Since 1977, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Calgary and Area has been connecting adults (‘bigs’) with youth (‘littles’), bridging gaps and building life-enriching friendships.
Operating in a number of surrounding Calgary communities, Cochrane has been offering a number of BBBS programs, including mPower Youth Mentoring, Teen Mentoring and Big Brothers/Big Sisters, for several years and are currently in search of more volunteers in the Cochrane area who have an hour a week to spare.
“We are in need of male mentors for the mPower of Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs, as well as volunteers,” said Leanne Hall, manager of satellite mentoring for BBBS of Calgary and Area.
“We are also in need of volunteers who would be willing to volunteer in the mPower program in the communities of Westbrook, Bearspaw, Springbank and Bragg Creek.”
Both the mPower Youth Mentoring and Teen Mentoring programs require a volunteer commitment of an hour per week; in the former, volunteers meet their matches at their middle, junior or senior high schools weekly; the latter entails a teen volunteers meeting with a younger student at their elementary school each week.
“Volunteer teens build their resumes and even earn high school credits at select schools,” said Hall. “Teen Mentoring is running in Manachaban Middle School with 20 Teen Mentors from Cochrane High.”
The final program, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, is centered around an adult volunteer spending one-on-one time with a youth in the community.
“They learn new things and explore their community while building a relationship — the activities are endless,” explained Hall. “Matches meet for two to five hours once per week.”
Cochranite Ryan Thorogood has been a BBBS of Calgary and Area volunteer for about five years; the past two and a half years have been spent with a male youth, now in Grade 9, as part of the mPower Youth Mentoring program.
“When I started five years ago, I did it to help youth who were in need,” said Thorogood. “You get back so much more than you expect.”
Thorogood said the time commitment is so little and yet the impact on a deserving youth is great. The father of three highly recommends the program to anyone looking to make a difference.
The mPower program currently runs in Cochrane High, Manachaban, Mitford, Westbrook, Banded Peak, Springbank Middle School and St. Timothy High School.
In recent years, the largest growth has been in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program; in 2010, 1,763 children and their families participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area programs and services.
To learn more, visit bbbscalgary.com or phone 403-777-3535.
