High level support for Canterbury Kids

High level support for Canterbury Kids

Mike Cron knows better than most the importance of mentoring the young to reach their full potential. A veteran coach of over 100 All Blacks test matches and a police officer for 22 years, Mike has seen many young people's lives transformed by adult mentors within both rugby circles and the wider community.

His decision to accept the role of Patron of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch was a “no brainer,” he says. “I have seen how just a little bit of one-to-one attention can change the pathway of a young person’s life. That extra level of support and encouragement makes all the difference.”

As well as coaching the All Black forwards, Cron is kept busy as National Resource Coaching Manager for the New Zealand Rugby Union. His role has a strong mentoring focus, working with coaches and players throughout NZ to help realise their potential as players and people.

“The need in Christchurch is huge, especially since the quakes,” says Matthew Button, Big Brothers, Big Sisters Manager. “Having a man of Mike Cron’s calibre become our Patron is a real shot in the arm for everyone working for and with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch runs both school and community-based mentoring programs, matching adult volunteers with a children of primary or intermediate school age. The mentors spend an hour a week with the child, hanging out and having fun, with an underlying goal of building the child's resilience to cope with the ups and downs of life.

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