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Volunteering with Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver can be a valuable experience for mentors as well as mentees.

Photos courtesy Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver

Volunteering with Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver can be a valuable experience for mentors as well as mentees.

Photos courtesy Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver seeking volunteers

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 11:08 PDT, Fri September 2, 2022

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September is Big Brothers Big Sisters Month in B.C., and Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver is urgently seeking more volunteers to meet the needs of local youth.

“As we emerge out of the pandemic and return to in-person programming, the increase in families needing our services is outpacing our pool of volunteers,” says Valerie Lambert, Executive Director of Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver (BBGV). “Young people are waiting to be matched, and without volunteers, the wait is even longer.”

The BBGV mentoring programs pairs volunteers with children and youth between the ages of seven and 17 who share common interests. Volunteers spend one or more hours per week with their matches doing activities like sports, arts and crafts, or just hanging out. Programs are flexible, so anyone can get involved.

This year the organization is doubling its efforts to find and match more volunteers with children.

BBGV aims to serve more than 1,000 youth through free programs in Richmond, Vancouver, Surrey, the Tri-Cities, Burnaby, New Westminster, the North Shore, Delta, and White Rock. Nationally, the organization’s agencies serve more than 41,000 youth.

“We want to get ahead of the curve and make sure every child has a mentor. So, we are calling on current, former, and new volunteers to help us by volunteering or spreading the word,” says Lambert.

Anyone can get involved. Volunteers are a group of gender diverse individuals who act as not only mentors, but also friends who can support youth to reach their full potential.

Children enrolled in BBGV mentoring programs are more likely to be happier, healthier, and more confident compared to their peers. They are also more likely to graduate and go on to obtain a post-secondary degree.

“Our volunteers have the power to make impactful change. Being a mentor brings so much value to the children and youth in our programs, and to our volunteers. I always hear the same message from our volunteers: ‘my mentee impacted me just as much, if not more,’” says Mandy Wong, manager of development and marketing at BBGV.

As we emerge from the pandemic, youth are looking to restore connection in their life that was lost over the past two years and families are returning to our programs. Young people are craving face-to-face interactions and BBGV aims to serve as many people as possible.

In the past, children have had to wait up to three years to find a match. BBGV is urging the public to volunteer today.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Month is recognized by the province through a yearly proclamation. Sept. 18 is Big Brothers Big Sisters Day, when buildings like Canada Place will light up in teal to illuminate the need for more volunteers.

To find out more about the programs you can get involved with, visit bigbrothersvancouver.com/volunteer/inquire/