Elementary school children get a leg up in school and their future thanks to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Victoria and Area鈥檚 In School Mentoring Program.
The program, funded this school year by the Victoria Foundation, has been created to meet the needs of children identified by educators as vulnerable.
The program, established in 1998, is one of the oldest offered by Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Victoria. It serves 133 children from kindergarten to Grade 5 enrolled in eight local elementary schools.
Within the program, children are matched with a mentor who visits them weekly.
The mentoring relationships support social development and improve the academic odds for children challenged by multiple adversities.
鈥淭hese are children who generally struggle socially,鈥� said Rhonda Brown, executive director of the Victoria chapter of the non-profit federation. 鈥淪pending time each week with the child typically ignites a passion for learning, leading to a significant change in school work.鈥�
She said mentoring often results in children at risk gaining confidence, allowing them to learn valuable skills that will help them cope and build resilience.
鈥淭he mentor and child often build relationships, so that when the child are presented with decisions 鈥� on drugs or alcohol, for example 鈥� they are informed and know they can call an adult [their mentor] before they make choices,鈥� said Brown.
The mentoring program adds to preventative services in the community by providing early intervention and supporting the healthy development of children.
Educators sing praises of the program鈥檚 success after seeing the difference a mentor can make.
鈥淲e have been very fortunate to have several school partners in the community and program continues to grow,鈥� Brown said.
She added that Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the Victoria area has helped more than 2,000聽children build resilience and confidence before they move on to middle school.
Mentors typically are university-aged or retirees of all backgrounds. They undergo background screening, a lengthily interview process and training. They are matched to children by shared interests. They are required to commit for at least one year, but many stay longer, with relationships lasting three and a half years.
Even after the mentoring, many stay in touch, with stories of 40-year-old lifetime relationships not uncommon.
鈥淭here is an incredible need 鈥� and the payback is the huge impact you can have in a child鈥檚 life.鈥�
For more information, go to bbbsvictoria.com.
鈥� Pedro Arrais
