Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara are thrilled to be bringing back the Student Parent Mentoring Program (SPMP) – this time bigger and better than ever! Thanks to the Branscombe Family Foundation committing $89,012 in funding over a three-year time frame, Big Brothers Big Sisters will be able to bring back this vital program after having to pause it during the pandemic.
The Student Parent Mentoring Program has a similar premise to the organization’s other traditional mentoring programs; however, this program will match volunteer mentors with young student parents between the ages of 15 and 23.
One of the original volunteer mentors of SPMP shared, “Mentoring a Student Parent has been rewarding, humbling and fun for me. Never could I have imagined my investment of time and conversation could be so impactful. I have been able to see the transformation of a young parent into a strong, independent woman and mother.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters hopes to recruit 12 adult mentors within the first year of the program. Initially the program will be rolled out in the communities of Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, Welland, Port Colborne, Wainfleet and Pelham.
“We are very excited about this program and its return. From our previous experience with SPMP, we saw that it not only positively impacted the lives of the Student Parent, but also that of their child as well,” says Sarah Ludberg of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara. “By giving a leg up to the Student Parent, we truly believe we will be able to make a multi-generational impact and help more young people realize their full potential.”
“The great thing about this program is that it represents a collaboration between many organizations providing crucial programs in our community and working together for the betterment of youth,” says Erin Graybiel, Executive Director of BBBS of Niagara.
When the program was initially piloted back in 2017, the Student Parent Mentoring Program was a partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters and Strive Niagara. With its return, the program is now open to all community agencies to make client referrals. Self-referrals by Student Parents are also welcome.
There will be an information session at the Welland Public Library on East Main March 8th from 10 am to 2 pm. The session will be informal and offered on a drop-in basis for both individuals looking to become a volunteer mentor and for student parents looking to register for this program. Come by to ask questions and learn more!
About Branscombe Family Foundation
The Branscombe Family Foundation is a private charitable organization located in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Founded in 1977 by Frank and Mildred Branscombe, its current objectives are to promote higher education for students graduating from secondary schools and to assist in the improvement of the quality of health care and selected social programs in The Regional Municipality of Niagara.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara
For 85 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been making a meaningful difference in the lives of youth ages 6 to 18 through our mentoring programs in Niagara. For both Big and Little, the mentoring experience becomes a life-changing relationship built on friendship, empowerment, and trust. Support from a caring adult mentor enables youth to experience essential developmental relationships, which help them to develop into healthy young people better able to deal with and overcome life’s adversities. Youth with mentors are more likely to graduate from high school, go to university, secure full time employment and have on average higher incomes.
