GIVING MENTORING AN EARLY START Five matches and their families, from two of our programs, joined us on a chilly November day in a cozy Gastown studio in downtown Vancouver. It was a fun-filled event where we, Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver (BBGV) staff, got to meet our Littles, Bigs and their families while they in turn got to meet and mingled with each other! Throughout the day, the two girls couldn’t contain their joy. They continually filled the room their contagious giggling and ear-to-ear smiles. Typically in their virtual one-on-one sessions, Cora and Gisele love playing word puzzle games and drawing magical creatures, but on this day the two stepped into their modeling shoes and took the stage. Though only a teenager herself, Gisele is already no stranger to giving back to her community. She first began volunteering in our Teen Mentoring program three-years-ago after hearing great things about it from older peers in school who previously took part in the Teen Mentoring program.
For one match in particular this was an extra-special day. Little, Cora, and her Big, Gisele, are from our Teen Mentoring program have been matched for two years. “We’ve been meeting virtually and this is our first time meeting in-person,” Gisele said. It was an exciting moment for the two girls to meet for the very first time face-to-face. The pair naturally stepped right into playing with our blue and yellow balloons like they were long-time siblings reuniting at a family reunion.
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BIG BROTHERS OF GREATER VANCOUVER | ANNUAL REPORT - FISCAL 2022
The experience Gisele had mentoring was even more positive than she had initially anticipated. “It was a really, really good program and I really enjoyed my first year,” she said, adding it motivated her to continue in the program in the following year with another mentee. “That’s how I got matched with Cora in the second year. Overall, I have to say it has been such a memorable experience because I have learned a lot,” Gisele said. “You learn new lessons along the way in terms of communicating, having fun, and respecting and listening to each other.”
