Big Brother Big Sister, an internationally renowned mentoring programme that forms a friendship between an adult volunteer and a young person (10-18 yrs) who could benefit from extra support, is currently looking for volunteers from Co. Roscommon. Volunteers are adults from the community who are carefully screened and receive training before the friendship begins. They receive support and guidance from a staff member throughout the friendship. A staff member works closely with the volunteers to match them to a Little Brother/ Sister based on similar interests, hobbies and complementary personality traits. The staff member will also match the specific strengths and abilities of the volunteer to the identified needs of the young person. Once matched up, volunteers and young people are assigned a staff member who will maintain regular contact and support them throughout the life of their friendship. Volunteers and young people are asked to spend one or two hours a week together, with the initial commitment being for one year. Together, the volunteer and the young person decide on what type of activities they would like to do – go for coffee, play football, do arts and crafts, play computer games. They can even avail of a site base where a BBBS staff member will be present for a few hours a week. This enables the volunteer or young person to play pool, play board games or computer games whilst also having a professional present. We currently have a waiting list of young people waiting for mentors in the County of Roscommon and are looking to recruit adults who feel that they would be able to make a difference in a young person’s life by building a friendship whilst sharing interests. If you would like more information on the BBBS programme please call Siobhan Boughen on (094) 96 22952 or (086) 3880738.
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