Guiding our youth

All across the region young children are receiving a much-needed boost through the Big Brother Big Sisters mentoring programme. The Manawatu initiative includes both community and school based schemes, working with children who often have few or no positive role models.

The school-based venture works in partnership with the Palmerston North Police, who offer 15 volunteers to go into schools for an hour each week. Senior Sergeant Brett Calkin, also the chairman for Manawatu's BBBS, said having cops back in schools has made a real difference.

"Last year we decided that police could be more involved at ground level," he explained. "We are constantly looking at ways to engage with kids in our community and in doing so, we are preventing crime."

Mr Calkin said there had been a "really positive reaction" to the uniforms.

"We do an evaluation with the teachers and the majority of the youth we work with are showing a better attendance rates, improved behaviour and are more engaged."

Four schools in Palmerston North and Ashhurst are already involved in the scheme, with seven additional schools to be added this year. Manawatu coordinator Pauline Ferguson said the school-based programme would now be open to volunteers as well as police.

"Our volunteers and police will engage in many everyday activities with these children such as cooking, building, working on projects, reading, computers or many other areas of a child's strength and interest," she said. "This program is not only making a difference in the child's life but also to the mentor and schools involved."

Somerset Crescent School deputy principal Tony Greer said the positive interaction had been fantastic for the children involved.

"Their eyes and smile light up when they see their mentor. They are so proud to have that connection and having a police uniform just adds to that," he said. "We had one senior child who was quite withdrawn but after just three or four visits with his mentor he showed real improvement and enthusiasm."

BBBS matches children aged 6-18 years who need support through one-on-one relationships. Research suggests that this positive match has lasting effects on a child, who will be 46 per cent less likely to start taking drugs, 27 per cent less likely to start drinking and 52 per cent less likely to skip a day of school.

If you would like to get involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programme please contact Pauline Ferguson on (06) 358 1204.