Program Description

A friendship-based, non-academic program that matches high school students with boys and girls (grades 1-7), for one hour a week, at the child’s school.

FAQs

Who can volunteer?

You can! A typical volunteer is a caring responsible teen who is over the age of 14. Our volunteers come from a variety of religious or cultural backgrounds and from all walks of life. There are no special skills required – only a willingness to spend some time with a young person.

What is the commitment of a Teen Mentor?

Big Buddies are asked to spend an hour per week with their Little Buddies and commit for one academic year (September – June).

Is there an age limit for a Big Buddy?

The minimum age for a teen Big Buddy is 14.

How old are the Little Buddies?

The children are in grades 1-7, and are approximately 6-12 years old.

What are the children’s backgrounds?

The one thing they have in common is that they have been identified as children that could benefit from the friendship and extra attention from a caring, responsible youth.

Our program is friendship based and is not designed as a form of intervention for serious individual or family problems. The children are not experiencing any emotional or behavioural difficulties.

In what areas does the program operate?

The program is run in partnership with the Vancouver, North Vancouver and Howe Sound school districts.

What do the kids like to do?

As you will meet on school property, you have access to the school’s facilities. You & your Little Buddy may choose to play outside, shoot hoops, or kick a soccer ball around. Or you can stay inside and read, do arts and crafts, play computer games, or just hang out.

We make every effort to match Big & Little Buddies based on common interests and similar personalities. This will give you a foundation for your friendship.

Does the agency stay involved once the match is made?

Yes. We provide on-going support and monitoring. Each Big Buddy has a mentoring coordinator who is available to deal with any questions or concerns that come up. Regular phone contact is an expectation of the program as are regularly scheduled meetings to discuss the progress of the match.

At the school, there is also a liaison person so if anything comes up during your meetings with your Little Buddy, there is someone who can immediately help you.

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Expanding Teen Mentoring across BC - BBBS Provincial Partner