Boys to Men, Rites of Passage, Mentoring

	Men of Honour: What does it mean to be a man in the 21st century? Click here for ABC National Broadcast
Glen Gerreyn - Author of Men of Honour	What does it mean to be a 'real man'? What is real, anyway and how are the qualities of masculinity passed on between generations in a world where fathers are working longer, divorce rates are on the rise and male role models can be hard to find. Author and former elite athlete Glen Gerreyn says that we need a 'renaissance in masculinity'. What does he mean by that?

Men of Honour: A Young Man's Guide to Exercise, Nutrition, Money, Drugs, Alcohol, Sex,
Pornography and Masturbation.

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“BIG BROTHER”

“All men start out as boys, and they need good men within their reach. It’s a need that is going unmet for many young people in WA.

It’s not that they’re not out there. There’s a host of good men putting up their hands to volunteer their time, and they want to be part of recognised, reputable programs where they get good training, support and encouragement to do a great job.

These guys are “Big Brothers”, and they are making a big difference to boys aged 7-17 years old through participation in YMCA Perth’s Big Brothers Big Sisters program. They spend time with a young person in a flexible, supportive friendship that allows space for interests to develop and trust to grow, and they know that they are backed by experienced and professional staff.

“Bigs” come from all walks of life, from truck drivers and construction workers to engineers and artists. However, the decision to volunteer is a personal one, and research conducted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Melbourne indicated that for men, this decision is often influenced (or suggested) by a woman who is close to them. Participation by our Bigs in the program is fun, challenging, rewarding and has many opportunities for enjoyment, satisfaction and personal growth. If there is a man in your life who you think would make a great Big Brother, tell him!

Our “Littles” also have diverse reasons for joining the program, but 85% are living in single parent homes and all are experiencing some form of social isolation. The Perth program has over 50 current active ‘matches’, and an Alumni based on ten years of past program participants. With an international history spanning over 100 years in 13 countries, the program is recognised as a leader in youth mentoring.

We are always interested in new volunteers or referrals; however we do have a waiting list in some areas. To find out more about becoming a Big Brother, or to enquire about referring a young person to the program, click on the attachment below or call us on (08) 9227 0479.”

Donna Hamilton
Mentoring Program Manager
YMCA of Perth Inc
YMCA HQ 60a Frame Court
LEEDERVILLE WA 6007
Ph: (08) 9227 0479
Fax: (08) 9328 3053
Mob: 0407 005 236
Website: www.ymcaperth.org.au

Click here for Big Brother Mentor brochure
Click here for Big Brother A4 Poster

A BIG BROTHER STORY
Jack is a seven year old boy living with his mother and younger brother. He LOVES lego (he even moved into his brother’s bedroom so he could turn his into a lego room), building things and “going on adventures”. However since his Dad passed away last year Jack has suffered from grief and struggled at school.

Michael is an engineer in his late 20’s who lives and works in the city. His family moved around a lot when he was growing up so he has a lot of experience in making new friends. With his family now living all over Australia, Michael misses his younger nephews and was looking to give back to the local community.

With his engineering skills we thought Michael would be a great match for lego-loving Jack and his interest in sports would help to burn up some of Jack’s seemingly never-ending energy. Since their first outing to the local park, they have been swimming at the local pool and to the beach to play in the playground followed by fish and chips. Their next big event is diving in to the YMCA Swimathon – Jack has nominated to swim 50 metres and Michael 1000 metres. They’re both in training, and fundraising for the program at the same time, but the main thing is that they are doing it together and having a great time.

Jack’s mum Joanna is thrilled the progress of the match.

“Jack was so sad and angry and scared, he really needed something to help cheer him up. I’d heard of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program before and sent off an email on Jack’s seventh birthday, so Jack had an interview followed by a meeting with his potential new Big Brother, Michael, and they hit it off straight away. Now they hang out once a week doing boys stuff and it’s been absolutely amazing for Jack, he’s shown a dramatic improvement and is now positive and smiling again; it’s helped him to find happiness.”