Jay Pateakos has been a Big Brother to David Doucette for the past seven years, but in many ways he's also been a father and a friend.

“He has grown up with my children,” Pateakos said. “He is turning into a man, a very kind, decent young man.”

Pateakos, 45, and Doucette, 15, belong to the Big Brothers Big Sisters program of Wareham. Big Brothers and Big Sisters act as mentors to younger children, usually between the ages of 7 and 14, who come from disadvantaged communities.

Pateakos, who lives in Marion, tries to walk the line between parent and older sibling with Doucette. Pateakos said he is “kind of like a father figure, but not as stern” for Doucette, who comes from a single-parent household in Wareham.

“His mother has done a great job of teaching him right from wrong … [but] he doesn’t have a male figure in his life,” Pateakos said. “But he has a good heart, which is the most important thing.”

Even though Doucette is 15, he and Pateakos have stayed together – rare, for a pair in the program, Pateakos said.

“I am kind of surprised, but … we are going to continue until he doesn’t want to,” Pateakos said. “He wants me to teach him how to drive.”

Wareham Program Coordinator Deanna Bodeau has been involved in the program for 10 years. She said she almost always sees a great change in the children who are mentored.

“Learning to ride a bike, learning to jump rope … seeing kids so happy when they get a Big Brother or Big Sister – the little things are just huge,” Bodeau said.

Pateakos said he sees “a desperate need” for Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the Wareham area.

“The problem with our generation is everyone thinks they are too busy, but they are not,” Pateakos said. “They find time for the things they want to do. There are kids all over Wareham who need this.”