Adult Buddy- Mentor

The Buddy Programme is a preventative programme for children between the ages of 5 and 12 who are matched one-to-one with a trained adult buddy. The service is offered by Family Works Otago, a Presbyterian Support Service initiative developed in 1992.

The children are referred from a variety of different agencies as well as by their own families. They are referred for a variety of reasons. They are all children whose life circumstances indicate a need for additional adult support.

The aims of the programme are to:

Offer friendship, support and guidance
Increase a child’s self esteem
Develop social skills and help children to make positive choices
Offer opportunities for new social experiences
Enable fun and happiness

Volunteers are matched to their buddies depending on gender, personality, skill level, geographical proximity and the professional judgement of the coordinator. Once accepted and trained, volunteers will be introduced to their buddy at the child’s home and activities decided upon. Group activities are also organised by the Buddy Programme which offer new experiences for children and buddies.

Full training is provided which covers communication skills, boundaries, child development, child abuse and family dynamics.
Once accepted volunteers are invited to attend further training including grief, first aid and managing difficult behaviour. The majority of matches are very successful, with some relationships in place for a number of years.

We hope volunteers enjoy their role and will further develop: