 | |
| Formation | September 18, 1913 |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Legal status | Charity |
Region | Canada |
| Services | Mentoring programs for children and youth |
National President & CEO | W. Matthew Chater, M.Ed. |
Volunteers | 21300 |
| Website | http://bigbrothersbigsisters.ca |
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit federation with a focus on mentoring programs for youth since 1913. The Big Brothers Big Sisters movement in Canada provides services to 41,700 youth in over 1,100 communities.[1]
Programs
Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies offer a range of mentoring programs to meet the needs of Canadian children and families. In the traditional one-to-one mentoring program, one youth and one adult mentor meet twice a month for at least one year. Big Brothers Big Sisters also operates group mentoring programs for teenagers and clubs for newcomer Canadian youth.[2]
Impact
In 2013, the Boston Consulting Group conducted a research study on the impact of Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs. The study concluded that every dollar spent on Big Brothers Big Sisters results in a $18-$23 social return on investment based on increased earnings, charitable contributions, and volunteerism. In addition, former mentees described the mentoring relationship as a "transformational moment" that improved their confidence, happiness, and mental health.[3]
History
The youth mentoring movement began in the United States in 1904,[4] when young New York City court clerk Ernest Coulter saw more and more boys coming through his courtroom. He recognized that caring adults could help many of these kids stay out of trouble, and he set out to find volunteers. The program soon began with 39 volunteers, mainly friends of Coulter. By 1916, Big Brothers had spread to 96 cities across the United States.[5]
In 1912, similar events took place in Canada and the first Canadian Big Sister agency formed in Toronto.[6] Closely afterward, in 1913, the first Canadian Big Brother program began in Toronto. Both groups continued to work independently until 1977, when Big Brothers of America and Big Sisters International joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. In 2001, a similar merger occurred between the two Canadian organizations; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada was formed. Interest grew from outside North America, spurring the formation of Big Brothers Big Sisters International to help grow the program in other countries and facilitate communications between countries running similar programs.[5]
References
- ↑ "About Us - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada". Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
- ↑ "Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada". www.charityintelligence.ca. Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ↑ "Making It Happen for Canada - BCG's Partnerships and Projects for Social Impact" (PDF). The Boston Consulting Group. January 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ↑ "History of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America". Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- 1 2 "100 Years of History". bbbst.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
- ↑ Robinson, Helen Caister (January 1979). Decades of Caring: The Big Sister Story By Helen Caister Robinson. ISBN 9780919670341. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
