Big Brothers Big Sisters Guelph in need of male mentors – Guelph
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Guelph are facing a shortage of male mentors for their group and 1-to-1 mentoring programs.
In a press release, Andrea Azevedo, BBBSG’s case officer said, “There are currently 83 young men on the waiting list to be matched with an adult male counselor. This number is expected to rise above 100 when the 2022-2023 school year begins. “
Of the 79 applicants the organization has received since January, only 9 (11%) identify themselves as male.
CEO Michael Treadgold says that means the boys will have to wait longer to be paired with a big brother.
“Young boys who want to join the Big Brothers Big Sisters program are waiting, on average, two to three times longer than young girls in the community,” said Treadgold. “Right now, the kids in our community are in dire need of a mentor, boys.”
Treadgold says interest and demand for the one-on-one mentoring program has led to an increase in demand for male mentors.
“We are in the process of taking on new volunteers, screening and matching them for a really busy school year this September,” said Treadgold. “We currently have the capacity to process new male volunteers and they will be matched with them as early as this fall.”
Treadgold continues to speak with an all-time high demand for male volunteers and young people recovering from mental health
Due to the stress and social isolation caused by the pandemic, the BBBSG needs support from the community to ensure that all young men on the waiting list receive the guidance and support they need.
For more information about BBBSG and how to become a mentor, visit Their website.
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