West Vancouver is a smaller, tightly connected community, and that closeness is part of what makes mentorship work well here. Young people benefit from having a consistent adult presence outside their immediate family, and volunteers consistently find that showing up regularly, even for an hour a week, creates a relationship that matters to both people in it.
Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver's Mentoring Coordinators handle the matching process carefully, pairing volunteers with youth based on availability, interests, and program fit. You'll receive full training before you're matched, and your Mentoring Coordinator stays in contact throughout your time as a volunteer. The process is designed so that you feel prepared, not thrown in.
We welcome volunteers, families, and youth of all gender identities and expressions, including transgender and gender-diverse community members. Six mentoring programs are available across the West Vancouver area, with formats ranging from structured in-school sessions to one-on-one community outings. Program availability rotates seasonally, so our team can walk you through what's running when you get in touch.
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 West Vancouver
Do I need to live in West Vancouver to volunteer?
No. Volunteers come from across the North Shore and beyond. What matters is that you can meet your program's schedule reliably. West Vancouver is accessible by bus from Vancouver and neighboring North Shore communities.
What's the time commitment for each program?
Group and in-school programs like In-School Mentoring, Game On!, and Mentoring with Math typically meet once a week 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 one-on-one with your mentee in the community.
I've never worked with kids before. Is that a problem?
Not at all. Most volunteers come in without a youth work background. Training from our Mentoring Coordinators covers everything you need, and ongoing check-ins mean you're never navigating challenges alone.
How long does the application process take?
After applying, you'll complete an interview, training, and a criminal record check. Matching typically follows within 4-6 weeks of completing training, though this can vary depending on the program and current availability.
What do one-on-one mentoring outings look like in West Vancouver?
That's largely up to you and your mentee. Big Brothers provides monthly activity ideas covering free and low-cost options across the North Shore and Metro Vancouver. Many mentors keep things simple — a walk, a visit to a community center, or exploring somewhere local together.