By Evan Armstrong

Call goes out for more youth mentors

Sep 26, 2018 | 7:50 PM

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Red Deer is in desperate need of more mentors.

They currently have 77 youth, including 55 boys that are in need of a mentor – a 35 per cent increase from last year.

Lacombe Big Brothers Big Sisters has 15 kids in need of mentors, over 75 per cent of which are boys. And in Ponoka 40 kids are currently waitlisted.

Crystal Zens with Big Brothers Big Sisters in Lacombe says mentors for boys are in higher demand because they “have a higher intake in Big Sisters, so [more] female mentors. Because we have less intake [in Big Brothers], it’s harder to get male mentors.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters is asking Albertans to commit themselves to their community by reaching out and becoming a mentor. Research shows that 92 per cent of mentees had increased hope for the future after mentoring, and that 81 per cent said it helped them stay in school.

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Zens says the process to become a mentor is quite simple.

“We just have an application process. We screen and train all volunteers so they fell equipped to start the program.”

Jacquie Boyd, Executive Director at Youth HQ Red Deer, says anyone that wants to become a mentor should just call.

“It would be great if they picked up that phone, and would be willing to talk to us about what they’re looking for, and what we can offer, so that we can make an appropriate match.

“Have a conversation with us, because there is variety of mentoring opportunities, so once we know what they are searching out for, or what will satisfy them as a volunteer, as to what they want to be engaged in, we have a variety of programs related to mentoring that may fit them.”

September is Big Brothers Big Sisters Month in Alberta.

For more information, or to become a mentor, call 403-342-6500, or go to albertamentors.ca