Sixteen-year-old, grade eleven student, Mary juggles a busy schedule and tries to strike a balance between homework, studying and finding time for her many interests. Mary works part-time as a Sales Associate for a clothing store, plays basketball, swims, takes ballet and lyric dance lessons and loves to hang out with her friends.
In the midst of her busy teenage lifestyle, she also finds time to spend an hour a week having fun with a seven-year-old named Chloe - as a Teen Mentor. The Teen Mentoring Program is Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver's newest program. Successfully launched several years ago in the Howe Sound, North Vancouver and Vancouver school districts, it was introduced into the Burnaby school district, at Byrne Creek Secondary, this past October. Mary, a Byrne Creek Secondary student, and her Little Buddy Chloe, were one of the first Burnaby pairs to be matched.
The friendship-based, non-academic program matches high school students in grades ten to twelve with boys and girls in grades one to seven. Big and Little Buddy pairs spend one hour a week together at the child's school to play games or sports, do arts and crafts or hang out together on the playground. The children in the program are average kids who have been identified by a school representative as children who would benefit from some one-to-one time and attention. Volunteers meet with their Little Buddies during the school year, but do not meet over the summer break or during other school holidays. There are no special skills or experience required to be a Teen Mentor, except that you must love to play and have fun with children.
Mary says when she and her friends heard about the program through their Vice Principal at school, "We thought it would be a lot of fun, so we all decided to volunteer." She adds, "I became a mentor because I wanted the chance to playa positive role in someone's life. I'm also training to become a children's swim instructor, so I thought this would be good experience."
Mary thinks one of the reasons she and Chloe were matched is because, "We have similar personalities. We're both a little shy." However, after several months of spending time together, Mary says, "Chloe has become much more confident and outgoing. We have developed a strong friendship." Mary explains she and Chloe also share a number of interests that they have explored together, including crafts, playing basketball and baking.
The Big Brothers' In-School Mentoring Program, which matches adults over the age of 19 with children for one hour a week, has been in place in select elementary schools within the Burnaby school district for several years. Stride Avenue Community School Liaison Sheila MacTavish says the Teen Mentoring Program was a welcome addition because, "It meant we could provide mentors for more of our students. We also like the idea of strengthening our connection to Byrne Creek Secondary by developing friendships between students who currently attend the school and those who will be going there in the next couple of years."
For Chloe's part, when asked what she likes about having Mary as her Big Buddy, quickly answered, "Because she's fun!" Chloe says her favourite activity with Mary was baking chocolate chip and M&M cookies, along with the other Teen Mentoring pairs, and getting to take some of the cookies home to her family.
Big Brothers' Mentoring Coordinator, Joanne Kautz-Allard says, "Since the Teen Mentoring program is new to the Burnaby school district, we are only offering it to Byrne Creek Secondary students." She adds, "So far, it has been extremely well received by all concerned. Down the road, once the program becomes more established, we hope to make it available to additional Burnaby high schools." Kautz-Allard would like to remind Burnaby residents over the age of 19 about Big Brothers' other fun and flexible volunteer opportunities, including the In-School Mentoring and Big Brothers programs.
Mary also has a message for fellow Byrne Creek Secondary students. She says that becoming a Teen Mentor, "can fit into your schedule quite nicely. The visit with your Little Buddy is during school time, and you get to pick and choose the day and time that suits you best." In addition, she says, "The program is very rewarding because you are making a difference in a child's life. It helps you feel good about yourself."
