Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Australia is seeking volunteer mentors to meet “overwhelming” demand for the program’s expansion into Melbourne’s west.
BBBS supports at-risk young people through long-term, one-on-one mentoring in which young people aged seven to 17 are matched with a mentor for one to two hours a week over a minimum of 12 months.
Mentors spend their time with young people doing activities specific to the young person’s interests, and provide a safe environment to help build confidence and resilience.
Noah, 13, said he has enjoyed the six months he has spent with his mentor Anton.
“It has been good because I get to hang out with Anton and I get to learn things from him,” he said.
“We play soccer and basketball and we go out for ice cream.
“We got to play bowling and arcade games and I loved that, I thought it was really fun.”
BBBS chief executive Mark Watt said the organisation has a wait list of more than 50 young people waiting to be paired with mentors across Hobsons Bay, Wyndham, Melton and Brimbank.
“We’ve been operating for many years in Melbourne, but we’ve just started a new program in the western suburbs,” he said.
“We started about six months ago and we found the need for BBBS mentoring overwhelming.
“It’s really as easy as developing a friendship with a young person and doing positive activities.
“We find the outcome is often a young person gaining confidence, gaining social skills, reducing their fears, their anxiety, and really just participating more in the community, and in healthier activities.”
Details: bigbrothersbigsisters.org.au
Liam McNally
