Programmes

Community Based Mentoring

Mentors and young people meet together after school or on the weekends (1-4 hours)

Our core programme matches a volunteer Big Brother or Big Sister with a child who could benefit from a one-to-one relationship with a caring adult. Mentors and the young person they are matched with meet a few times per month, for a couple of hours each time, at places and times convenient to both. The two share similar interests, and they spend their time together engaged in activities such as kicking a ball around, watching movies, visiting the museum, cheering on a local sports team or simply hanging out.

Children who spend time with a mentor gain confidence, acquire new skills and competencies, and develop an enhanced capacity to care for others. Mentors experience a sense of discovery and enjoyment as they see a world of possibilities open up through the child’s eye.

Who can be a Big Brother or Big Sister?  You can!

Being a Mentor is about being a friend and someone to look up to. It’s about hanging out, talking and sharing, with many smiles along the way. It’s about making one child feel very special; and you’ll feel pretty great too. After the enrolment process, we’ll provide training and match you with a Little Brother or Little Sister who shares your interests. As a Big Brother or Big Sister, you get to build model aeroplane, kick a rugby ball around, play computer games, hang out… whatever! It’s about sharing a little time together – an hour a week, a couple of times a month will make a big difference. You’ll see.

The schedule can be flexible to meet the needs of mentors and young people in different kinds of situations. Some Big Brothers meet their Little Brothers on the weekend or in the evening, while some Big Sisters get together with their Little Sisters after school. There’s almost no one so busy they can’t find a way to fit in a few hours a month.

School-Based Mentoring

Volunteers spend about 1 hour a week meeting with the child at a local school

It’s a small commitment that makes a big difference. Become a mentor to a child in a school environment. You’ll help build a child’s self-esteem and school performance while having a lot of fun. And it only takes one hour a week during the school year. One child. One hour a week. One big reason to go back to school.

Kids enjoy School-Based Mentoring. And parents know what a difference it makes. But some of the biggest supporters of School-Based Mentoring are actually teachers. They see students come back from their one hour a week mentoring sessions with confident smiles, ready to learn and ready to succeed.

Kids Who Feel Better About Themselves Do Better in School.

School-Based Mentoring is not a classroom programme, and it’s not tutoring. School-Based Mentoring is one-to-one mentoring that takes place in the schools. Of course, some students do talk with their mentors about class, do homework or read together, but it’s really all about friendship and guidance. You can play, kick a ball or shoot hoops — whatever you and the student enjoy. You don’t need any special training or certification. If you can spend a few hours a month, arranged around your needs and the school’s schedule, you may be able to start participating in a School-Based Mentoring programme soon!

Mentors include corporate volunteers, university students and high school students, as well as individuals from the community and faith-based organisations.  Big Brothers Big Sisters provides regular on-site supervision, programme coordination and serves as liaison between collaborating partners.

The mentoring takes place on the school site during the school year and during the holidays school-based matches are encouraged to keep in touch via letters and e-mails.