BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS SOCIETY OF CALGARY AND AREA (FORMERLY AUNTS AND UNCLES AT LARGE)
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Mission Statement
Enable life-changing mentoring relationships, powered by volunteers, to ignite the potential of young people
About This Cause
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area is the leading organization dedicated to one-to-one mentorship for children and youth facing adversity in our community. For more than 30 years we have been the "go to" charity for mentorship in Calgary. Our prevention model successfully empowers children and youth to achieve their full potential, whilst giving our volunteers an opportunity to grow their own skills. We specialize exclusively in developmental relationships—proven interventions that build resilience, promote school engagement, and reduce the effects of isolation, poverty, and trauma. If that sounds a little too much, here's what it means. We screen, train, and purposefully match every single volunteer with a "little" and help them build a life-changing relationship. Through meeting with your "little" either weekly or bi-weekly for an hour or two (with full support from a BBBS Staff always on-call for you), you become an awesome person who cares in their life, who encourages them all whilst doing normal everyday things, walking your dog, grocery shopping, going for a swim, and by doing it with your little you are providing them opportunity, experiences and guidance on life. Our professionally supported 1:1 matches, mentors don’t just make a difference—they become a vital part of a young person’s support system. These relationships help youth develop critical social and emotional skills, expand their networks, and gain a sense of belonging in their community. We are investing in the next generation of leaders, changemakers, and community contributors. If you are looking for an opportunity to build meaningful connections, strengthen your own leadership and communication skills, and create real, lasting impact—one relationship at a time this is the place for you. Volunteers can be paired as a mentor either in their local community (yes we ensure you don't have to drive the entire city to make a difference), or at a school. We offer community volunteering or site-based. If you want a predictable routine, "same place, same time" with built-in support then our school programs are the gateway to mentorship for you. If you want flexibility in your schedule and to volunteer closer to home then our community program is for you. Either way it's a win win for our children and youth and you our volunteers. We have yet to meet a volunteer mentor who didn't have a positive life change from volunteering with us. Our mentoring programs focus on the core outcomes of improving resilience by enhancing the social-emotional wellbeing and executive function of youth ages 6-24. Through a developmental relationship with a trained mentor, children and youth facing adversity gain confidence, competence and critical thinking skills, learn to connect with a caring adult, and become more engaged with their education and future orientation. Recent advances in brain science prove that the presence of supportive adults in childhood contributes to building healthy brain architecture, a process which sets the child up for a lifetime of resilience, positive social interaction, and academic and social success. Funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area are provided by individual donations, corporations, service clubs, government grants, foundation grants and special events fundraising. Funds are used towards many BIG things including recruiting and screening new volunteers, ensuring mentors and mentees are matched by qualified professionals, enabling ongoing supervision and relationship support for every match, and providing cultural and social activities to enrich the opportunities for children.