VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
Please note: the completion of the application process does not guarantee a volunteer placement with Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Bay and District.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Bay and District is truly a worthwhile organization and we would like to thank you for your interest.
Please complete all portions of the Volunteer Application including: Reference Sheet (3 references) Request for Release of Information from your Doctor (if you do not have a family Doctor, please indicate this on the consent form.) Processing of your application will begin once we receive the completed documents. Please ensure that contact information for references is clearly printed in the application. In addition to providing contact numbers for your references, please indicate any available e-mail addresses for your references. It is the responsibility of the Volunteer to ensure proper consent from all possible references. As well as informing the reference that they will be contacted within a week of application submission.
In the case of the Vulnerable Sector Reference, please provide a reference(s) from someone you have worked with or volunteered with while being responsible for the well-being of children under the age of 18 or with vulnerable persons who, because of their age, a disability or other circumstances, are at greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person in a position of authority or trust. If you have no such experience in the Vulnerable Sector, an Employment reference will be sufficient.
You are responsible for providing a recent Police Record Check for yourself. This must include a Vulnerable Sector Check. Members of your household who are eighteen years or older are required to sign our Offense Declaration form. Ask us for a copy of this form if you have roommates over 18 years of age. Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Bay and District will not accept volunteers who have been charged with a criminal offense.
Once the requested materials are returned and considered favorable, we will contact you to schedule an interview. Following the interview, all volunteers are required to complete a Pre-Match Training session prior to volunteering. Please do not hesitate to contact our office should you have any questions regarding the application process or regarding any of the Big Brothers Big Sisters programs.
How it Works
How The Volunteering Process Works
The order of the steps in the application and assessment process can vary from agency to agency, but the following is a general overview of the process. You, the volunteer applicant:
- Completes an application with their local agency
- Submits a vulnerable sector check and three references
- Participates in a one-to-one interview with a staff member at the Big Brothers Big Sisters agency
- Depending on the program, may be asked to participate in an assessment of their home environment
- Successfully completes an orientation and child safety training
- Is notified of their acceptance/non-acceptance
- If accepted as a volunteer mentor, signs an agreement of confidentiality
The Matching Process
Similar to the application and assessment process, the matching process can vary from agency to agency and from program to program, but in general:
- The caseworker, now familiar with the volunteer and the children and youth waiting to be matched, discusses a potential match with the volunteer, the child or youth, and with the family
- The caseworker arranges for a meeting between the child or youth, the volunteer mentor, and the parent or guardian
If everyone agrees, the match can begin!