BOURNE — Remote and hybrid work schedules are hampering mentoring efforts by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands.
The shift away from in-office work has led to dramatic declines in the number of volunteers available to mentor Bourne elementary and middle school children, according to Deb Martin, community engagement coordinator with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS).
Prior to the pandemic, 40 children in Bourne Public Schools enjoyed school-based mentoring initiatives. This year, that number stands at five. Shifts in workforce culture among the Cape’s top employers are responsible, Martin said.
In some cases, more than 50% of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ workforce are off-Cape, a shift that has increased the challenge of recruiting volunteers, Martin said.
In 1974, an informal group of volunteers began mentoring six disadvantaged youth on Cape Cod and subsequently organized the Cape Cod & the Islands organization. Now, a division of the Boston-based Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts Inc., it serves 335 children on Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard via three programs, according to the nonprofit’s website.
The one-on-one mentoring program takes place once a week in the Bourne Intermediate Schools or the Bourne Middle School. Both male and female volunteers are needed for the program, though male volunteers are the agency’s No. 1 need due to the considerable number of referred boys.
Adults are asked to make one-year commitments to the program, which is not held during school and summer vacations. Mentoring sessions are typically unstructured, last 45 minutes to one hour, and can consist of a range of activities, including conversation and games.
“The purpose is to provide a child with a stable adult mentor,” Martin said.
The nonprofit is reaching out to the community, including recently retired residents who may have moved to Bourne. It plans to host an information session from 11:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday at the Bourne Public Library.
A Zoom option is available for those who can’t attend. For more information, contact Martin at 508-827-8176 or dmartin@capebigs.org
The Eventbrite evite is at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bourne-school-based-mentor-info-session-tickets-470141855947.
Contact Denise Coffey at dcoffey@capecodonline.com.
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