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Mentoring key to children’s formative years

It was one morning while going through the local newspaper that Merle Hutchinson came across an advertisement looking for mentors.
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Dominic (in blue) and Merle play air hockey at the Heartland Youth Centre

It was one morning while going through the local newspaper that Merle Hutchinson came across an advertisement looking for mentors, which prompted him to visit Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) at Heartland Youth Centre (HYC) in Stettler.

Since then, Hutchinson has never looked back.

Matched with a mentee, Dominic, Hutchinson has been a big brother to Dominic for two years now.

"It is important to give back to the community, and since HYC had been pivotal in helping me out with my grandson Dalton, some 10 years back I wanted to help out, be a guiding force for someone," said Hutchinson. "I remember often my wife and I had no respite, trying to take care of Dalton as best as we could, but once we started dropping him off at HYC, things started looking better."

Hutchinson's daughter had given him the responsibility of taking care of Dalton, who at the time had been struggling on various fronts.

"He needed the presence of a male figure and someone to guide him, and in our formative years we don't realize how important that is," said Hutchinson, who had had a few excellent male mentors in his life – his father, grandfather and great grandfather.

"I am quite pleased to see the change that a little bit of my time over the past few months has done to Dominic," added Hutchinson.

Meeting Dominic for two hours, every week, consistently has forged a relationship, which Dominic can rely on, and can often make the difference.

"Merle helps me learn things, and also with my homework," said Dominic. "He has taught me to use a voltmeter, you know batteries have voltage, its the device that helps measure that."

With a degree in technical and vocational education, Hutchinson had to study psychology and behavioural sciences, which has helped him in his relationship with Dalton, and now Dominic.

"Dominic is good with his hands and since I have a background in automotive and am pretty old school in fixing things, I have been able to teach him some of those," said Hutchinson. "In today's world of video games and technology, we are required to give this generation a glimpse into how things were done earlier, and that has been my objective with Dominic."

Although his favourite time is playing air hickey with his mentor, Dominic enjoys making electronic projects.

"We built a robot together, and there was this one time, I think last summer when we started a program to fix bikes," said Dominic. "We were trying to raise some money for HYC."

His summer was spent exploring more electrical projects that Merle had taught him, besides watching his favourite show, StarWars.

"I also like watching documentaries on science fiction, planets, telescopes, how things work," continued Dominic.

On why he wants to be an astronaut, Dominic said, "Well, Merle wanted to be an astronaut since he was 20, but he couldn't and since he has taught me all this, and I always wanted to be something Sciency, I would like to be an astronaut."

According to Hutchinson, good citizens just doesn't happen, they have to be "nurtured."

"It is important to have mentors and one should most certainly go for it, because to raise a child and to make someone a good citizen, we need a whole community, with good teachers and parents and good support," said Hutchinson. "I think we all have a responsibility towards society and therefore I encourage more people to become mentors, and especially because BBBS is so thorough in what they do. The application process might seem detailed, but once you get into it, its easy."

Holding this together, behind the scene is the mentoring coordinator Christel Shuckburgh, who says one of the most rewarding moments of her job is when a match between a mentor and mentee is made and the relationship grows.

"Seeing a child grow into a better version of themselves because they are learning something new and exciting from a person who thinks they are so special and making them into confident kids," said Shuckburgh.

Over the past three years since she has been at BBBS, Shuckburgh has had the responsibility of recruiting and matching.

"As a mentoring coordinator I recruit, intake and maintain the volunteers for BBBS, and I also do the intake for families that will utilize BBBS and then make a meaningful match that is beneficial to both the mentor and the child," said Shuckburgh.

With a wait list of 10 boys, BBBS is looking into recruiting male mentors.

"I would like men to feel more comfortable in the role of a mentor, we need male mentors badly, with 10 boys on the wait list, and some waiting for more than two years to get a mentor," said Shuckburgh. "My wish is that men would find it within themselves to step up and be what these boys need in such a formative part of their lives, a role model and friend."

According to Shuckburgh, no professional expertise is needed to be a mentor.

"When a match is made and mentors come on board with BBBS, you will have the necessary training and most of all you just need to care and want to make someone's life a little better," concluded Shuckburgh.