Since 1998, Big Brothers Big Sisters Nelson Tasman has been changing the lives of children in our community—one powerful mentoring relationship at a time. As the largest youth mentoring programme in Nelson, we match children aged 6–12 with a stable, positive adult role model to walk alongside them as they journey through childhood and adolescence. Our mission is to enable life-changing mentoring relationships to ignite the power and potential of young people.

In 2024, we supported 243 matches across Nelson and Tasman. Over a quarter of these relationships last for more than three years—some even over a decade—building confidence, resilience, and a sense of connection that can shape a child’s future. 

The results speak for themselves:

• 98% of our mentored youth feel they now make better life choices

• 91% have improved self-confidence

• 76% are doing better at school

We are facing growing demand, and with increased support we would hire more staff to boost capacity, broaden the range of programmes we offer, and provide more events and experiences for our matches.  Your support helps us change lives. Together, we can show more tamariki that they are seen, supported, and never alone.