Throughout my experiences talking with people about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa, I get the sense that whenever people think of a Big Brother or a Big Sister, they get a certain mental picture of what a "Big" would be like.  The usual picture seems to be a young adult who is very energetic and sporty and has a ton of experience with youth.  Well, variety is the spice of life and we have no shortage of that here.  It just so happens that, here at Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa, we have dedicated and fantastic volunteers who are varying combinations of all of the qualities listed above and more. 

In fact, I remember quite fondly a story I was told from the mother of one "Little" who used to be involved in our programs.  At the graduation/closure meeting for this match, the mom let me know that she and her child were not too sure about being matched with their Big at first.  Mom explained to me that the Big was older and she was worried that he would have nothing in common with her son (especially their energy level).  Mom said that the Big seemed nice and they did not want to miss an opportunity so they accepted anyway...

J’aime prendre le temps de témoigner de la différence qu’un(e) Grand(e) peut faire dans la vie d’un jeune même s’ils ne réalisent que des activités simples ensemble.  Il est important que quelqu’un prenne le temps de faire cette constatation puisqu’il peut être difficile parfois pour les Grand(es) de le faire par eux-mêmes.   

J’ai récemment eu l’occasion de m’entretenir avec une mère (Sylvie*) qui m'a témoigné des changements qu’elle avait remarqués chez son fils (Joey*) après seulement quatre mois de parrainage par son Grand Frère…

 

 

"What do other matches do for fun?"  This is one of the questions I get asked the most by volunteers struggling to find new activity ideas for themselves and their Littles.  In truth, I don't envy these volunteers.  This has to be one of the hardest parts about being a Big.  I'm sure many of us out there can relate to the difficulty of finding new and exciting activities for teens that don't break any rules.  So how do you find these activity ideas?  Well, I am happy to report that I discovered the secret to solving this puzzle one day while talking to a match that has been doing it for eight years.  As it turns out, the answer is right under our noses...

 

In light of our not-so distant office relocation, I thought that a blog on change would be very fitting.  So, here goes...

I'm sure we can all relate to the fact that as time goes on, things around us change.  Even though none of us wants to admit it, we ourselves change too.  Well I've come to realize that the same is true for matches. 

While change can sometimes be difficult, it can also be wonderful.  I was recently privileged enough to hear this touching story from one of my longer standing matches about the ways in which their match has changed over the years...

Quand les jumelages se terminent avec l'agence, nous essayons toujours d'avoir une rencontre de fermeture avec tous les individus qui font parti du jumelage.  Il y a beaucoup de réactions différentes de la part des participants, mais j'aperçois certaines réactions  qui sont plus remarquables que d'autres. Je me souviens d'une rencontre en particulier, que je n'oublierai jamais...

 

Our matches always start with what I call the "blind date" meeting, or the "Match meeting" as it is actually called.  The reason that I call it the "blind date meeting" is because this meeting is the first time that a potential Big and Little get to meet to decide if the other person has the potential to be a good and lasting friend.  The parallels between a match meeting and blind date are amazing to me...

As a Mentoring Coordinator with Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa (BBBSO), it is my pleasure to speak with many of our Littles on a regular basis.  There are many questions that we ask our Littles to make sure that they are happy in their match.  There have been a few answers to these questions that have really stuck with me….

After hearing about the Kids n' Kops program throughout my last eleven months here at BBBSO, I finally got a chance to participate in this fantastic program.  The experience definitely did not disappoint.  So what is Kids n' Kops you ask?  That's a great question.  The answer is...  

Everyday as Mentoring Coordinators get to hear about the wonderful things that are happening in our matches. I hear inspirational stories all the time, and this one is no exception. Today, I want to share with you a story of fear, courage, and rising to the challenge. It all started on a snowy day in November…..

Tous les jours chez les Grands Frères Grandes Sœurs d'Ottawa (GFGSO), nous voyons et entendons parler de l'influence qu'ont nos programmes et nos bénévoles dans la vie de jeunes au sein de notre communauté. C'est facile de constater lorsque nous nous entretenons avec nos Grands Frères qu'ils n'ont aucune idée de l'amplitude de l'effet et de l'importance qu'ils occupent dans la vie de leurs Petits Frères. Plusieurs Grands Frères se questionnent à savoir combien leur amitié aide et contribue à la vie d'un jeune qui peut avoir plusieurs autres amis. Que ce soit parce qu'ils sont humbles à propos de leur influence, ou encore parce qu'il est plus difficile pour eux de voir un changement notable dans la vie de leur Petits, souvent nos Grands ne se rendent pas compte de l'influence qu'ils ont véritablement sur la vie de leur Petits.