TORONTO, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — This September, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is calling for volunteers to become “Big” Mentors. The “Mentorship Equals 2.0” campaign will launch in September during BBBS Month to encourage people over the age of 18 to learn more about mentoring and the role they can play in the equation.
Building on the initial campaign launched last September, this initiative shines a spotlight on adults whose lives have been shaped by mentoring relationships they experienced as children. Mentoring is a relationship that nurtures potential and fosters growth. Over time, the bond it creates deepens. For mentors, the rewards add to the fulfillment that mentoring brings, and for mentees, the benefits are exponential.
“Hearing these adults talk about their experiences with mentoring as children is truly inspiring,” said Jill Zelmanovits, President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. “Their stories and anecdotes demonstrate how mentoring helps children make positive decisions and access resilience, which directly improves their personal outcomes into adulthood.”
This year’s Equal Mentorship campaign features Marc Lafleur, a Canadian entrepreneur, race car driver and former “Little” (mentee), whose life choices were supported by the mentor he met over twenty years ago. Marc recently partnered with Mercedes-Benz Canada and BBBS on the “Power Your Future” events, where he shares his story with the next generation of mentees (“Littles” and “Littles”) and mentors (“Bigs” and “Bigs”), in hopes of inspiring them that everyone can succeed, no matter their background.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Month is celebrated across Canada to highlight the important work the BBBS network does in communities. It is the life experience that children need to learn from their mentors. Mentors give a few hours of their time each month and receive training and support from professional staff on how to build a healthy and consistent relationship with an adult.
“Honestly… having a mentor growing up probably saved my life,” says Mike Stackhouse, reflecting on his journey as a Petit (mentee) in Atlantic Canada. He now runs a printing company in Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
To learn more about Marc and Mike and mentoring opportunities, visit the site Mentorategal.ca.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (BBBSC) is a leading non-profit organization that brings together local mentoring service providers from coast to coast to coast in urban, rural, remote and Indigenous communities. BBBSC supports distinct service providers within Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) through a federated model by driving growth, innovation and collective strength across the BBBS network. Children and families are at the heart of everything we do. In 2023, over 31,600 children benefited from developmental relationships with over 17,500 trained volunteers. The national organization provides services and programs to member agencies to support their work with parents, caregivers, school communities, mentees and volunteers.
Contact person:
Marina Joseph
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
[email protected]
1 800 263-9133, after 24
A photo accompanying this release is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6e25bf4a-da09-4229-bd10-02d0e1360cba/en
