Volunteer

How it Works

How The Volunteering Process Works

The order of the steps in the application and assessment process can vary from agency to agency, but the following is a general overview of the process. You, the volunteer applicant:

Completes an application with their local agency
Submits a vulnerable sector screen, criminal records check, and three or four references
Participates in a one-to-one interview with a staff member at the Big Brothers Big Sisters agency
Depending on the program, may be asked to participate in an assessment of their home environment
Successfully completes an orientation and child safety training
Is notified of their acceptance/non-acceptance
If accepted as a volunteer mentor, signs an agreement of confidentiality

The Matching Process

Similar to the application and assessment process, the matching process can vary from agency to agency and from program to program, but in general:

The caseworker, now familiar with the volunteer and the children and youth waiting to be matched, discusses a potential match with the volunteer, the child or youth, and, depending on the program, with the family
The caseworker arranges for a meeting between the child or youth, the volunteer mentor, and often the parent or guardian

If everyone agrees, the match can begin!

Mentoring 101

What is mentoring all about?

Being a friend: Providing friendship, gentle guidance, and support to a child or youth can make a big difference.
Commitment: Following through on your minimum time commitment is important, as ending a match prematurely can have negative effects on a child/youth.
Partnership: Mentors are not alone; they partner with their Little Brother or Sister, mentoring coordinator, and the parent/guardian to help the friendship run smoothly.
Trust: For children and youth to develop trust in their mentor can take time. Mentors who build trust gradually find they can provide substantial support & guidance to their mentee.
Inexpensive: Mentors are not responsible for paying for the low or no-cost activities we encourage matches to take part in. We also have many free events available year-round.
Not time consuming: We have a variety of programs with a range of different commitments to suit you. One or two hours per week is all it takes to be a mentor.

Who are the children we serve?

Some of our Littles face a number of adversities in their lives.

Parental divorce or seperation: 82%
Separated from parental figure: 68%
Financial stress: 38%
Mental illness: 35%
Family history of domestic violence: 19%
Bullied: 15%

How does mentoring help them?

Evidence shows that children who have a mentor:

Have increased confidence and self-esteem
Have enhanced social skills
Are less likely to use drugs and alcohol
Are less likely to get involved in criminal behaviour
Do better in school and are less likely to drop out

Requirements and Responsibilities

To be a mentor, you must:

Be at least 15 to enroll in our in-school mentor program, or 19 to enroll in our community program.
Complete our application package, including a criminal record check (if over 18), and provide three satisfactory references.
Respect the confidential nature of our services and sign a confidentiality agreement.

What is expected of you?

Commit to 1-4 hours per week and at least one calendar year, depending on the program you enroll in.
Communicate regularly with your mentoring coordinator and keep everyone informed of any life changes that may impact the match.
Be consistent and dependable and maintain a positive presence in your Little’s life.

Mentors are NOT expected to:

Provide basic necessities such as food or money.
Act as a substitute parent, guardian, teacher, or act as a tutor.
Take the child to appointments or personal activities.
Act as a babysitter for the child or their siblings/friends.
Act as a therapist or social worker.

What should mentors avoid?

Criticizing or speaking harshly to the child or youth.
Disciplining the child or youth.
Any action/discussion that doesn’t respect the child’s family values.
Any action/discussion that could be interpreted as inappropriate.

Note: Your mentoring coordinator will provide additional information and guide you in your interactions with your Little Brother or Sister.

Child safety responsibilities

The safety of the children and youth in our programs is our number one priority, and this should also be the number one priority for mentors. Before your match starts, you must complete mandatory child safety training which provides important information on how to respond to safety concerns. Mentors must call the mentoring coordinator if any concerns to the child’s safety arise.

Mentoring Confidentiality

All information collected by Big Brothers Big Sisters from clients and volunteers during the enrollment process and while participating in our programs will be held in confidence. This commitment to confidentiality is maintained even after the termination of involvement with the agency. All confidential data and information is collected in order to best serve our volunteers and families and to ensure that everyone is participating in a healthy match relationship or program.

Information collected in the course of delivery services will not be disclosed by the Agency to any person without written approval of said person except in the following cases:

Where the safety of a child depends upon divulging this information. This could include suspicion of neglect or abuse of a child. The proper authorities will be informed when necessary. This could result in the disclosure of confidential information without written consent from the person to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada’s insurers and or legal counsel, as may be appropriate in connection with any legal proceeding or inquiry;
When subpoenaed by the courts;
Where required by law;
During periodic agency accreditation reviews, case records, including relevant personal information, will be shared to authorized representatives of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.

Strong from the Start: Pre-Match Training

Big Brothers Big Sisters’ core value is to maintain the highest standards of practice in order to deliver safe, quality mentoring programs to children and youth. The Strong from the Start resource are a key foundational component to fostering safe, enjoyable, meaningful, and healthy mentoring relationships.

Strong from the Start has three primary purposes:

To prepare match participants for their role in a healthy, successful mentoring relationship.
Illuminate safety issues and strategies.
Emphasize that resources and ongoing support will be available to all match participants.

What is it?

The pre-match training is mandatory for all parties involved in our programs: the volunteers, parents/guardians, and children. Four main topics are covered along with key points in each topic:

You and Big Brothers Big Sisters
Healthy Relationships
Secure and Resilient
Ready to Start

Child safety is our number one priority. We believe the most effective measures of child protection include our rigorous volunteer screening and training process, our ongoing support and commitment of monitoring relationships, and our education programs for both children and adults. It is the joint responsibilities of all participants – the parent, volunteer, and agency staff to ensure the safety of the child.