Former Little now CEO of Just Business Magazine
Sunshine Coast resident Dave Allen is the CEO of Just Business Magazine, a business magazine that celebrates the successes of local business people on the Sunshine Coast. As the distribution and popularity of his magazine grows nationally, Allen took a moment to look back and talk to us about the people that helped him find his way on the path to success.
Allen was born in Vancouver and lived what he describes as a “pretty normal childhood." His parents split up when he was eleven years old which left a devastating scar and put him on the edge of losing his way.
"I didn’t do much socializing as a child. I didn’t play sports, I wasn’t athletic and I wasn’t part of any groups. It was frustrating to me. My mom was concerned so she called Big Brothers and the next thing I knew, a new world was opened up to me,” says Allen.
Only after having had a Big Brother for a year, Allen quickly realized that there was a world outside of high school where he could fit in and feel comfortable. When Allen met his Big Brother for the first time, he was nervous but his Big Brother’s confidence helped make Allen feel like they had known each other forever.
"There were intellectual similarities between us. He was a good match for me and he showed me, though the eyes of an adult, a different world all together. We used to hang out, have lunch and just talk.”
Allen says that the biggest impact his Big Brother had on his life was that he helped him realize there was a group of people in the community who want to help others. Later on in his adult life, Allen went to college and became a childcare worker.
"I see the importance of giving kids someone to talk to. I know there are a lot of bad family situations. Having had a Big Brother influenced me to help others because I had been helped as a child. Every child should have a caring adult in their life who is there to both set a good example and also be their friend,” says Allen.
Having had a Big Brother during adolescence helped Allen stay on the right track in life. He describes what it was like as a child to have had the confidence to fight the peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol like his classmates as something driven by knowing that there was more for him in the world.
Also serving the Sunshine Coast and Sea to Sky Corridor, Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver traditionally matches boys aged seven to twelve with positive adult male role models to help boys from single-parent families gain confidence. The agency now offers mentoring programs for boys and girls and volunteer opportunities for men and women.
Independent studies show that one-to-one mentoring programs have significant positive effects on children. Of the children who participated in one such study, Big Brothers Big Sisters School-based Mentoring - An Evaluation Summary of Five Pilot Programs:
- 64% developed higher levels of self-confidence
- 60% improved relationships with adults
- 56% improved relationships with peers
- 55% were better able to express their feelings
Allen says that having had a Big Brother has had a long term impact on his life and helped him develop into the man he is today. He says that although he and his Big Brother have lost touch over the years, he would still like to thank him.
"I am grateful for the fact that you were able to spend time with me. Thank you.”
For more information on how to get a Big Brother for your son or how you can get involved as a volunteer, visit www.bigbrothersvancouver.com or call 604.876.2447 ext.236.
