2014 Youth Week
Making Matches – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lethbridge & District
Submitted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lethbridge & District
In 2013 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lethbridge and District supported over 200 children and celebrated 40 years serving the community. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are making a positive difference in the lives of youth by developing and implementing a wide range of mentoring programs.
Serving as role models, mentors teach by example the importance of giving and giving back, of staying in school and of having respect for family, peers, and community.
By supporting the cause you are helping children in our community reach their full potential and that results in positive outcomes such as reductions in poverty and unemployment.
YOU can make a difference by providing funding needed for our professional, trained staff to carefully screen volunteer ‘Bigs’ and match them in long-term, safe mentoring relationships with ‘Littles’. Your support also provides necessary, ongoing management and support for volunteers, children, and families and keeps programs all free of charge!
Programs:
In-School Mentoring
Volunteer ‘Bigs’ spend one hour a week at a school with a child throughout the school year. The mentor and the child will spend time together, focusing on non-academic activities in the child’s school. There are many things a match can do in an hour of quality time. Matches talk, play games or sports, do arts and crafts projects or just hang out on the playground.
Traditional Program
A volunteer is matched with a child and they spend time out in the community for 2-3 hours a week for one year. The children in this program range from ages 6-16. Often the children come from single-parent families and would benefit from a positive, adult influence in their lives.
Teen Mentoring
A teen from a High School is matched with a child at a corresponding Elementary School. This program is delivered by caseworkers who provide on-site support. This program runs from October to March and is currently the fastest growing program. The goal is to provide leadership in understanding healthy living choices through example as well as to create quality, once-in-a-lifetime friendships and meaningful experiences.
To learn more about what Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lethbridge and District can do for you, please click HERE. You can also connect on Facebook or Twitter.
To make a donation to support the Youth Week partners, please click HERE. Thank you for helping us keep youth programs at low-to-no cost!