News

Hanne Madsen became the Executive Director of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland in April 2018. A strong advocate for women, Hanne is dedicated to championing girls’ potential in her leadership of the talented Big Sisters team.  Throughout her career, Hanne has been unwavering in her support and promotion of women’s causes. Whether it’s as the co-owner of a successful transportation business for 24 years, a passionate facilitator for Junior Achievement, a Chair or Director on multiple Boards (including GroYourBiz—a peer to peer advisory board for women business owners and entrepreneurs), or an organizing committee member for Women as a Catalyst for Growth economic forums and the inaugural WeForShe conference, Hanne truly leads by example. And, this perseverance does not go unnoticed […]

As humans, inter-personal conflict is inevitable. However, in our schools, if not dealt with properly, conflict often turns into bullying or isolation. Learning how to resolve conflict is essential to building strong friendships and resiliency to face other challenges in life, but, not all children learn healthy ways to deal with conflict. For some children, conflict is a common occurrence in their home life and for others, they don’t have a trusted adult to teach and role model healthy behaviours. Often children don’t feel comfortable confiding in their teacher or parent. Mentors in the Go Girls! program build trust with participants and give them a safe place to express their thoughts and emotions. Middle school students, Malina and Ruby, were […]

Did you know it’s National Volunteer Week?! We want to celebrate by sending a huge thank you to our many dedicated and generous volunteers. In 2017, our volunteers contributed over 51,500 hours. That’s the equivalent of almost six years… or the same amount of time it takes a spacecraft to reach Jupiter! Just putting it into perspective. We’re proud to report that our generous supporters helped us recruit and train a pool of dedicated and engaged volunteers who stay involved with our agency beyond the minimum commitment. The majority of our volunteers stay engaged with us for more than two years. And, we’re optimistic that there are many volunteers in their first year of involvement who, in 2018, we can […]

Guess what! We decided to open the GrapeJuice silent auction for online bidding prior to the event this year, and bidding is now open at www.bigsistersgrapejuice.com. Get a head start by browsing the items and registering prior to the event. The online auction will close at 7:45 pm on Thursday, April 26th, 2018. START BIDDING How to Use the Givergy Mobile Platform 1. View the Auction Site Enter the auction URL in your smart phone’s browser or click the link in the SMS you receive. 2. The Lot List Start by having a look through the auction items. For more info and an image of each item simply tap the lot item. 3. Place your Bid Enter the amount you want to […]

Presented by Capital Direct Income Trust and founded by McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group and MLA Canada, GrapeJuice is an annual wine auction fundraiser in support of our mentoring programs. Since its inception, GrapeJuice has raised over $700,000. Held on Thursday, April 26 at Aston Martin Vancouver and Bentley Vancouver, you wont’ want to miss this exciting event. Here’s why. 1 – Wine Silent Auction Bid on your favourite rare wine finds from around the world. We’re talking exclusive, delicious, and unique wines to add to your collection. We also rely on your generous wine auction donations. (Here are the instructions.) 2 – Wine Tasting Stations Sip on some of the best wines in the city. It’s included in the purchase of your ticket […]

Presented by Capital Direct Income Trust and founded by McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group and MLA Canada, GrapeJuice is an annual wine auction fundraiser in support of our mentoring programs. Since its inception, GrapeJuice has raised over $700,000. Held on Thursday, April 26 at Aston Martin Vancouver and Bentley Vancouver, you can help us raise funds by donating some wine. It’s easy! Instructions for Donating Wine to GrapeJuice Open this link – https://newdistrict.ca/?promo=grapejuice Click button that says ‘BUY AND DONATE TO GRAPEJUICE NOW’ Add wines to cart that you’d like to purchase and donate When shopping is complete, select ‘Go to cart’, and then ‘Proceed to checkout’ What to do in Checkout Shipping Method: Select ‘In-Store Pickup’ (Wine will be consolidated at […]

When you join the Big Sisters Legacy Circle and leave a gift in your Will, you ensure the continuation of our life-changing mentorship programs. It is an opportunity to give young, vulnerable girls a hand up and help them reach their fullest potential. We chatted with one of our legacy givers, Carmen Thériault, about why she left a gift in her Will for Big Sisters. Carmen is a former Big Sister, an active member of our Honourary Advisory Board, last year’s Big Heart Award winner, and has been a long-time supporter of our organization. In 2015, she took on the task of building our Planned Giving Advisory Council, and has provided outstanding leadership in creating a culture of Planned Giving at Big Sisters. Here’s what […]

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day and now, more than ever, it’s time to #PressForProgress of gender parity. It’s a tough world for girls. Did you know that 50 percent of girls wish they were someone else, not to mention that girls’ self-esteem peaks at age nine.  Mentoring is a powerful way to help change these statistics. We know that 93 percent of girls in our program feel better about themselves since having a Big Sister. And, that impact lasts a lifetime. Research shows that 96 percent of adults who had a mentor as a child say they are happy and 92 percent feel confident. Set young girls up for a strong sense of self and on the path to reach […]

Today is Pink Shirt Day. Over the month of February, and throughout the year, CKNW Children’s Charities’ Pink Shirt Day aims to raise awareness of these issues, as well as raise funds to support programs that foster children’s healthy self-esteem. Since 2008, net proceeds of over $1.8 million have been distributed to support youth anti-bullying programs in British Columbia and throughout Western Canada. In 2017 alone, Pink Shirt Day was able to support programs that impacted more than 59,300 youth and children. As past beneficiaries, we are so grateful for the movement Pink Shirt Day has started. “I had no one to play with because sometimes my friends don’t let me play with them. Now that I have a Big Sister, I don’t feel sad […]

The experience of being bullied can feel isolating, scary, and cause serious harm. You are not alone. At least 1 in 3 Canadian students have reported being bullied (cite). That could include 10 students in a single classroom. In this post, you will find 10 tips to use if you or someone you know are being bullied. Choose which ones work best for you. Start with yourself 1. Understand that it is not your fault You deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. It is never okay for someone to bully you. 2. Practice self-care Do something to take care of yourself, especially if you are feeling down. Write in a journal, read a book you love, chat with […]