Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria matches children and youth between the ages of 7 and 17 years old with caring volunteers in the community and at designated schools across Greater Victoria.
While every child has their own story and reason for needing an additional role-model and mentor in their lives we have found, after more than 35 years of experience helping local families, that there are shared experiences related to:
- Family breakdown - parents separate or divorce, families move to Victoria and miss their extended network, or families experience loss due to separation, illness, or death
- Learning, behavioural, or socialization issues - some children face personal challenges that stop them from feeling accepted and reaching their full potential
- Multiple factors - some families face multiple challenges that are compounded because of issues such as poverty, transient homelessness, the consequences of alcohol or drug use, chronic physical or mental illness, or violence or abuse.
Through participation in the mentoring programs children have the opportunity to learn, to build self esteem, confidence, resiliency, and social skills, and to improve their relationships with peers and adults, and participate in positve risk-taking. Studies of children with Big Brother Big Sister mentors suggest that:- 91% feel better about themselves
- 65% have improved self-confidence
- 67% have a better sense of right and wrong
- 76% show improved school grades
- 80% have a better school attendance record
- 82% develop better relationships with their teacher
- 90% get along better with kids
If you are a parent, family member, or advocate of a child who would like to register a child in one of the following mentoring programs, please contact us:
Community Based Mentoring Programs
Volunteers and children meet for between 2 and 4 hours each week and decide on activities and destinations together
* Community—1 adult volunteer mentors 1 child
* Big Bunch—1 or more adult volunteers mentor up to 4 children every other week
* Couples—2 adult volunteers mentor 1 or more children
* Aboriginal—1 adult volunteer mentors 1 First Nations or Metis child
Site Based Programs
Volunteers and children meet for 1 hour or more each week at partnering schools and designated locations
* Go Girls: Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds—a 10-week program where 2 or more women aged 19 to 24 mentor a group of in a local middle school
* In-School Mentoring—1 adult volunteer mentors 1 elementary school-aged child during school-time hours and on school property
* Teen Mentoring and Big Buddies—Teen volunteers between the ages of 15 and 19 mentor children in a supervised location at partnering schools.
If you are a volunteer who wishes to be a mentor to a child, please complete a volunteer application form.
If you would like to discuss any of our programs by phone or by email, please don't hesitate to contact our Program Assistant at bigbrothersbigsisters.ca or call 250-475-1117 ext. 40
