Big Brothers Mentoring
The Big Brothers Mentoring program provides boys and young men with a role model to talk to and share the experiences of growing up with. Through regular outings, a relationship is developed between the mentor and the mentee, which is built on trust and common interests, and is supported by our experienced case-workers. The result is a life-changing experience for both the mentor and the mentee.
The Big Brothers Mentoring program usually requires two regularly scheduled outings a month of a few hours each and a minimum of a one year commitment.
Big Sisters Mentoring
The Big Sisters Mentoring program provides girls and young women with a role model to talk to and share the experiences of growing up with. Through regular outings, a relationship is developed between the mentor and the mentee, which is built on trust and common interests, and is supported by our experienced case-workers. The result is a life-changing experience for both the mentor and the mentee.
The Big Sisters Mentoring program usually requires two regularly scheduled outings a month of several hours each and a minimum of a one year commitment.
In-School Mentoring
The In-School Mentoring program provides youth with an adult role model and a friend to talk to and share the experiences of growing up within school grounds. For one hour a week, mentors meet with their mentee and engage in activities such as board games, crafts or just hang out on school grounds.
The In-School Mentoring program requires a weekly visit of one hour for the duration of the school year. Matches do not meet over the summer break or during other school holidays.
In-School Teen Mentoring
The In-School Teen Mentoring program is just like our In-School Mentoring program but involves high school students as the mentors. Grade 11 or 12 students from partner schools spend one hour a week mentoring a child at an elementary school. The mentoring takes place on school property and involves activities of interest to both, such as playing board games, reading, playing on the computer, sports, crafts, etc.
The In-School Teen Mentoring program requires a weekly visit of 45 minutes to one hour for the duration of the school year. Matches do not meet over the summer break or during other school holidays.
BIG G – INTERGENERATIONAL Mentoring
At Big Brothers Big Sisters, we are thinking differently. We see the potential that exists in connecting individuals 55+ years and older with youth in their community to foster connection, combat loneliness, and share knowledge and skills. There is no time to wait – we need to intervene now and we need your support to do it.
The BIG G is an in-person or an E-Mentoring program where individuals aged 55+ are matched with a young person in their community or in a local school. The matches spend one hour a week meeting in-person or through virtual platforms taking part in activities of mutual interest. The benefits of interaction between an aging demographic and our youth are abundant – not only for the young person but also for, the “Big Gs”, the 55+ up volunteers. These volunteer mentors have the opportunity to expand their network, increase their social connections and explore the community all while influencing the next generation to be the best they can be.
OPTION 1 – 1-TO-1 MATCH
-Volunteers 55+ are matched in-person and/or virtually with a young person in a school or in the community.
-Spend approximately 1 hr/wk meeting in a local school (or virtual platform), or up to 3 hrs/wk in the community, depending on the type of match.
-Matches take part in activities of mutual interest and mentors help the next generation to be the best they can be.
OPTION 2 – GROUP PROGRAMS
Do you have a story to tell? A skill to teach? A love for volunteering? If you answered yes to any of those, these programs may be the perfect fit for you!
MENTOR Links
-Small group outings with youth on our waitlist, volunteers, and BBBS staff.
-A variety of outings (karaoke, archery, bowling, board games, arts & crafts, cooking, hiking, sports, seasonal and community events).
-Volunteers sign up based on availability.
-Opportunity for volunteers to experience what being a Big might be like!
PROPEL
-Did you have an interesting career? An educational story to tell?
This program involves:
- Module-based learning opportunities that equip young people ages 14-21 with new skills.
Exposure to opportunities that build better self-awareness and confidence to make informed decisions for education and career goals.
-Guest speakers help participants realize how many career options they have and how they can reach their dreams.
PROPEL (POST-SECONDARY AND CAREER READINESS)
The PROPEL program is module-based learning opportunities that equip young people ages 14-21 with new skills and exposes them to opportunities that build better self-awareness and confidence to make informed decisions for their education and career goals. Designed with 3 defining objectives the PROPEL program includes; Exploring Self, Exploring Education, and Exploring Careers. Students are given opportunities to work in groups and 1:1 with staff and mentors to support their short and long-term goals.
Through interactive workshops and real-world experiences, PROPEL students take a deep dive into the exploration of self, education, and careers. These explorations include evaluating their interests, skills, and values, participating in discussion panels with community and industry leaders, attending presentations that will enhance their knowledge and understanding of resumes, cover letters, job search, interviewing, workplace etiquette and professionalism, financial literacy, post-secondary applications and scholarships, mental health and self-care, communication and conflict resolutions, personality colors and differences and volunteerism, just to name a few!
Currently, we offer these fun and interactive sessions to already existing programs within the Saint John Learning Exchange and Pathways to Education.
