Stefan Malloch was just three or four-years-old when he was matched with a volunteer grandparent through Big Brothers Big Sisters.  It was such a positive experience that now, many years later, they still stay in touch and Malloch visits his “volunteer grandma” at a care home in Vancouver.

Malloch, a salesperson with Sutton Group – Seafair Realty in Ladner, B.C., decided to pay it forward by becoming a Big Brother.  He highly recommends this special mentoring experience.

“My ‘little brother’ is 10-years-old and enjoys the outdoors and sports. We do all sorts of stuff: hikes, movies, fishing, going to the beach. It’s a lot of fun,” says Malloch, who has volunteered with the boy since the child was six.

Children typically join the program because they are looking for extra adult interaction and support.  Initially, Malloch volunteered every two weeks, but now that the Grade 6 boy has more school commitments, they get together once a month.

“The most rewarding aspect of this experience is seeing him grow and learn. Just being there to teach him some things or help him through a tough time. It’s nice to see a child evolve and grow especially since I don’t have kids of my own yet,” he says.

Currently over 42,000 children are matched with volunteers in their mentoring programs.