Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kamloops & Region is recruiting for its In-School Mentoring program. This is a great opportunity for students and staff to volunteer in a meaningful way. The program matches a volunteer (mentor), aged 17 and up, with a child (mentee) in a school environment. Building a positive new friendship with a mentor helps to strengthen a child’s self-esteem and school performance, while providing the mentor with the chance to re-experience the adventure of childhood.

The In-School Mentoring Program is a truly cooperative effort between community-based schools and Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Kamloops & Region. Volunteers are asked to spend one hour a week with a child while school is in session (not during the summer, Christmas, March break, etc…). The school allows breaks from regular programming for children to take part. This structure appeals to people who are busy and still want to volunteer as a mentor.

A volunteer mentor high-fives his happy Little Brother

The success of the traditional Big Brothers & Big Sisters Program is recognized from coast to coast. In-School Mentoring is a modern way of delivering the one-to-one big-little relationship, but minimizes the time commitment of the volunteer.

While at the school, volunteers will share activities like reading books, baking cookies, playing board games, heading to the gym, or just hanging out on the playground. Mentoring is a fun, exciting and rewarding experience for both the mentor and child.

Children in the programs range in age from kindergarten through grade 7. Each child is unique, responsive, and has a need for a consistent, positive role model. As Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kamloops is a volunteer service, their program is friendship based and is not designed as a form of intervention for serious individual or family problems.