We aren’t 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 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 man are 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:

• A filled-out general questionnaire about all aspects of his life
• A signed Big Buddy Volunteer Agreement (includes a Code of Conduct, Activity Risk Assessment and our Child Protection Policy)
• Big Buddy checks his character references and talks with his partner or spouse (if applicable)
• A Police Check
• A face-to-face interview with a Mentoring Manager

At this point, all the information collected is appraised by a Big Buddy senior team member or manager. If you are applying as a group mentor, a decision is made and you are informed of the outcome.

Additional steps for Big Buddies on the One-2-One Programme:

• Attendance to an induction training evening (2 hrs). This will explain in detail what is required, the mentoring skills needed and a boy's development needs.
• A completed medical questionnaire from their doctor
• 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.