One Year On: Mentor Interview with Aimée

Apr 13

3 min read

Updated: Sep 18

What motivated you to want to become a big sister?

I’ve been looking to volunteer for quite some time but struggled to find something that was ‘me’ or I could relate to. Mentoring for Big Brothers Big Sisters seemed like the perfect fit as I felt I could give so much to the role - patience, warmth and care, to name but a few things.

I am a big sister and growing up I was always nicknamed ‘mother hen’ by my three younger siblings. My youngest sister has a terminal illness and fortunately is now living a good quality life, however, in her younger years she spent a lot of time in hospitals. As the eldest, I stepped into a mother role for my younger siblings and felt the need to be a protector, keeping them under my wing. This is a role I naturally fall into in many aspects of life and so for me, the decision to volunteer to mentor a child was an easy one.

What skills, knowledge and experience have you bought to the mentoring role?

I have a wealth of life experiences which I love to share and tell stories about and relate these to problem solving or coping with times of sadness or happiness.

My outlook on life is very positive and I genuinely believe positivity breeds positivity; a mindset that has helped me to overcome my own challenges in life. When I was younger I lived in Morocco for two years and this was probably one of the most challenging and overwhelming experiences I have had to deal with, taking me away from everything I knew. It was also one of the most rewarding and I feel it has moulded me partly into the person I am today. As a result of my time in Morocco, I am more ready to persevere when things get difficult, ask questions and be taken out of my comfort zone; all worthy attributes that I have passed onto my ‘little’.

How have you found the mentoring experience so far?

I mentor a little brother who is 16. He is a huge train enthusiast so we have something in common as I work for Network Rail and my husband is a train operator!

For me, volunteering as a mentor, the connection goes both ways. I like to think I offer support and encouragement and in return I get joy. The small wins we celebrate together make it one of the most rewarding parts of my life.

We have a great friendship and I feel privileged to be part of his journey through life. I look forward to seeing what happens next for him.

What sort of activities do you do with your ‘little’?

Most of our activities are centred around trains - visiting exhibitions and museums, attending talks, playing with locomotives, trainspotting or just talking about trains.

Do you have any advice to potential mentors?

Becoming a mentor has been as much about my own progression as the child I mentor. It has helped me to learn and see things from a different angle and I would encourage anyone that has the space in their lives to guide a ‘little’ as they grow into a young adult, to go ahead and volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters – you will gain so much from it.