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STAFF at Big Brothers Big Sisters Ballarat are calling out for people to put their hand up to be paired with a young person looking for a friend.<\/p>\n
With 55 children on the waitlist for the one-on-one program, BBBS mentoring coordinator Jodie Downey said signing can be a rewarding experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happens when the young person realises this person is showing up for them and they\u2019re not being paid is a friendship occurs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everyone understands the simplicity and power of having a friend and what that can do for a young person struggling with various issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s someone who\u2019s not part of their world coming in who can teach them new experiences and the young people conversely can do the same for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can take up to 40 days for our incoming mentors to be screened. It\u2019s two interviews, reference checks, police and working with children checks, home visits, and online and face-to-face training.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having moved to Ballarat two years ago from Melbourne, Des Strydom is one of 12 matched mentors as part of the local BBBS program.<\/p>\n
Six months ago he was paired with mentee Casey, and Mr Strydom said his involvement in the initiative has brought him closer to his new community and forged a genuine connection.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting to explore the city has been great and being with Casey kind of gives us both the confidence to go places and speak to people and generally interact with other families,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCasey and I spend between 90 minutes and three hours every week together every Saturday morning and we do a variety of things and activities. It\u2019s the favourite part of my week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Casey said he looks forward to his mentor time every weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like I\u2019ve been waiting four years for this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really like spending time with Des. We\u2019ve done things like gone to the arcade, bowling, we get bargains at garage sales, we\u2019ve been to the beach. It\u2019s been good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Casey\u2019s mother Nikki Rogers said having Mr Strydom in her son\u2019s life has had a positive impact on him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always lights up when he sees him,\u201d she said. \u201cHe always gets excited every weekend when Des shows up.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s wanted a big brother for so long and he\u2019s voiced wanting that sort of sibling relationship since he was five years old. It\u2019s someone he can confide in. He really conforms himself around Des.\u201d<\/p>\n
To express interest in becoming a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters, visit the organisation\u2019s website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
STAFF at Big Brothers Big Sisters Ballarat are calling out for people to put their hand up to be paired with a young person looking for a friend. With 55 children on the waitlist for the one-on-one program, BBBS mentoring coordinator Jodie Downey said signing can be a rewarding experience. \u201cWhat happens when the […]<\/p>\n