The following Opinion piece recently featured in Cork Independent and was written By Foróige staff member Brenda Keating. Brenda is a Project Officer for Foróige’s Big Brother Big Sister programme in Cork.
"I’m going to college – something I thought I’d never do – all because of my ‘Big Sister’. She’s changed my life."
Can an hour or two a week really change someone’s life? Maybe it’s all about the little things.
Big Brother Big Sister is an internationally recognised youth mentoring programme that forms supportive friendships for young people inspiring them to brighter futures. The programme is operated by Foróige in Ireland. We match an adult with a young person who could benefit from having a supportive adult in their lives. Male & female volunteers are currently being sought in the following areas: Mayo, Roscommon (Castlerea/Ballaghaderreen), Cork, Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin (Finglas and Balbriggan). Male volunteers are sought in Galway, Tipperary, Sligo, North Donegal, Westmeath and Offaly. Please complete our Volunteer Enquiry Form if you feel this is something you would be interested in doing!
Every Monday throughout February, Big Brother Big Sister in Mayo is organising a series of fun workshops for young people and volunteers aimed at promoting positive mental health and encouraging positive peer influence. The workshops will be facilitated by professionals in their respective fields. In preparation for the workshops, we encourage all matches to have 3 questions ready for the experts! All matches are invited to attend and the workshops are tailored to both boys and girls.
Foróige's Big Brother Big Sister youth mentoring programme and Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship programme have been awarded a grant from the Tony Ryan Trust through the Community Foundation for Ireland . The purpose of the grant is to support children and young people in Tipperary to reach their full potential.
Big Brother Big Sister youth mentoring programme gives vulnerable teenagers a stronger chance to succeed in life. Foróige, Ireland’s leading youth organisation, is today calling on the Government to save its youth mentoring programme, Big Brother Big Sister, from virtual closure.
A group of students in St. Jarlath’s College, Tuam have been awarded with certificates to recognise their participation in the Big Brother Big Sister School Programme. Andrea Gallagher the Big Brother Big Sister Project Officer in Galway presented the certificates and the young people then went to an indoor sports and games centre followed by the Eye Cinema as a treat!
