Jenni Harrison

Strong communities are built when young people have the support they need to thrive. Through its partnership with Big Buddy, the Big Toe Foundation is helping create lasting change by connecting boys without a dad in their lives to positive male mentors. Together, they are strengthening families, empowering young people, and fostering brighter futures across New Zealand.

As conversations about masculinity and online influence continue to dominate headlines, Big Buddy Programme Lead Shane Brown joined RNZ’s Jesse Mulligan to discuss the growing need for positive male role models. In this insightful interview, Shane shares how consistent mentoring relationships help boys build confidence, connection and resilience, while offering a healthy alternative to the harmful messages many young men encounter online.

What if improving your wellbeing was as simple as showing up for someone else?
For Big Buddies, mentoring boys isn’t just about making a difference — it’s about getting outside, staying active, and reconnecting with what matters most.

Growing up with a strong father figure shaped brothers Tapan and Donny Mukerji in ways they only fully appreciated later in life. Today, both volunteer as Big Buddy mentors, giving boys without active fathers the friendship, guidance and consistency that helped shape their own childhoods. Their story is a powerful reminder that changing a young person’s life doesn’t require extraordinary acts—sometimes it simply starts with showing up.