The Big Brothers Program matches boys from father-absent homes who are between the ages of seven and twelve with adult male volunteers. Big Brothers commit to spending two-four hours a week for a minimum of one year with their Little Brothers, providing friendship, guidance and support. The program is available in every community within Greater Vancouver.

FAQs

Is My Son Eligible?

Any boy between the ages of 7 and 12 living in a father-absent home without any significant physical, emotional or behavioral problems will be considered. If there is regular contact with the father, a close male relative, a partner or someone from another agency, the program may not be appropriate for your child. To make the relationship work, your child must be interested in having a Big Brother and you must be willing to co-operate with the agency and its guidelines.

Please note that the age restriction applies to when a child is initially matched. Once the match is established, it can potentially last into the child’s teenage years.

What Happens Next?

In trying to match Big Brothers and Little Brothers and their moms, we gather as much information as possible about everyone’s current living situation and about what kind of match they are seeking. At some point, you will be asked to fill out an application form, submit a professional reference for your child, sign a waiver of liability, attend a mother’s Information Night, arrange for a home visit and attend meetings as required.

How long will it take to get a Big Brother for my son?

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver seeks to make the match a positive experience for everyone. Consideration and care must be given to finding the right Big Brother for your son. It can take some months to find someone with common interests and the right personality.

It also depends geographically where you are applying. In some areas, your son may have to wait a little longer until we can find the right Big Brother for him.

Will my son be safe with his Big Brother?

We take every precaution we can to ensure your child’s safety. We carefully screen all volunteers. They must provide four references (professional, employer, family and friend), and go through a criminal records check. They go through a lengthy interview process by our qualified staff and undergo training.

The agency has strict guidelines about responsible Big Brother behavior. Participation in our Safety Awareness Program is required of you, your child and all volunteers. We provide an information package for mothers and volunteers. Our mentoring coordinators are available to help you with any concerns in this area.

What happens after a match has been made?

We provide ongoing support and monitoring of the match. Regular phone contact with all parties is an expectation of the program as are regularly scheduled meeting to discuss the progress of the match. Our mentoring coordinators are available to deal with any questions or concerns you may have.

We also provide agency-sponsored events so that Big and Little Brothers can meet each other and share in the magic of mentoring.