Volunteer Code of Conduct

Please read and complete the Code of Conduct to confirm your compliance with the policies and responsibilities outlined by Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland. By submitting this form, you are helping us maintain a safe and professional environment for the individuals we serve and ensuring your eligibility to continue in your role.

Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland provides children and youth with safe, quality mentoring relationships with Volunteer Mentors. As a Mentor, you share with your Mentee, their parents/guardians, Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, and (in certain programs) partnering site-based staff, a commitment to fostering a safe, enjoyable, meaningful, and healthy mentoring relationship by observing the following Code of Conduct:

• Mentors conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the agency's:
  • Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and
  • Policies and Procedures; and
  • Mission, Vision, and Theory of Change.
• Mentors promptly report any concerns about the match to the agency.
• Mentors agree to respect the privacy and dignity of their Mentee and family.
• Mentors are required to discuss any issues, concerns, or changes of circumstances (living situation, change of address, phone number, etc) with the Agency contact person.
• Mentors conduct themselves as positive role models to a child/youth and as representatives of the agency.
• Mentors model consistency, reliability, punctuality, and commitment to open communication.
• Mentors honor the commitment of spending time with the Mentee on a regular basis, including limiting their involvement in the Mentee's life to expectations outlined in the program.
• Mentors establish, maintain, and respect boundaries with both the Mentee and the Mentee's family/parent/guardian/caregiver.
• Mentors respect the roles of the parent/guardian/caregiver, family, and school/community partner, where relevant, as separate and distinct from their volunteer mentoring role.
• Mentors participate in regular supervision meetings with the agency to discuss the match relationship and commit to a mandatory match monitoring schedule to ensure:
  • both Mentee and Mentor are feeling valued and supported; and
  • the mentee derives the most benefit possible from the mentoring friendship; and
  • the match is safe and healthy.
• In the event of match closure, Mentors are sensitive to the impact that this can have and take the necessary steps to minimize upset to the child/youth, including celebrating the accomplishments of the match.
• Mentors connect with agency staff to formally close the match.