As part of Mentorship Month, Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland has launched an appeal to address the mentorship gap affecting over 2 million young Canadians.
Recent research has revealed that 54% of young adults wish they had a mentor, with Canadian women being less likely to have a formal mentor than their male counterparts. Big Sisters is on a mission to bridge the mentorship gap by calling on women aged 19 or older to commit to one year of mentorship in support of girls and youth in Delta, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond, and Surrey.
Women and girls face unique, gender-specific barriers.
Statistics show that young women aged 15 to 17 are twice as likely to be hospitalized for mental health concerns compared to boys of the same age.
According to research conducted by the University of British Columbia, one in 10 children in the Lower Mainland feel they do not have an adult in their life who cares about them. This lack of support contributes to a generation of young women entering a world of unconscious bias, harassment, and inequity.
Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland facilitates three unique mentorship programs (Big Sisters mentorship, Study Buddy mentorship, and Go Girls! Healthy Body Healthy Minds group mentorship) from their Vancouver office to help girls and youth connect with the mentors they need.
Chantelle Krish, CEO of Big Sisters, is calling for women to make a meaningful resolution for 2024 by committing to one year of mentorship.
“We are proud to offer a service and space that we feel is missing for many young people,” said Krish. “With your help, we can support self-identifying girls, non-binary, transgender, and gender-diverse youth in our community to reach their full potential.
“We have three unique and flexible programs that volunteers can join as mentors, developed to cater to the busy lives of women in the Lower Mainland. We are asking mentors to commit to one year of mentorship to help support girls and youth at this crucial stage.”
Get involved and learn more at: https://www.bigsisters.bc.ca/get-involved/.
