The Big Brothers Big Sister Lethbridge and District office worked hard to maintain its mentorship program through the pandemic, and the organization is in need of new mentors now that restrictions are lifting.
Executive director Jen Visser said 2019 was the organization’s busiest year with just over 600 kids getting mentored. Now, as COVID restrictions lift and services expand, the need is higher than ever.
“We are already over 600 children this year and it’s May,” added Visser.
She said the pandemic has given children many obstacles, like dealing with isolation. and now shifting back to a less restrictive environment after two years.
“It’s scary, it’s really scary for kids and to live in a world of ‘Don’t do that, don’t do that, it’s not safe, it’s not safe’ and then all of a sudden everything is safe. They need a mentor to help guide them through that,” added Visser.
Volunteer Sara Roncin said it took a bit more effort to stay connected during the pandemic, but it was worth it.
“Kids needs someone to look up to and, for me, I think that that was something that I wanted to be for someone else,” added Roncin.
“To think about all out emotions and all our feelings that we were going through, think about what that would have been like as a kid.”
She’s been volunteering with big brothers Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2019 and said she finds putting in the time with her little rewarding, something they both need after a challenging couple of years.
“It’s not just beneficial for the mentee, but also beneficial for the mentors because you also get kind of like a sense of purpose in your community as well.”
There are currently 77 children on the wait list for a mentor and Visser said there is always a demand for big brothers but right now there is a demand for both big brothers and big sisters.
Anyone interested in volunteering can visit their website.