One to One Mentoring
Community-Based 1-1 Mentoring
Mentees and Mentors explore and enjoy their local community together. Spending at minimum 8 hours a month together, matches choose their own schedule, activities, events or community resources to explore. Matches share interests and discover new ones together in their local community. Every match has access to consistent support from a BBBS professional caseworker staff who helps them stay safe, stay committed and reach individual milestones and goals. Matches continue for a minimum of 12 months as they build a caring and committed relationship for the mentee to thrive in.
Couples For Kids
The Couples match is an offshoot of our traditional Community-Based 1-1 Mentoring program. Two Mentors in a committed relationship connect with a Mentee, to explore and enjoy their local community together. Spending at minimum 8 hours a month together, matches choose their own schedule, activities, events or community resources to explore. Matches share interests and discover new ones together in their local community. Every match has access to consistent support from a BBBS professional caseworker staff who helps them stay safe, stay committed and reach individual milestones and goals. Matches continue for a minimum of 12 months as they build a caring and committed relationship for the mentee to thrive in.
In-School Mentoring
The In-School Mentoring program provides youth with a role model and a friend to talk to and share the experiences of growing up. For one hour each week, mentors meet with their mentee and engage in activities such as board games, sports, crafts or just hang out during school hours at a local elementary school.
The In-School Mentoring program requires a commitment of one-hour weekly visits for the duration of the school year. Matches do not meet over the summer break or during other school holidays.
Co-op In-School Mentoring
In partnership with the Upper Grand District School Board and the Wellington Catholic District School Board, BBBSG matches high school students completing a co-operative school placement with 8 mentees that they mentor throughout a high school term. Each high school student is placed at a partnering elementary school for the morning or afternoon and they mentor two children each day. This program is aimed at students who are interested in social work or teaching as a career option, and gives them practical experience while earning two high school credits.
The goal of each match is to create a healthy friendship between the mentor and mentee. The high school students are given the opportunity to provide guidance, support, and encouragement through genuine connections with their mentees. They also learn valuable employable skills for their futures, like working independently, scheduling, planning age-appropriate activities, problem-solving, and maintaining open lines of communication with the mentees’ circle of support, and learn first-hand about the importance of giving back to their community.
Group
Big Bunch
The Big Bunch program is a community-based mentoring initiative for young people who would benefit from expanded experiences in the community and increased social engagement. It also often serves children who are waiting for a Community-Based 1-1 match. Several mentors (3-4, depending on size of group and ages of children) lead two monthly group outings to share fun activities and connect with mentees. Groups are typically formed according to the age of the child. Both gender-specific, and all-gender groups are available. These group sessions run from September to April and this span of time is the required commitment length for this program.
Environ-Mentoring
The Environ-Mentoring Program is a group initiative whereby our Bigs and Littles attend a series of organized outings to provide opportunities to learn about nature, wildlife, and their surroundings. BBBSG has partnered with the Grand River Conservation Authority to deliver this program in conjunction with our One-to-One Match and Big Bunch Group mentoring programs. The goal is to nurture an understanding of environmental and conservation issues in the youth participating in the program. Children will have the opportunity to attend a variety of community group sessions intended to offer hands-on, curriculum-based outdoor education classes.
School-Based Group Mentoring (Ignite)
Ignite is an exciting, NEW group program offered to students in grades 5-8. The single, most important goal of the program is to positively shape the lives of youth by helping them build a positive self-image – setting them on a path to reach their full potential in life. The programs are facilitated by two screened volunteer mentors and include a variety of games, group discussions, snacks and educational activities.
Groups consist of 7 mentoring sessions that are held within school facilities, during school nutrition breaks. Each session is one hour long and aims to foster peer-to-peer connections, positive self-esteem, communication and team work among mentees. Each session is fun-filled, active, and informative! Currently, our school-based groups run three times per year: Fall, Winter and Spring.