Big Buddy recruits men from the community to be mentors to fatherless boys. Screened and supported mentors spend 2-3 hrs/wk with a Little Buddy (aged 7-14) doing ordinary things like exploring, informal sport, fishing, or fixing a car. A weekly phone call adds continuity to the relationship. The idea is simple yet profound in its reach. It hinges on the concept that young boys grow to be good men through the modelling of older men. It simply involves a good man showing up regularly into a boy’s life, caring for him and modelling positive manhood. A boy who has a positive mentor is likely to: Have improved self-esteem and confidence, perform to ability at school, reject crime and abuse, not suffer depression or suicide, be employed and have balanced relationships. The programme has run successfully in Auckland since 1997 and now covers greater Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington with plans to expand its services across all of NZ.