Port Moody sits at the eastern edge of the Tri-Cities and has a strong sense of local community. It's the kind of place where people know their neighbors, and that same spirit carries into mentoring. Volunteers who join Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver here are committing to something small in time but significant in impact, showing up consistently for a young person over months or years.
Six mentoring programs run across the Port Moody area, from in-school and group formats to the one-on-one Big Brothers Community Mentoring program. Mentoring Coordinators guide you through the full process, from your initial application through training and into your matched relationship. Port Moody Station on the Evergreen Extension makes the area accessible for volunteers traveling from Coquitlam, Burnaby, and Vancouver.
We welcome volunteers, families, and youth of all gender identities and expressions, including transgender and gender-diverse community members. Program availability shifts seasonally, and our team can walk you through current options when you apply.
Big Brothers Community Mentoring Program:
The Big Brothers mentoring program provides supportive one-to-one mentoring relationships to children and youth in our local communities. A Mentor is a role model that a Mentee can talk to, learn from, and share experiences with. Through regular weekly outings, a relationship builds on trust, common interests and fun!
The Mentor/Mentee match is monitored and supported by our experienced caseworkers, and the Parent/Guardian, to ensure positive and meaningful relationships. This is a one-year commitment, meeting weekly for 2-4 hours in your local community. The result is an impactful experience for both the Mentor and the Mentee.
In-School Mentoring:
The In-School Mentoring Program provides supportive one-to-one mentoring relationships to children and youth during their school day. The Big Buddies in this program are adult role models that a Mentee can talk to, learn from and share experiences with.
This program runs for the duration of the school year, meeting weekly for one hour during the school day. Matches spend time together on school grounds doing non-academic activities such as playing sports, games, creating art or just hanging out at the playground. Our matches are paired for the duration of the academic school-year.
Game On!:
The Game On! program is a group mentoring program that provides mentees with information and support to make informed choices about a range of healthy lifestyle practices. Through fun physical activities and active play, complemented with balanced eating support and snacks, participants are engaged in life skills, communication, and social-emotional health discussions to encourage a life-long healthy lifestyle.
Game On! is offered throughout the year at schools and community centres throughout Greater Vancouver. Groups meet once weekly, during weekdays, for 90 minutes. This program is led in-person by a mentor for a group of mentees over 8-10 weeks.
Mentoring with Math:
This program is designed to strengthen the impact of tutoring by adding in the element of mentorship. Learning from a Mentor as a positive role model and friend encourages self-esteem and confidence-building for the Mentees as they work through math problems together.
Mentoring with Math aims to support families who are not otherwise able to financially pursue academic support opportunities outside of school. To ensure all families have access to support, please refrain from applying if your child is able to access paid academic support elsewhere. Snacks, math workbooks, and other supplies are provided.
Mentors meet with Littles once-a-week for 90 minutes in-person (throughout Greater Vancouver) or 60 minutes virtually, over 8-10 weeks, and work on numeracy, complete activities, and play games.
Teen Mentoring:
The Teen Mentoring program is an opportunity for secondary school students to build leadership skills and gain experience working with children, by becoming a Mentor to an elementary school student mentee.
The Youth Leadership component of this program empowers the Teen Mentors to be leaders and engages the youth in skill-building workshops, group facilitation, and public speaking opportunities, and community events.
The Teen Mentoring program requires a one-hour weekly commitment, after-school, as well as consistent participation in Youth Leadership, throughout the school year.
Roots Mentoring:
Roots Mentoring amplifies and celebrates Indigenous cultures while learning from the experiences and teachings of Indigenous Community Leaders and honoured guests. We welcome Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth to take part in fostering an environment of curiosity and dialogue to learn from one another and from our honoured guests.
The Roots Program is inspired and informed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. At BBGV we continue to build a foundation on which strong and collaborative relationships can grow between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth, mentors, staff, and community partners.
Volunteer FAQs for Port Moody
Is volunteering in Port Moody only for people who live there?
No. Many volunteers commute from elsewhere in the Tri-Cities or take the Evergreen Extension in from Burnaby or Vancouver. Consistent availability matters more than where you live.
What's the time commitment?
Group and in-school programs like Game On!, In-School Mentoring, and Mentoring with Math run once weekly for 60-90 minutes during the school year. The Big Brothers Community Mentoring program is a one-year commitment at 2-4 hours per week, meeting your mentee one-on-one out in the community.
If I'm not sure I can commit to a full year, are there shorter options?
Yes. Game On! and Mentoring with Math run over 8-10 weeks, making them a good starting point if you want to get a feel for mentoring before taking on a longer commitment.
What happens during training?
Training is run by Mentoring Coordinators and covers relationship-building, communication, safety protocols, and the specifics of your program. It's completed before you're matched, so you start your mentoring relationship with a clear sense of what to expect.
How are volunteers matched with youth?
Mentoring Coordinators consider your interests, availability, and the needs of young people currently in the program. Matching typically takes 4-6 weeks after training is complete.