Proud to Sponsor Our Big Brother Big Sister Match for Our 2nd Year
At Douglas Innovation, we are excited to announce that for the second year in a row we have renewed our sponsorship of a “match’ with Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawke’s Bay.
Suzanne and Adam of Douglas with their Big Brother Big Sisters Hawke’s Bay match up in 2023
Big Brothers Big Sisters does incredible work by matching young people with mentors to form meaningful friendships that can make a big impact over time. As a team that cares about our community we are so happy to continue our support.
Creating Memories and Opportunities Together
It’s been heartwarming to hear of the adventures and connections that our sponsored match (Andrew – mentor, and Slade – mentee) has experienced together over the course of our support. A match is where a mentor is connected with a mentee to develop a supportive relationship and ignite the young person’s potential.
Recently some of the Big Brother Big Sister matches, including Andrew and Slade, enjoyed a visit to the Kororā Penguin Sanctuary. The group also took part in an exciting tugboat tour at Napier Port, offering a unique perspective of the port and marine life.
Andrew and Slade at the Kororā Penguin Sanctuary
These types of adventures bring mentors and mentees closer, providing the kids with inspiring experiences that will stay with them as they grow.
It’s awesome to see the progress as our mentee grows. We’ve had the chance to meet Slade twice now, and witnessing the strong connection that’s developed between Slade and Andrew is very special.
Supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawke’s Bay
Douglas are really excited to be supporting this amazing programme because we believe in personal growth and helping to build up the wider community.
Each year our donation sponsors one ‘match’ between mentee and mentor for 12 months, and enables them to go out and do the “fun stuff” like rugby games, sailing trips, or whatever activities the mentee is interested in exploring.
As Suzanne, our co-owner, puts it: “We’re proud to be part of an organisation that gives our youth positive role models. Watching our mentee grow alongside his mentor is a rewarding experience, and we’re glad to support it.”
Sponsors’ appreciation evening attended by Adam and Codie
Other co-owners Adam and Codie attended the sponsors’ appreciation evening recently at Valley D’ Vine. They came back pumped up, and enjoyed hearing about the work being done to get more mentors involved and seeing first-hand how these relationships are making a difference in our local community.
Adam adds, “BBBS does essential work, meeting a need that’s so real for our community. It’s awesome to see how mentors can make such a positive impact.”
Can You Be a Mentor?
Every young person deserves a reliable friend to lean on, and Big Brothers Big Sisters offers a way to make that difference. Anyone willing to give one hour, once a week, can become a mentor and provide encouragement and friendship to a child in need.
For anyone interested in becoming a mentor, we heartily recommend you reach out to Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawke’s Bay at hawkesbay@bbbs.nz or call 022 175 2296. You could be the person that makes a world of difference in a young person’s life, and it is a rewarding experience for both.
At Douglas Innovation, we believe investing in our young people strengthens our entire community. We’re delighted to continue supporting this meaningful mahi and to celebrate the potential of all our rangatahi (youth) as they grow and flourish.
