For Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Montreal, the main programs that have been developed in recent years have focused on expanding their youth mentoring services focused on social inclusion and diversity.

Read our press release.

Why inclusion?

Very few young people from marginalized communities have access to positive role models in their own communities (people directly present in their environment such as family members or teachers). In order to offer this meaningful presence to young people from the various communities of Montreal, we have successfully implemented three new mentoring programs adapted to young people from the Black, Aboriginal and LGBTQ2+ communities, the latter having recently been launched in March 2019.

« Social inclusion is often the key to ensuring that young people feel comfortable in their environment and develop in a harmonious way. Thus, to support young people from diverse communities or socio-economic situations, we must adapt our mentoring programs to their needs. Thanks to the collaboration of other community organizations, including Native Montreal, GRIS – Montreal, L’Astérisk, Interligne and the Coalition des familles LGBT, mentors and specialized resources are well trained to meet the specific needs of these young people, » said Maxime Bergeron Laurencelle, Executive Director of the Greater Montreal BBBS Agency.

In addition to building a close relationship between a mentor and a mentee who share common interests, each program aims to increase youth autonomy and reduce vulnerability, increase educational attainment, help youth define and strengthen their personal identity, expose them to an appropriate cultural model and ensure that they develop appropriate personal and social skills.

New programs on the horizon

We wish to offer its services to as many young people as possible in the Montreal, North Shore and South Shore regions. Currently, BBBSGM is collaborating with the Fondation du Centre jeunesse de Montréal to develop a new mentoring program for in-care youth.