Where Your Dollars Go

How much does it cost to host an In-school Mentoring Program?

The cost to host an In-school Mentoring Program is approximately $1800 per child, per year. This includes the cost to recruit, assess, train, match, and monitor mentors, costs to support children, mentors, and families throughout the duration of the mentorship match, and to provide learning activities and resources to children and mentors engaged in In-School Mentoring programs. It also includes overhead costs such as rent, hydro, and administrative support.

The total cost of hosting mentoring programs at Macaulay and Craigflower Elementary Schools for one year is $63,000.

How are the Big Give Back funds used?

The funds raised from team fundraising and corporate sponsorships are managed by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria. All revenue, after the Big Give Back operating expenses and overhead, will be used to implement new In-School Mentoring Programs. Big Brothers Big Sisters depends on donations to sustain and develop mentoring programs for children and youth. Expenses and administrative costs are kept low to ensure that as many children and youth as possible can participate in mentoring programs. For the year ending June 30th, 2007, 87.8% of dollars raised through fundraising activities were used to provide mentoring programs to children and youth at-risk.

Why support Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Programs?

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria has been serving children and families in the Greater Victoria region for more than 30 years. We are an independent non-profit society and registered charity affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria implements strict safety and programming guidelines designed to protect children and youth (Littles), to support volunteers and mentors (Bigs), and to assess and address the changing needs of children, their families, and the mentors throughout their mentorship journey or ‘match’. The guidelines provide structure and boundaries and lay the framework for safe, healthy, and productive relationships between the children and their adult mentors.

In-school mentors make a one-hour per week commitment to a child for one school year. The child and mentor meet at a designated time and day, agreed upon by the school, the child, and the mentor. The match only meets during this designated time and only on school property.

Each week the mentor and child participate in 15 minutes of literacy-focussed activities plus 45 minutes of free time to dedicate to learning or social challenges, projects, physical activity, or shared interests. Throughout the duration of the match, the child enhances their confidence and self-esteem, learns from a positive role-model, engages in new activities, and build the tools and skills needed to be successful in school, work, and life.

Sometimes, the child and mentor agree to continue the match into a second or third academic year. Occasionally, a child and mentor will want to continue their match outside of the In-school Mentoring Program and with family and agency support, the Big and Little switch to a Community Mentoring Program. In every instance, the child and mentor build a bond that has an immediate, positive, and long-term impact. The average mentoring friendship lasts for 18 months, others last a lifetime.

In 2007, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria served 526 children and youth. We are proud of this number as it means that mentors have made a significant difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Sadly, even more children wait for mentors. Some Little Sisters will wait months for a mentor, some Little Brothers may wait as long as two years for a mentor. How long should children have to wait for help?

You can help children and youth. You can make a difference. Please be a part of the Big Give Back Challenge. 

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