Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver has a new advertising campaign that aims to prove we all have time to be a kid’s mentor.
How?
It lets you experience the time commitment required to be a Big Brother by putting a sample volunteer schedule into your personal calendar.
More kids than ever are in need of a Big Brother as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused children’s helplines to receive up to 350% more calls from kids experiencing anxiety and mental health concerns.
That has led to a wait time of 12 months in Burnaby to get a Big Brother.
The objective of the ads, located on the high traffic corners of Cambie & 7th and Commercial & Broadway, is to make Vancouverites aware of how accessible the Big Brothers Mentorship Program is and how just a little of their time can have a big impact on a child’s life, says the organization.
Over 100 children are waiting for a Big Brother right now.
“On top of the growing need for volunteers, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused increased strain on children,” said a news release.
One in four kids says their friendships have been negatively affected by stay-at-home orders, and loneliness was the third most-used word by kids between the ages of 10 and 17 when describing how they’ve felt in recent weeks
“The sample schedule gives people a sense of the time commitment, and lets them see how easy it would be to fit mentorship into their lives,” said Mandy Wong, manager, development and marketing at Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. “We want to have a fun and cheeky campaign, yet be sincere as we show people they could be spending their time in a fulfilling way by being a kid’s role model through our Big Brothers Mentorship Program.”
