The Alberta Mentoring Partnership and Big Brothers and Sisters of Canada have teamed up for a month long initiative to recognize mentors across the country.
Director of Service Delivery for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Lloydminster Jacqueline Weed says this month has been a recruitment one for them and a day to thank somebody who has made a difference in their life.
“Mentors come in all shapes and sizes they don’t necessarily have, it doesn’t have to be a formal mentor through our organization or another organization. We’ve all had people that have had an impact on us.”
The association has about four mentorship programs they offer including the Match Program and In School mentoring. Weed says the mentoring programs have a huge impact on the community.
“It improves self esteem, it improves self confidence, it makes them look forward to things. They get to explore new opportunities, which might open up a whole new world of career choices, you know just goals that they can set and things like that.”
There are 47 current Big Brothers and Big Sisters matches and 33 kids on the waiting list.