End the Wait!
Join the 20 Bigs in 20 Weeks Corporate Challenge
Make a measurable difference by joining the 20 Bigs in 20 Weeks Corporate Challenge!
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wood Buffalo is engaging businesses and organizations across Wood Buffalo to recruit mentors in order to give more young people the stable, one‑to‑one support they need through the life-changing power of mentorship.
This campaign also serves to ignite employee engagement through meaningful volunteer opportunities that build morale, leadership, and retention, and showcase your company’s CSR in action with a clear, time‑bound commitment and measurable results.
Our goal is to recruit and match 20 new volunteer mentors (Bigs) with mentees on our waitlist (Littles) between July 20 – December 6, 2026.
We currently have over 40 young people ages 6-17 on our waitlist, with some Littles waiting up to two years for a mentor due to a lack of volunteers. Your participation can change lives! Participating partners will be featured on our social media and website, including a weekly tally of referrals, finished applications, and matched volunteers.
About the Campaign
How To Participate
- Organizations sign up using the Partner Registration form.
- BBBS staff will connect with registered partners within 5 business days to confirm details and provide the partner toolkit.
- Campaign officially kicks off July 20th, however, partners are welcome to start recruiting prior to this date.
- Partners refer volunteers to the Mentor Application form.
- The number of referrals, finished applications and successful matches are updated weekly.
- Final numbers are announced in December 2026.
- Top 3 referring partners are invited to a Holiday Big & Little Meet & Greet.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY-BASED BIGS & LITTLES PROGRAM
Community-Based Bigs (mentors) and Littles (mentees) is our longest-running and most recognized program. It connects a young person (ages 6–17) with a caring adult who listens, cares, and shows up for them. The relationship between a Big and a Little is primarily a friendship built on trust, support, and shared experiences rather than a formal tutoring or counseling session.
The Big: An adult volunteer mentor who serves as a consistent, caring friend, guide, and positive role model to help a young person build self-confidence and ignite their potential.
The Little: A young person between the ages of 6 and 17 who faces adversity, needs additional adult support, or simply wants a reliable mentor in their life.
The Match: BBBSWB carefully pairs a Big and Little based on shared interests and personal backgrounds to ensure a long-lasting, meaningful friendship.
These mentoring matches meet out in the community, doing ordinary things that turn into something extraordinary. Think of it as spending quality time; going for a walk, grabbing ice cream, volunteering together, baking, making crafts, watching sports, attending events, or just hanging out and talking about life. Matches typically meet for a few hours, three to four times a month, and make a one-year commitment. Every interaction is building something bigger: confidence, resilience, and belonging.
- Mentored youth are twice more likely to feel happy, healthy, and confident.
- Mentored youth are 20% more likely to attend college, and earn 15% more across their careers.
- 94% of mentored youth have an enhanced sense of self-identity and self-worth, and feel more optimistic.
You don't need to be a teacher or social worker to be a Big. Our professional staff thoroughly vet, train, and support every volunteer and family. All Bigs undergo background checks, reference checks, and interviews. Our staff check in regularly with both the Little’s family and the Big to provide guidance, mediate the relationship, and ensure safety and mutual benefit.
"Loneliness is one of our greatest diseases. Mentoring is one of our strongest cures."
Big Sister (Wood Buffalo, 2025)
"I watched my Little grow through a really difficult time, and by the end of the program the change in him was undeniable.
We shared moments I’ll never forget, and doing things together gave him a sense of belonging in a community that truly cares."
Big Brother (Wood Buffalo, 2023)
"Mentoring reminds me to slow down, be present, and choose connection over loneliness."
Big Brother (Wood Buffalo, 2025)