Galway Advertiser 2004/2004_02_19/GA_1902_E1_018.pdf 

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18 N E W S

Galway Advertiser

February 19 2004

NEWS

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FASHION

BEAUTY

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H E A LT H

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LIFE

MARY
Imagine you are 12-years-old. Your mum is chronically ill and your dad and older sister are busy caring for her in between going to work and school and looking after the house. You do your bit too but sometimes feel lonely. You wish you had an older sister or special friend to confide in and steer you in the right direction. Or maybe you are an only child who would benefit from the friendly guidance of a big brother, someone you could look up to, with whom you could share dreams and pastimes. The Big Brother Big Sister programme, which offers support to young people aged 10-18, does just that. A worlda year, she says. "The idea is that a friendship will develop and in turn reinforce the positive development of the young person. Simple activities that most matches do include watching a match, playing snooker, doing arts and crafts or just having a chat over ice cream or a cup of coffee." Volunteers come from various backgrounds and include business directors, security managers, youth workers, music teachers, housewives and computer consultants. "They are matched according to interests, hobbies and personalities. Training is provided for the volunteers and group activities are organised. For example, during the summer, they went to Petersburg Outdoor Adventure Centre where they took part in gorge walking, obstacles courses and volleyball. This was followed by a barbecue." Some 27 matches have been made since the project began 12 of these are now active. However more volunteers are needed, says Patty. More men are especially needed. Volunteers should be aged 18 to 65 years. The programme, which was set up here in March 2002,also operates inMayo and Roscommon. "Since it began, many successful matches have been made and many young people have benefited from their friendship with a positive adult." Becoming a Big Brother or Sister is simple, she says. "You only have to be willing to be a friend to a young person, share your life experiences and interests with them and have a bit of fun. It gives you the chance to give back to the community and meet new people. Most volunteers find it a rewarding experience and feel they get just as much out of it as the young person." Potential volunteers are carefully screened, trained, supervised and supported by professional staff to ensure the relationship will be enjoyable and safe for everyone.

O'CONNOR
Patrick's story
Patrick (29), a security manager who lives in Roscam, decided to become a Big Brother after reading an article in The Galway Advertiser seeking volunteers for the programme. He had heard about this world-wide project before and immediately contacted a friend of his in the Western Health Board to find out more. He has plenty of experience dealing with younger people, he coaches basketball, has been a cubmaster and has two younger sisters and a four-and-a-half year old son. "I've great time for young people and like the idea behind the BBBS programme. There is an indepth interview to ensure you are suitable and to help make a possible match. I was waiting about five to six months before I was matched up with my Little Brother. We've been together since the end of last May." They meet weekly, usually on a Saturday or Sunday, and spent from two to four hours together. "We go to the cinema quite a bit, we go bowling and he has come to basketball games I've been involved in. If he wants advice or a listening ear, I'm there for him. If he has tests at school, I get in touch to see how they were. A bond develops, you really become like a big brother. I look forward to meeting him." Patrick says he has gained a lot from the relationship. He has made a new friend and feels he is giving something back to the community. "There is a general feeling of wellbeing. The relationship gives me an insight into a new generation too. We learn from each other."

Finding a special friend

Volunteering as a Big Brother or Sister gives people a chance to share their life experiences, says Patty Boyle

Robert and Patrick have made friends through the Big Brother Big Sister programme.

wide mentoring initiative which began in America almost 100 years ago, it was introduced in this region as a pilot project by the youth development agency Foroige and the Western Health Board. Volunteering as a Big Brother or Sister gives people a chance to share their life experiences and interests with a young person, explains project coordinator Patty Boyle. Adult volunteers are matched to young people who are in need of extra support in the form of a positive role model. They commit to seeing the young person they are `matched' with once a week for

Wanted - Big Brothers and Sisters
Would you like to be a Big Brother or Sister? People volunteer for all sorts of reasons. Barry, a Big Brother, says he joined the project because he believed that "making a big difference to one person is more meaningful than making a little difference to a lot of people". Volunteers are the key to the success of the programme, explains Patty Boyle. "We couldn't exist without them. Some people join because it gives them an opportunity to give back to the community. Others because they would like to share their interests with a young person, have a bit of fun and stay young at heart She says it is important for volunteers to be committed and for the young people to be able to rely on them. "The qualities we look for are commitment and dependability as well as flexibility and openness." The BBBS programme runs special open nights at the gaf [health advice cafe in Francis Street] for the matches. "They can come in, play board games, cards, listen to the jukebox, bring an activity of their own in or just have a cuppa and a chat between themselves or with others. The matches really enjoy it. (We had one recently, five matches came in. They sat around drinking hot chocolate and playing card games. It is very laid back and is nice for them to meet up with others.) For further information, contact Patty Boyle at (091) 535375.

Robert's story
Robert is 15 and got involved with BBBS through Ballinfoile Youth Project. He has two older sisters and liked the idea of a bit of male company. His Big Brother is 35 and they hit it off immediately. They share a lot of interests, including soccer, cycling, swimming and going to the cinema. "I met him a year and a couple of months ago and we have become good friends. We have a lot in common, it's nice to have another fella to talk to. I can confide in him, get advice and have fun, too. It's good to have a new friend outside my own family." People commit to the matches for a year but Robert and his Big Brother intend to keep up their friendship.

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