#225 'Shared Leadership: Mission Driven', Christie Stuart Co CEO, Big Buddy NZ

In this episode of Purposely, we were delighted to welcome Christie Stuart, the Joint Chief Executive of Big Buddy, a charity dedicated to matching boys without fathers in their lives with positive male role models.

Christie shares her journey from sports marketing and communications to leading a charity, driving the mission and services of Big Buddy NZ.

One of the standout points from our discussion was the co-leadership model adopted by Big Buddy. Christie and her co-leader, Steve Sobota, have structured their leadership roles to complement each other’s strengths, ensuring that the organisation benefits from their combined expertise. Steve brings two decades of institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of Big Buddy’s delivery programmes, while Christie contributes her marketing and commercial acumen and fresh perspective.

This co-leadership approach is focused on helping Big Buddy to thrive, balancing the demands of running a charity with the need to innovate and adapt to changing circumstances. It’s a model that other organisations might find worth exploring, especially in sectors where diverse skill sets can enhance overall effectiveness.

Christie’s path to her current role is noteworthy. With a background in sports marketing and events management, she brings a range of experience to Big Buddy. Her career reflects a readiness to embrace new challenges and a dedication to making a difference, both in professional sports and in the not-for-profit sector.

Christie candidly discussed how personal experiences and a desire to make a substantial impact drove her to transition from her consultancy work back into a full-time leadership position. Her story underscores the importance and value placed on aligning one's career with personal values and the impact of strong mentorship and community support, a common theme in the charity sector.

Big Buddy has been making a profound difference in the lives of boys across Auckland, the Waikato, Tauranga, and Wellington for over two decades. The charity’s core mission is to provide boys without a father or male role model in their lives with a caring and positive male mentor.

The charity operates through a meticulously structured process, ensuring that each match between a Big Buddy and a Little Buddy is safe, supportive, and beneficial. Volunteer mentors go through a rigorous screening process, including police checks, interviews, and psych assessments, to ensure they are well-suited to provide guidance and companionship.

In addition to the one-on-one mentoring program for boys aged seven to fourteen, Big Buddy has recently introduced a group programme for teenage boys. This new initiative brings together groups of boys with multiple mentors and includes both indoor and outdoor activities, culminating in a camp experience designed to build resilience, confidence, and a sense of community.

Christie describes the future of Big Buddy as being guided by a continued focus on its mission and the needs of the communities it serves.

The organisation plans to expand its successful group programme to more regions, continually adapting to meet the increasing demand for its services. Through careful planning and the dedicated efforts of its team, Big Buddy aims to broaden its reach and make an even greater impact.