In 2018, single-mother Ana was worried about her teenage son Edward. He wasn’t connecting well with his high school peers and was becoming increasingly isolated. After hearing about Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ana was hopeful that our mentoring programs would help her son, and Edward was added to our waitlist.
In 2020, Scott, born and raised in Guelph, moved to London to further his career in animal pharmaceutical sales. Scott didn’t have many connections in London, and the pandemic made it even more difficult to explore his new hometown.
After speaking with friends who were familiar with our programs, Scott took a leap of faith and signed up to become a Big Brother. In November 2020, he was matched with then 17-year-old Edward.
Scott’s outgoing personality turned out to be the perfect match for introspective Edward. And even though the pair had to meet initially over video due to the pandemic, they quickly bonded over a mutual love of video games.
Once Scott and Edward were able to meet in-person their bond only grew; not surprisingly, their first in-person meeting was playing video games at Scott’s house. Initially quiet Edward became increasingly talkative and open with Scott over the course of their visits.
In just a few short months, Edward’s home life transformed as well. Edward will say that his weekly visits with Scott have helped to build his confidence and reignite his enthusiasm to be with people again. He is happily spending more time with his mom and extended family.
As for Scott, he’s quick to say, “I get a lot out of it too. The personal reward is huge.” Scott is honoured by the valuable place he has been given in Ana and Edward’s lives. Ana knows Scott will look out for Edward like a “real big brother” (which happened to recently include helping Edward fine-tune his resume).
The benefits have truly worked both ways. While Edward has been thrilled to show Scott around London, Scott’s told him, “If I ever get lost I can call you.” And now, if Edward ever feels lost again, he can call Scott too.