Over 400 Toronto Youth Waiting For A Mentor Amid Shortage At Big Brothers Big Sisters Toronto
More than 400 young people in Toronto are currently waiting for a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto, and the list is growing.
The organization says the shortage of volunteers is putting youth who already face challenges at even greater risk of falling through the cracks. Of the 426 kids on the wait-list, more than 70 percent are boys. Many are looking for someone who shares their life experiences or background, and there is a particularly urgent need for Black male mentors.
For Bernard Macharia, mentorship has always been about connection and representation. When he signed up to be a Big Brother five years ago, he asked to be paired with a Black youth. That’s how he met Malik, then eight years old. The two bonded quickly over sports and still spend time together today.
“I think that representation is always at the forefront of encouraging somebody to do something,” Macharia says.
The Value of a Trusted Adult
Big Brothers Big Sisters Toronto pairs adults aged 18 and up with mentees who share similar interests or experiences. Mentors, or “Bigs,” are asked to spend at least two hours a week with their “Little” for a year, but many stay in the relationship much longer. Activities can be as simple as going to a game, walking in the park, or sharing a meal.
Stachen Frederick, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto, says these connections give young people something that is often missing; a consistent, trusted adult who listens, guides, and affirms them. “That helps build up their self-esteem and confidence,” she says.
The shortage of volunteers has been building since the pandemic, part of a broader drop in volunteering across Canada. But Frederick believes there’s another factor: gender norms that discourage men from working with children.
Breaking Down Barriers
Some men worry they might not have enough to offer. Ricardo Stanford, now a VP at TD Bank, felt the same way a decade ago before he became a Big Brother. “Never second-guess whether your contribution will make a difference,” he says. “It absolutely does.”
For Stanford, mentoring a young Black boy has been about showing what’s possible and uplifting others. “I’ve often been the youngest and only person of colour in the room,” he says. “Mentorship has always been a way that I can help uplift people of colour.”
And while mentors change young lives, they also grow themselves. “It’s translated into me being a more patient individual,” Stanford says. “It’s translated into me being a better leader at work. I did not expect to take away as much as I have.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto is calling on more community members; especially Black men; to step forward. As Frederick puts it, “This is someone youth can speak to who is a trusted adult that could help guide them through life.”
How to Apply
If you are 18 or older and want to become a Big Brother or Big Sister in Toronto, you can start the application process online at toronto.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca or bbbstoronto.com. The application includes a form, interview, and background check. Once accepted, you will be matched with a youth whose interests and experiences align with yours.
Originally reported by Nathan Bawaan for the Toronto Star. Read the original article here.
The cover photo and the second photo in this article were taken from Big Brothers Big Sisters Flickr account.
