I, for one, am a huge fan of the holidays, I would celebrate them all if I had enough time. Eating all the delicious special foods, giving gifts to show our love, and most of all spending quality time with those near and dear- it really gets me. The post-holiday hangover though, that’s real too. You’ve been at your aunties house for a week and starting to get sick of each other, you can’t wait to get home to your bed and hibernate with Netflix for a little while, get back to you, count your blessings. When we pause to look around, it’s easy to see the privileges all around us.
November and December are times of giving in our culture but in January everything goes back to normal. January and February are the loneliest months of the year, with rates of suicide much higher than normal. It can feel jarring for those in less privileged situations, especially those accessing services in our community to help their families get by.
For young kids, there are many free events that parents can sign up for where their children can meet Santa and take a gift home. These are great for parents who can’t afford much for gifts, it helps keep the magic alive and love in their homes. We can’t forget about helping others just because the holidays are over. Especially during the challenging months ahead, it’s important for those of us who are able to put our hearts out and lend a helping hand.
In October I had a chance to meet with Talia from Boys and Girls Club/ Big Brothers and Big Sisters and she let me know about all the amazing ways we can help out the kids involved in their programming, so check it out!
Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters (BGCBigs) is a community-supported organization committed to the healthy development of children, youth, and their families by providing safe places, positive relationships, services, and opportunities to develop personal strengths and interpersonal skills that enhance their long-term success in life. As a Non-Profit organization, we worked with 5600 youth last year with the help of around over 3000 volunteers.
BCGBigs Mentoring and After-School programs seek to support vulnerable children and youth challenged by the impacts of poverty.
The organization also works in partnership with other community organizations to develop and deliver programs geared to specific populations, such as the immigrant and refugee community, the Indigenous community, and other vulnerable groups (e.g. LGBTQ youth).
HOW YOU COME IN
Mentoring/Partnering
Mentoring has been shown to be an important component of wraparound community services to support a child’s success in school. Mentoring is defined by the relationship between a caring more experienced or wiser volunteer (e.g. adult or older teen) and a child or younger youth.
Through participation in educational, recreational and social activities with a volunteer mentor, a mentoring relationship provides a child with support, friendship, guidance, and a constructive role model.
BGCBIG Volunteers Change Lives.
The change is usually small at first. Summoning the courage to order their own meal at a restaurant or learning how to take deep breaths when they’re upset. But that change grows with the child. It becomes confidence and hope. It becomes improved grades in school and a high school diploma. It becomes an unwillingness to dabble in negative behavior like drugs, alcohol, and bullying. And one day, that child becomes a successful, thriving adult.
As previously mentioned, Boys & Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters (BGCBigs) is so fortunate to have the help of over 3,000 caring volunteers. Without volunteers, children and youth simply wouldn’t have the tools and support they need to become successful. For us, those tools and supports come from our mentoring and after school programs. Using those, we’re able to provide children & youth with healthy relationships and enriching experiences they need to understand their full potential and go out there and grab it. Our volunteers dedicate their time and efforts to spending time with a single child or with a group of children or volunteering with us behind the scenes.
GET INVOLVED
Are you interested in volunteering? Please go to www.bgcbigs.ca/volunteer for a full list of programs and applications.
Unable to volunteer your time on an ongoing basis? Call Volunteer Recruitment Facilitator Talia Shewchuk Magat at 780 822 2503 as she would be happy to meet with you over a cup of coffee to chat about other potential partnering opportunities.
Post submitted by TC Jordens-Harrah
TC Jordens-Harrah | YBB Ambassador: Community Inclusion
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