We're not looking for superheroes.  We are simply looking for good guys from our community who care. But the safety and happiness of all our Little Buddies and youth is paramount to our success. All men who apply to be a volunteer Big Buddy go through a stringent Selection Process.

The Selection Process

The Big Buddy Selection Process is one of the most rigorous of any agency or club in New Zealand. By being thorough, we can ensure that the applicant is right for Big Buddy and we are the right organisation for them.

The Process

Once a volunteer has registered his interest in volunteering at Big Buddy we get in touch for an informal chat.  If they want to move forward and apply, we send a comprehensive online form to fill in. From that point, our Selection Process begins and takes 6-8 weeks to complete. The process includes:

For all Big Buddies (One to One & Group programmes):

• Attendance to an induction training evening (2 hrs). This will explain in detail what is required of the role, a chance to meet other potential volunteers and to understand our kaupapa.
• A completed medical questionnaire from their doctor
• A Police Vetting Check
• Big Buddy checks his character references and talks with his partner/spouse (if applicable)
• An online questionnaire about general aspects of his life
• A signed Big Buddy Volunteer Agreement (includes a Code of Conduct, Activity Risk Assessment and our Child Protection Policy)
• A face-to-face interview with a Mentoring Manager
• Attendance to an interview with our Clinical Assessor

Once all the information is collected it is appraised by a Big Buddy senior team member or manager. Once a decision has been made, we get in touch to let him know the outcome.