In Toronto today there are over 45,000 children ages 7 - 16 Littles, who are struggling to overcome the affects of trauma. Research has shown that the antidote to trauma is a caring and consistent adult in a child's life, we call them Bigs. BIGS help our Littles to overcome adversity, divorce, abuse, drugs in the home and more. Our mentors stand in front of their Little's when they need protection, stand beside them when they need an ally, and stand behind them when they need a gentle nudge.
At BBBST, we believe that every child has the right to reach their full potential, the right to a bright future and the right to thrive. Our work has been proven to help break the cycles of violence, drug abuse, poverty and inequality. When we show children that we hear them, value them, and are willing to defend their potential - they become thriving adults. We build up the individual to build up their community and create lasting systemic change throughout Toronto.
According to research - a caring consistent adult in a child's life is the antidote to Adverse childhood experiences. Mentors help mitigate risk factors by providing consistent guidance as young people navigate challenges and help them develop character: the ability to persevere, be optimistic, and make good choices, which in turn helps them to stay in school, develop a strong sense of self, community and more. And the best part, Mentors don't have to be experts, they simply need to be there
Early adversity in a child's life affects their minds and bodies - their immune systems, their hormonal system, it gets under our skin and affects our biology. A child who has experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences is twice as likely to develop Asthma, 32x's more likely to have learning and behavior problems and as an adult, twice as likely to develop heart disease, and many forms of cancer.
