The power of mentoring youth is being celebrated across Canada in September for Big Brothers Big Sisters Month. 

Moose Jaw’s community-based mentorship program is run under Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Regina and Area. 

The program is always looking for new mentors to become Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Moose Jaw currently has about 15 Little Brothers and Little Sisters on a waitlist for a mentor. 

“We don’t like giving the answer that it might take a year or more for somebody to be matched with a mentor because we match based on compatibility and personalities and the suitability versus ‘You’re the next child on the waitlist’,” said Amy Mohr, director of development and communications for BBBS of Regina and area. 

Mohr added that it doesn’t take much of a commitment to become a mentor. 

“Mentors volunteer two to four hours of their time each week to spend with a young person and they form a friendship and have fun, do things they both enjoy doing. Because of that, developmental relationships occur and that is something that changes lives for the better,” she said. 

Being a mentor can have lasting impacts on Little Brothers and Little Sisters. According to BBBS, 90 per cent of Littles have said that the Bigs showed that they care, 97 per cent were encouraged to be their best self by their Bigs and 90 per cent have more self-confidence because of their Bigs. 

Mohr noted that there are also advantages to being a mentor as well. 

“Obviously, you’re getting a new friend and hopefully that relationship lasts for quite some time. Also, you feel certainly a sense of accomplishment, a sense that you’re really helping out your community because even one mentoring relationship can change the social fabric of the community,” she said. 

As part of Big Brothers Big Sisters month, a display will be going up at the Regina Airport and various third-party fundraisers will be taking place. 

To learn more about the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, or to sign up to be a mentor, you can visit the Big Brothers Big Sisters Moose Jaw website. 

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