"I want to work with troubled youth," he told the Otago Daily Times after training yesterday.
He has done some work with the police and Child Youth and Family but is still trying to find an area he is comfortable with.
"With them, you're at the train wreck already," he said. "I would rather be more preventive. I haven't found the area where I can do that yet."
Before he became a professional rugby player, McGougan (26) worked as a customs officer at Auckland.
"I saw that as a stepping stone for the police. That is still on the cards, as well," McGougan said.
The interest in helping troubled youth developed when he was growing up in Whakatane.
"There are so many kids who are at risk and troublesome there," McGougan said. "Gangs have a big grip on the youth in Whakatane, particularly Maori youth."
At secondary school, his mentor was former Maori All Black Val Baker, a forestry tutor, who played for Taranaki.
"I worked alongside these kids from hard backgrounds and it was sad to see there wasn't a lot of effective help for them.
"I want to find some other way to get through to the youth in a way that works. Sadly, not much is working at the moment."
McGougan grew up in Whakatane and had three years in the First XV at Trident High School.
He also made the Northern Region team and the New Zealand secondary schools team in 2002.
His heroes when growing up were All Black props Olo Brown and Kees Meeuws. He has joined Meeuws in the Otago front row this year.
"Kees is a big Maori boy and I liked that. He is a good fellow and a hard case," McGougan said, "He is a big burly man."
McGougan played provincial rugby for Bay of Plenty from 2007-10 and Super 14 rugby for the Chiefs in 2009-10.
A back injury caused him to miss this year's Super 15.
"It's happened a couple of times, after I did silly things at training," McGougan said. "I strained it early last year doing jump squats.
"I rushed back too soon and went on the first tour to South Africa and hurt myself again." He came back in the ITM Cup for Bay of Plenty.
"I was meant to have five games getting back into it," McGougan said. "We had a shocking first-up game against Waikato and I was rushed back into the mix and started every game after that. I did not give my body time to heal properly."
He is enjoying his time in Dunedin, and especially with flanker Regan Tamihere in the Otago squad as well. They have been mates since boyhood days.
"When I went to Auckland his parents took me in as another son," he said. "When we go to any functions I'm introduced as their other boy."
McGougan was called into the New Zealand Juniors as cover for Highlanders prop Jamie Mackintosh for the tour to Fiji in 2009.
After school he shifted to Auckland and played premier rugby for Grammar-Carlton for three years. He played for Auckland Colts and Auckland B.
McGougan returned home in 2006 and made his first-class debut for Bay of Plenty against Manawatu in 2007.
"I was missing home," he said.
"Auckland was a bit big and bright for me. I am a small-town boy.
"It took three years for me to settle into Auckland and I still didn't feel comfortable so I decided to come back home."
McGougan played 32 games for Bay of Plenty between 2007 and 2010.
"I did my apprenticeship in Auckland," he said. "I was aged 21 and had matured a lot when I arrived back in the Bay.
"I took things more professionally and grew up a bit," he said.
McGougan made his Super 14 debut for the Chiefs against the Crusaders in 2009 and played 16 games in the last two years.
"I was comfortable at that level and enjoyed it," he said. "It was an awesome season."
The Chiefs reached the final for the first time and were beaten 61-17 by the Bulls at Pretoria.
"It was unreal," he said. "There were 60,000 screaming Bulls fans and there was blue everywhere. I loved it. It was one of the best games I have ever played in."
Rugby has always played an important role in the McGougan family. His great uncles Barry and Eric McGougan both played for Bay of Plenty and 1988 All Black wing Jason Goldsmith is a relative.
He wants to wear the All Black jersey himself.
"That been the spark for me since I started playing rugby," he said.
Fact file
James McGougan
Age: 26.
Home town: Whakatane.
Education: Trident High School, Whakatane.
Sport: Rugby.
Position: Tighthead prop.
Weight: 118kg.
Height: 1.83m.
Record: NZ Secondary Schools (2002), Auckland Colts (2003), Auckland B (2005), Bay of Plenty (2007-10, 32 games), Chiefs (2009-10, 16 games), NZ Juniors (2009), Otago (2011).
