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Jump Jam competitions, Royal NZ Navy battleship visits and a music concert are some of the activities sure to keep life-size cardboard ‘buddies' busy in Tauranga today as they raise awareness of child abuse.

The 162 life-size cardboard cut-outs will spend the day with different Tauranga personalities and organisations as part of the Buddy Day initiative aimed at reducing child abuse in New Zealand.

Professional singer Anna Hawkins with her ‘buddy' Layla. Photos: Tracy Hardy

This is the third annual child abuse awareness day happening in Tauranga, Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton – with 1074 buddies being adopted across the four cities.

At Trinity Wharf this morning Tauranga residents gathered to collect their buddy for the day. Each of the buddies was designed and created from blank, life-sized cardboard cut-outs by primary school pupils.

And many of the buddies are set for an exciting day ahead, with Chiefs independent director Jeremy Curragh taking his buddy to a Jump Jam competition and another admitting his will be joining him at the Salt and Pepper concert in Auckland later tonight.

Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby says when first approached to participate, it took him a while to get his head around the concept – admitting he thought it was a real life child to begin with.

Stuart believes it is an important cause, as adults need to be seen as supervisors who provide constant nurture and care to young people.

Child Youth and Family research shows child abuse directly affects about a quarter of New Zealand's population, with approximately a million people currently suffering or living with the long-term effects of past abuse.

CYFs figures show more than 21,000 confirmed cases of child abuse last year, approximately 60 per day. These figures are considered to be only the tip of the iceberg.

'It is about a culture and when I say a culture and when I talk about a culture, I mean behavioural. If it becomes a culture then it becomes the norm,” says Stuart.

'We need to break the culture. To do that we need to hit the emergency stop button and say enough is enough.”

Stuart and buddy Harry have a number of activities and appointments planned today including a Navy boat visit and interviews before putting their feet up at the inaugural Night Owl Cinema event tonight.

'He's going to meet a bunch of MBA students, then the battleship Otago is coming into port. Then there are some interviews and a couple of meetings,” says Stuart.

Having watched a number of friends go through child abuse, special guest singer Anna Hawkins says she is proud to be involved.

'It's to create awareness and promote something that I think we have lost sometimes as community. It's about the community bringing up the children.

'I'm performing in Hamilton tonight so my buddy [Layla] will be with me. At 2pm we start setting up and doing soundchecks. She will be in the audience or on stage with me which will be fun.”

Former All Black and event MC, Bull Allan, says everyone might be a little bit nervous and apprehensive about the day to begin with, but having a buddy is a great conversation starter.

'I'm envious of my buddy because he has hair.”

With buddies at their side the participants are expected to start around 25,000 conversations about child abuse prevention in New Zealand today.

Have you got any photos of you and your buddy out and about? If so send through to [email protected]