Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winnipeg

LIVING UP TO A BIG TRADITION

Big Brothers got its start in the U.S. in 1903 when a group of men, concerned about a growing rate of delinquency among young boys in single-parent families, decided to help by forging a bond of friendship, trust and encouragement with these boys.

The movement caught on, and in 1911, Big Brothers was established in Canada. It wasn’t until 1969, however, that Big Brothers was founded in Winnipeg, and Big Sisters the following year. In 1997, the two organizations joined forces.

Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters is still about giving a small part of oneself to make a BIG difference in someone else’s life. It’s about sharing everyday activities, hanging out together and most of all, having fun.

OUR HISTORY

Effective September 1, 1997 the Big Sister Association of Winnipeg and Big Brothers Association of Winnipeg, originally incorporated in 1970 and 1969 respectively, decided to amalgamate to form the Big Sisters and Big Brothers Association of Winnipeg. In December of 2001, the agency name was changed to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winnipeg Inc.

We are a United Way agency, and receive some financial assistance from the Provincial Government, with donations and grants from various corporations and from independent donors. The Association also hosts its own annual fundraising events.

We are a member agency of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada, and must follow certain standards of program operation. These standards reflect the commitment of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and its member agencies to provide quality volunteer and professional services to children and youth.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

We believe in the life-changing impact that a mentor can have on a child.
We believe that rigorous screening; matching, monitoring, and training standards must always be maintained to ensure the safety of the children in our programs.
We believe that as a staff or a volunteer, we must be respectful, caring, and accountable in all that we do.
We believe that mentors, staff, and children in our programs should reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of our community and our commitment to the principle of inclusion.
We believe that the delivery of our services in the community will be strengthened by collaborative initiatives with other organizations sharing a commitment to our values.