Richmond is one of Metro Vancouver's most culturally diverse cities, and that diversity shows up in our volunteer community. Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver matches volunteers from all backgrounds with youth aged 7-17 across six mentoring programs, ranging from structured in-school sessions to one-on-one community mentoring.
Mentoring Coordinators manage the application process from start to finish. After you apply, you'll go through an interview, training, and a criminal record check before being matched with a young person. Structured programs run at schools and rec centers across Richmond, and the city's transit connections, including the Canada Line, make it accessible for volunteers coming from Vancouver, Burnaby, and the broader region.
We welcome volunteers, families, and youth of all gender identities and expressions, including transgender and gender-diverse community members. If you speak a language other than English, that's worth mentioning in your application. Richmond's communities are multilingual, and volunteers who reflect that are a genuine asset to the program. Availability rotates seasonally, and our Mentoring Coordinators can tell you what's currently running when you reach out.
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 Richmond
Do I need to speak Cantonese or Mandarin to volunteer in Richmond?
No. English fluency is the only language requirement. That said, if you do speak additional languages, let our team know. Multilingual volunteers are welcomed and often create stronger connections with youth and their families.
What programs are available in Richmond?
Six programs run across Richmond, covering one-on-one community mentoring, in-school mentoring, group programs, math tutoring with a mentorship component, teen mentoring, and Indigenous-focused mentoring through Roots. Availability shifts seasonally, and your Mentoring Coordinator can confirm what's currently active when you apply.
How does the Big Brothers Community Mentoring program differ from the others?
It's the only program where you and your mentee choose your own activities out in the community. You commit to 2-4 hours per week for one year, meeting one-on-one. Big Brothers provides monthly suggestions for free and low-cost activities across Metro Vancouver. All other programs are structured at a school or rec center with set activities and times.
What does the screening process involve?
You'll complete an application, an interview with a Mentoring Coordinator, mandatory training, reference checks, and a criminal record check. The process is thorough because the relationships we build are long-term and trust is central to how they work.
How long does matching take?
Matching typically takes 4-6 weeks after your training and interview are complete. Timelines can vary depending on the program and current availability in Richmond.
Can I volunteer if I moved to Richmond recently and don't know the area well?
Yes. You don't need to be a long-time resident. Mentoring Coordinators support you throughout, and for community-based programs, Big Brothers provides activity resources that make it easy to find things to do regardless of how long you've lived here.