The young people who benefit the most from participating in KidStart are those that experience difficulties in their lives. They may do poorly at school, associate with the wrong crowd, draw the attention of the police, exhibit negative attitudes and be uncommunicative or susceptible to exploitation.
Our volunteers are recruited, screened, trained and supported by a team of skilled Coordinators of Volunteers. The goal of our volunteers is to develop a positive relationship with the youth and engage kids one-to-one in activities that promote success and achievement.
Research provides evidence that caring relationships between responsible adults and youth yield a wide range of tangible benefits. The most notable results are the reduced effect on drug and alcohol use, and the overall positive effects on academic performance that the mentoring experience produced.
(Public/Private Ventures, 1995, November, p. iv).
Volunteer kid coaches encourage young people to develop their own interests, support learning & skill-building and open doors for them to participate in community life. They model positive attitudes and values and are culturally diverse. Most importantly, they are honest, flexible, creative, patient, consistent, and reliable and spend time developing a trusting friendship. KidStart relationships are open ended and many remain active for years.
“To see the young person you’re matched with expand and grow because they’ve had someone stable to guide them…to see them grow into responsible, caring people that contribute to society, it’s a rewarding experience.”
10 year KidStart Volunteer, Ken Story, recipient of Volunteer BC honourable mention for Volunteer of the Year.
