Steps to Becoming a Mentor

You can complete these steps in any order – please don’t wait to finish one step before starting the next.

It can take up to 12 weeks to process your application.  This depends on a number of factors including the return of your Criminal Record Check and responses from referees. Once your application is approved, the matching process can also take several weeks depending upon the program you have selected. Please keep this in mind when considering your program choice.

You are encouraged to call to check on the status of your application or discuss any question(s) you might have.

Thank you again for thinking about being a mentor. We look forward to helping you through this exciting time!

1. Pre-Application Check

Use the following checklists to ensure that you meet all the criteria for each volunteering opportunity before submitting your Application Package.

2. Submit your Application Package

Your application package includes an application form along with a Volunteer Permission and Release form, Media Consent form, Code of Contact Agreement and Confidentiality Policy Agreement.  It also asks you to share contact details for the people who will provide references for you.

We first contact your reference providers by email. This allows them to reply at their own convenience and provide in-depth, thoughtful answers. Please let your reference providers know that you are listing them prior to submitting your application. You will need to provide:

• • 1 personal reference (Required by everyone);
  • 1 partner/family reference (Required by everyone);
  • 1 teacher reference (Required by those aged 14 to 18) or 1 employer reference (Required by those aged 19 and above); and
  • 1 vulnerable sector reference (Required by everyone who has provided paid or unpaid care/services for children, seniors, or people with disabilities in the last five years)

3. Schedule your Two Training Sessions

• Strong from the Start Pre-match Training
• Developmental Relationships Pre-match Training Developmental Relationship Training

Join with other volunteers over Zoom to learn about our programs and what it’s like to be a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  Then learn how to build a Developmental Relationship with your mentee. Both training sessions must be completed before you can become a mentor but you can complete them in any order.

If none of the scheduled training dates listed on Event-brite work for you, or you’d prefer to complete training in another format, please speak with our Volunteer Intake Coordinator to make alternate arrangements.

4. Request a Vulnerable Sector/Criminal Record Check

We will provide you with a link through which you can apply online for a CRC. All you need to have is a BC Services Card. If you don’t have a Services card, let us know and we can provide you with the information to get the check done in person. We provide you with a letter to take into your local police station requesting that a Criminal Record/Vulnerable Sector Check be completed at no cost to you.

It can take many weeks for your Vulnerable Sector Check to be completed, so please don’t wait to submit your request.

5. Participate in a one-on-one Interview

Interviews provide in-depth background information about you and allow you to discuss questions, concerns or expectations in a one-on-one environment. We will schedule your interview once we have heard back from two of your references. Interviews are held currently being held online through Zoom or Microsoft Teams but please let us know if you’d rather complete this step in person. Community mentors who may be driving with a mentee in their vehicle are asked to show agency staff their driver’s license and proof of insurance.

• Interviews will Teen Mentors take approximately 45 minutes.
• Interviews with Adult Mentors take approximately 90 minutes.

6. Complete additional training (as required)                                             

B You and Big Steps to Success mentors also complete facilitator training that takes several hours. This will be scheduled prior to each new program session.

7. Receive your Notice of Screening results

Congratulations on completing your training! Once your application screening is complete, your file is reviewed by our Volunteer Intake Coordinator. Our decision regarding your acceptance as a volunteer will be e-mailed to you.

8. Start your match

BBBS staff determine which child on our waitlist is most likely to have a successful mentoring relationship with you, based on shared interests, location and activities, among other factors. You will be given information about that child and a time will be set for you to meet them. Community-based mentors also meet with the child’s parent/guardian before being introduced to the child.  Everyone signs a match agreement contract and the match begins.

Frequently Asked Questions