Become a Mentor | Pillars Ka Pou Whaka

PillarsandPoliceeventChristchurchJemmaMitchellPhotography2023-36.jpg

Become a Mentor.

Become a Mate.

Want to be a part of something special in 2025? This year, give your time to something meaningful and have a whole lot of fun while doing it! Becoming a mentor is as simple as being there. Being a friend, a mate.

Book an Info Evening

Join our team of mentors across Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and Ōtautahi (Christchurch)

Without intervention, children of people in prison are 10 times more likely to end up in prison themselves. Our mentoring programme is committed to lowering this statistic. Our mentors not only change children’s lives, but they also change their own. They act as an aunty, uncle, big brother or big sister figure who are the joke tellers, adventurers, trusted, askable adults these children often don’t have.

How do I become a Mentor?

Our mentors see our mentees once a fortnight for a minimum of a year. Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou also puts on multiple mentoring events throughout the year, where you can meet other mentors and the children meet other young people just like them. You will also attend monthly supervisions with other mentors, receiving support, education and advice throughout your mentoring journey.

Attend one of our information evenings – you will hear more about how our mentoring programme works. These occur once a month. Register Here
Fill out an application - our Mentoring Coordinators will give you an application once you have attended our information session.
Complete a home interview - our team will contact you to arrange an interview at your home to get to know you better.
Check your references - we will korero with your referees and complete a police check.
Mentor Orientation Day - you will then attend an induction training.
Match Meeting - we will go with you to meet your mentee and their whānau.

Learn more about your path to mentorship

Discover our kōrero

Mentoring Stories: A Match Made for Adventure

Meet R and her mentor, Tina—a match made for adventure! Read their heartwarming story and see why mentoring means the world to tamariki.

Mentor and mentee spending time together at the library.

Mentoring Matters: Why Become a Mentor

There are a million reasons to become a mentor. We've asked our mentors to share their reasons for becoming a mentor.

Your First Step to Mentoring: What to expect at a mentor info session

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a mentor? Attending a mentor information session is your first step to finding out!

2 3 4 5

“Mentoring is the highlight of my week; I get so much out of it. Seeing my mentee grow has been amazing. Watching her develop her personality and expressing who she is. Being a stable person in a child’s life is so rewarding”

“I have been mentoring with Pillars now for 7 years and have found it an extremely rewarding experience. Pillars has provided all support and resource required to make what was a reasonably daunting commitment that much easier.”

“When I joined the Pillars Programme as a mentor, I was really excited about the opportunity to support a young person in their development. What I have quickly found is that this young person is also helping me in my own development."

Book Your Mentor Info Session

Ready to take the next step?

Book your Mentor Information Session to learn more about Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou, hear inspiring stories from current mentors and meet the dedicated Mentor Coordinators who will support you every step of the way.

Mentor Information Sessions are held every first or second Thursday of the month in the evenings at each location (click your location to see upcoming dates).