‘Accepted for who you are’

BGCBigs mentorship program in Edmonton offers 2SLGBTQ+ youth pride, confidence and unconditional support

As the pottery painting night came to an end, the youth shyly approached the activity facilitator.

Over the past few months, they had been working with their mentor, a trusted adult who also identifies as 2SLGBTQ+. The unconditional support and emotional connectedness the youth felt helped them find clarity about who they are—from now on, the youth confided, they would identify as he/him.

The mentor and mentee are part of the PRISM program, offered through non-profit BGCBigs in Edmonton, Alberta. PRISM—which stands for pride, respect, identity, safety and mentoring—supports the healthy development of 2SLGBTQ+ youth aged 6 to 24 by matching them with a volunteer adult mentor. Through weekly activities and conversation, the pair build a caring relationship that promotes positive developmental outcomes.

“We see in queer and trans youth higher rates of depression, higher rates of self-harm, higher rates of drug use, and higher rates of houselessness at a very young age,” explains Holly Lassesen, a PRISM mentoring facilitator. “The program allows for youth to have a positive role model in the community. It gives them the opportunity to see a trajectory for themselves toward a happy, healthy future.”

Currently, there are 27 pairings, one of which was formed in the inaugural year in 2018.

“It’s been growing very slowly post COVID-19,” Lassesen reflects. “But it's looking up for sure, with strong participation at events.”

BGCBigs invites mentors and mentees to what they call “match events”—low-cost or free events for the duos to spend time together. They enjoy paint nights, trivia games, and theme events, as well as special nights out at the theatre or sports matches.