Nothing little about the Bigs

BY BILL PHILLIPS bill@pgdailynews.ca It’s been a challenging year for Big Brothers and Big Sisters Prince George. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a good one. “We’re in the middle of unique year,” said Tim Bennett, Big Brothers and Big Sisters Executive Director. “Over the past few years we’ve had a lot of success in terms of what we’re doing in the community.” The agency has several programs that match local children with Big Brothers and/or Big Sisters. Currently it serves about 250 children in Prince George, which is double what it was serving three years. They serve these children through a variety of programs. The most recognizable program, of course, is matching a ‘big’ with a ‘little’ … matching an adult with a child. They then do things in the community that they both enjoy. It could be going to a hockey game, playing basketball, working out and more. “It’s like hanging out with any of your friends,” said Bennett. “It’s just doing what you’re doing.” It is the flagship program for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Nationally the program has been declining, however, Prince George is bucking the trend and the program is on the incline. “The community has been so helpful in getting involved,” Bennett said. He said the longer a child is matched with a Big, the better they do with the average length being about 28 months. The agency also operates its In-School Mentoring program in conjunction with School District 57. “We have volunteers who are matched with kids in our elementary schools,” he said. “Our mentor goes into the school and does activities with the child for one hour a week.” The program run in seven schools in the district and has been operating since 1999. “It’s a great program because we’re able to serve kids that we may not be able to serve in the traditional program,” he said. “The traditional program is really about creating a relationship between the mentor, the child, the parent and the agency. Because the child is at school, it gives us the opportunity to work with the school to support that child.” They have also started in-school mentoring using Grade 11 and 12 students as the mentors with the students at the elementary level. Big Brothers and Big Sisters has been running several group programs as well, some through schools and some through their office on Kinsmen Place. The programs stress healthy living, active lifestyles, good life choices. Big Brothers and Big Sisters has also run a program involving older children and younger children. “It’s really around the idea of building skills through recreation and the value of mentorship,” he said. “Helping kids build their self-confidence, their self-esteem, in a play-based, skill-based model.” Bennett said it can be tough for non-profits to make ends meet and Big Brothers and Big Sisters is no different. The agency used to have a thrift store, but that closed in 2007. “It costs everyone more to operate, the dollar doesn’t stretch as far,” he said. Big Brothers and Big Sisters had to then look at a fund-raising program. In 2010, it opened its first after school care program. “Our child care programs now generate about 40 per cent of our actual budget,” he said. “We have three before and after school centres and one pre-school. We’re able to bring in the values of mentoring and what we do in our community-based programs and bring that into a child-care setting.” All of the children in the child care programs are registered in swimming lessons. “It has been a very positive move for our organization,” he said. “Not only is that helping generate some revenue, but it expands our reach and do that ‘on brand.’ We want to be known as Big Brothers and Big Sisters – the organization that works for kids. We believe all of these things help us portray that message.”