We understand the importance of meeting our clients where they are at. This is why we’ve developed two streams of programming. To better meet the needs of our clients and yours, we offer:
Propel Level One – Has a strong focus on self-exploration and soft skills. In this stream self-exploration takes a deep dive into who we are, what we believe and why we believe what we do. Topics such as; personality types, values and beliefs, the freedom of self-doubt, how to dream, mental health and self-care, healthy relationships and boundaries, accountability, time-management, communication, conflict resolution, self-presentation, professionalism, informal and formal education, life long learning and basic budgeting for living on your own, are just to name a few!
Propel Level Two – Looks at exploring oneself through interactive activities and discussions and really hones in on the “checklist” of items and steps to take in order to meet graduation requirements, scholarship opportunities and post-secondary applications. With RBC Future Launch Financial Literacy sessions plugged in every step of the way this program offers consistent reality checks that equip students with the knowledge and know-how in banking products and services, credit and debt management and the importance of savings and planning ahead.
Program supported by:
We are open to new partnerships and an opportunity to deliver some or all of these sessions as we continue to reach more youth. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us today! charlene.perry@bigbrothersbigsisters.ca or 635-1145.
Group Programs
Go Girls! Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds!
Go Girls! is a group mentoring program for girls ages 12-14 that focuses on physical activity, balanced eating and self-esteem. The single, most important goal of the program is to positively shape the lives of young women and girls by helping them build a positive self-image – setting them on a path to reach their full potential in life.
The Go Girls! program consists of seven mentoring sessions, held over a 14 week period, within school facilities. Each 45 minute-long session is loosely structured around four themes: physical activity, healthy eating, self-esteem, and communication skills.
Program Supported By:
Game On! Eat Smart, Play Smart!
Game On! is a group mentoring program that provides boys and young men with information and support to make informed choices about a range of healthy lifestyle practices. Through non-traditional physical activities, complemented with healthy eating support, participants are engaged in life skills, communication, and emotional health discussions designed to engage participants in the pursuit of life-long healthy lifestyles.
Game On! includes seven core sessions spread over a period of 7-10 weeks. There are also four extension modules that capture potential issues and topics specific to various locales and the interests of the mentors and participants.
Program Supported By:
CricketTogether E-Mentoring
Big Brothers Big Sisters has launched a new and exciting virtual program to enhance our ever-evolving in-school mentoring! High School Classrooms of volunteers spend time mentoring grades 3 to 5 school classrooms, matching them up 1:1, to help foster a love of reading and writing, and to build much-needed connection with a friend. The CricketTogether virtual platform is user-friendly with clear, vibrant pictures accompanying interesting stories. There’s a topic to suit everyone’s interest. You can mentor a child and help them discover their love of learning right from the comfort of your desk! Using the CricketTogether platform as a starting point helps match members get to know each other through letter writing. In addition to this component, match participants will have the opportunity to visit with each other throughout the school year to build that mentoring relationship!
CricketTogether provides a safe and secure way for children in grades 3-5 to stay connected with their mentors online. All communication is done in writing and moderated by our staff. While the letters are a fun way to keep in touch, they also help children improve their reading and writing skills. Each week, an article/story will be selected to read, and the pair will exchange letters about the topic, sharing their thoughts and ideas and how it relates to their lives.
“The sense of connection that was built for the participants was amazing to see. The program helped to reinforce the writing/grammar lessons they are learning at school, providing motivation for our chronically absent students, provided writing with a real-world connection/purpose that resulted in engaged students in reading and writing.” Teacher Quote
“CricketTogether connects mentors & students virtually through a structured relationship-building curriculum that supports mentee’s academic, social, & emotional connection.” Teacher Quote
The 2023-24 program was supported by:
Programs for Wait list
Mentor Links
The MENTOR Links program was developed to encourage engagement while simultaneously maintaining contact between the agency and the families of youth waiting for a traditional 1-to-1 match. The program provides youth with the opportunity to benefit from contact with positive and caring adult mentors, hopefully sparking new friendships without the stress of a long-term commitment from our adult volunteers!
The MENTOR Links program involves small group outings involving youth on our wait-list, volunteer mentors and Big Brothers Big Sisters staff. Outings consist of various activities, such as karaoke, cultural dancing, archery, bowling, board games, arts & crafts, cooking, hiking, sports, as well as seasonal and community events. The program also provides an opportunity for agency staff to get to know the children better, ultimately aiding in the pairing of the best match possible between the child and their future Big.
ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO PROVIDE YOUTH ON OUR WAIT-LIST WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO:
- Learn about their own strengths and build their confidence
- Understand what it means to be an empathetic, compassionate and caring individual
- Learn how to identify appropriate mentors in their lives
- Understand how to create strong and healthy connections with others in their community
- Build skills such as teamwork, communication and decision making while having fun
ACCOMMODATING OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS
This program provides adult volunteers with the options of making short-term or flexible commitments. Volunteers can sign up for whichever outings they are available for and can attend as many or as few outings as their schedule allows. MENTOR Links also offers new volunteers the opportunity to experience what being a Big is really like through participation in the small group activities. Once volunteers see how awesome these youth are, we hope to see new bonds ignited in the form of traditional 1-to-1 matches!