Roughly 1,000 young people across Atlantic Canada are on Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) waitlists, according to the non-profit. Around two-thirds of those waiting are boys, and they could be left without a match for up to 20 months. The reason, BBBS says, “there aren’t enough male-identifying volunteers signing up.” So, 12 BBBS agencies across the Atlantic provinces are pooling their resources in a region-wide campaign aimed at drawing in male volunteers, according to a news release issued on Wednesday. The group says it’s something they seldom do. Their campaign, called “Start Small,” emphasizes the impact that can be made with even a little bit of time. “There are 168 hours in a week. The campaign asks male-identifying volunteers to give one of them to a kid in their community,” the release reads. Willem, a Big Brother quoted in the release, says he’s glad he took the leap to volunteer. “It’s a small commitment to have fun doing things like grabbing an ice cream or going to sports games while feeling the reward of having a positive impact,” he says. The organization says Little Brothers often benefit through these connections with higher grades and stronger visions for their futures. “Every one of our agencies in Atlantic Canada has boys who’ve been waiting too long for a mentor,” says Shelda Cochrane, executive director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Halifax. “It’s not a big ask. We’re asking for an hour a week, and that hour can have such a positive impact on a kid’s life.”
