workshop created by Max Grabenhorst, a principal software developer based in the Auckland office. The block coding task was similar to virtual Lego, where the mentees got to drag and drop colourful blocks to represent different commands. Once the virtual blocks snapped together like a puzzle piece, the kids could download the command onto a micro-bit; a tangible mini computer. On it, the mentees could spell their name to appear on LED lights, make music, and its sensors could detect temperature when they refrigerated it. Followed by the pop-up ‘Boutique’ store, mentees were able to scan and ‘sell’ items with an iPad set up with Lightspeed’s point of sale and payments platform.

BBBS Auckland Program Manager Chelsey Harnell shares, “We were amazed to see our mentees so focused and loving the activities. Introducing technology to our mentees through events like this not only sparks their curiosity and creativity, but also equips them with essential skills for the future.”

The team of Lightspeeders were fantastic at the event by helping our mentees through the tasks, and making them feel very at home with afternoon tea and a round of table tennis in their newly renovated office space. With their help, our mentees were able to learn new skills, break down tasks into manageable steps, increase their confidence by mastering a task, make new connections and feel a sense of accomplishment. 

Andrew reflects, “The Lightspeed team relished the opportunity to use their annual paid Volunteer Day for a great cause. The kids proved to be extremely talented as coders and entrepreneurs. It was inspirational to meet the amazing mentors and a treat to spend time with Lily and Xonique, and also Trelise and Shannae, the mentor/mentee Match sponsored by Lightspeed for the first and second halves of 2024. We’re thrilled to give back to our community and in particular to help ignite the potential of young people through community-based mentoring.”

Thank you again to Lightspeed for your partnership and for empowering a brighter future for our mentees. Chelsey concludes, “Seeing their eyes light up as they explore new digital possibilities reaffirms the positive impact of mentoring and technology in shaping confident, empowered, and future-ready individuals. Thank you, Lightspeed.”

 

12-year-old Safia joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland programme in 2019, and has been matched with Big Sister Jodi ever since! Safia came into the programme because her mum was hoping an older friend would help her to build some confidence and become part of their Kiwi family as most of the extended whānau live overseas.

Big Sister Jodi has certainly lived up to expectations! She became a mentor because she loves spending time with kids and wanted to give back to her community. Jodi is compassionate and generous soul, who always lends an empathetic ear. From the beginning, her nurturing nature made her a natural mentor. With Jodi’s support we have seen Safia really come out of her shell – far from the shy 8-year-old she was when she came into the programme. We have witnessed their match go from strength to strength. With great trust and match compatibility, Safia expresses herself freely, and these two never run out of things to talk about!

While Safia was matched with Jodi, her younger sister Amna had her own successful match. However, when Amna’s mentor ended up having to move away, she’d be the first of the sisters to graduate the program and be without a mentor. Kindly, Jodi and Safia decided they couldn’t let this be the case and as a result, Amna turned this power match duo into a match trio.

The trio’s adventures know no bounds. Their favorite activity is finding a great cat cafe (you would be surprised how many there are!), where they spend hours in the cozy company of furry friends, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. They have celebrated birthdays, cherished quiet moments over cups of deliciousness, and have been there for each other through the highs and lows. We can’t wait to see what this amazing trio gets up to next!

BBBS Auckland thanks Jodi for supporting both these girls as they grow up to become confident young women. She is an amazing guiding figure in their lives and always gives these girls her best.

 

Looking for a Matchmaker Sponsor for Kendric and Rob.

We are reaching out to individuals and businesses in our community to join us in changing young lives. Become a Matchmaker sponsor today and support our vital mentorship program for vulnerable children in Tāmaki Makaurau. Right now, we’re seeking a compassionate person or business to sponsor the match between Kendric, our Little, and Robert, our dedicated Big. Your sponsorship will not only support a profound bond between Kendric and Rob but will also pave the way for a brighter future filled with hope and opportunity.

Sponsoring this match will empower Kendric by providing him with the tools, support, and encouragement from Rob he needs to overcome personal challenges, reach his full potential, and lead a fulfilling life. BBBS mentorship connects Kendric to a male role-model figure he wouldn’t have in his life otherwise.

We are immensely grateful for our business partners whose support is indispensable to our operations. Their generosity directly contributes to the growth, resilience, and success of the young people in our mentorship program, which is the backbone of Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland. Each Match sponsorship costs $2400 annually, covering the cost of the match for one year. These sponsors receive recognition in our communications and events, showcasing their dedication to making a positive impact in the community. They also have the opportunity to witness firsthand the transformative power of mentorship.

If you’re interested in becoming a Matchmaker sponsor, please reach out to us. We can provide detailed information to help you make an informed decision about sponsoring a match. We value the chance to work with you in creating a community where every child has the support and opportunities they need to thrive.

Nga mihi,

The team at Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland
Contact us as [email protected], or call us 022 379 7169.

Join our other Matchmaker sponsors in changing young lives: