Volunteer Code of Conduct

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children and youth with safe, quality mentoring relationships with volunteer mentors. Serving as role models, Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors teach by example the importance of giving and giving back, of staying in school, and of having respect for family, peers and community. As a mentor, you share with your mentee, their parents/guardians, the Big Brother Big Sister Agency, and (in certain programs) partnering site-based staff, a commitment to fostering a safe, enjoyable, meaningful, and healthy mentoring relationship by observing the following code of conduct:

 Mentors agree to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with their position as a positive role model to a child/youth, and as a representative of the Agency.
 Mentors will follow Agency policy and guidelines around the safety of their mentee as outlined in the Pre-Match Training Program.
 Mentors agree to respect the privacy and dignity of their mentee and family by not divulging confidential information without consent, except where required by law as in the case of suspected child abuse.
 Mentors agree to honour the commitment of spending time together on a regular basis, yet agree to limit their involvement in their mentee’s life to what is deemed appropriate by the Agency. Mentors are seen as an influence, not a dominant factor, in their mentee’s life.
 Mentors will establish boundaries with both their mentee and their mentee’s parent/guardian. Mentors understand it is not their role to provide support to the parent/guardian, but will respect the family’s boundaries and approach.
 The mentor-mentee relationship is based on mutual respect. Mentors agree to treat the Mentee and their family in a respectful way at all times.
 Mentors agree to allow their mentee to develop their friendship at their own pace.
 Mentors agree to participate in regular support meetings to discuss the match relationship and to commit to a mandatory match monitoring schedule to ensure the match is safe and healthy; to ensure their mentee derives the most benefit possible from the mentoring friendship; and to ensure both mentee and mentor are feeling valued and supported in the match.
 Mentors agree to notify the agency of any changes of circumstances (living situation, change of address, phone number, etc.)
 Mentors agree to connect with program staff to formally close the match. Spending time to close the match in a positive way is essential and is empowering for the mentee. Mentors understand it is imperative, for the well-being of the mentee, to take the time to work with program staff on a positive closure that celebrates the accomplishments of the match relationship.