Boys in the Halifax area looking to be paired with a Big Brother role model face a wait eight times longer than a girl waiting for a Big Sister.
There are currently 106 names on the waiting list for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Great Halifax and 90 per cent of them are boys who live in Dartmouth.
While the organization strives to get through the wait list as quickly as possible, it can take upwards of a year and a half to get a match.
READ MORE: Moncton Big Brothers Big Sisters has critical need for volunteers
Executive director Carol Goddard believes the reason behind the discrepancy is that more boys apply but fewer men sign up to volunteer.
“Most of the kids have great parents but everybody needs somebody else in their life beyond their parents, somebody who has another idea or another way of looking at the world,” said Goddard.
“But the kids we serve probably don’t have that in their life.”
Vernon Lowe and Brendon Jaggard know firsthand how rewarding the experience can be.
Eight years ago, Jaggard was a quiet seven-year-old looking for a father figure in his life. That’s when he and his mother decided to sign him up for the Big Brothers program.
“I was hoping to find someone who could push me through life and help me change in a better way because at the time, I was very shy and I found being around people hard,” Jaggard said.
Lowe – a recent retiree with a love of hockey and fishing – was looking to give back to his community.
“I was a retired school counsellor and my kids had moved out west and I didn’t have any kids anymore, had an empty nest,” said Lowe.
Lowe taught his Little Brother how to skate and eventually helped him get a job as a timekeeper with the local major midget team.
Jaggard is now a Grade 10 student who aspires to attend university in Ottawa and pursue a career in politics.
“He’s definitely helping me strive for my life goals and helping me achieve them,” Jaggard said.
That’s why the Big Brother and Little Brother duo are encouraging others to sign up.
“I was 60 years old when I became a big brother. I think there are a lot of 60-year-olds that just retired that may want to take this on. It’s certainly added to my life. I’ve been active for eight years and I’m still going,” said Lowe.
The two say their friendship is not only strong – it’s long-lasting. The match officially ends when Jaggard turns 18, meaning the organization won’t be checking in on them anymore. However, the two know they will remain friends.
“I think he’ll be a part of my life for the rest of my life. He’s part of my family now too,” said Lowe.
As for Jaggard, he envisions a slight change in their roles down the road.
“I see me driving him to the grocery store,” he said.
The two will be taking part in a charity bowling event this weekend at the Halifax and Dartmouth locations of Bowlarama. The organization is raising money to fund more matches and to raise awareness about their programs.