Ottawa, ON – BGC Canada (BGCC) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (BBBSC) are partnering to host the fourth annual YOUth In Office, a job shadowing event on Tuesday, November 7, 2017.

Young people aged 14 to 24 will get a chance to learn about politics and the political process from Members of Parliament (MPs) and Hill staffers. Bringing together 100 youth from Big Brothers Big Sisters and BGC with 100 MPs, YOUth In Office is a joint initiative that inspires young people to become more engaged citizens by exposing them to politics and the democratic process in Canada.

“We believe every child should have the opportunity to reach their full potential, as individuals and as citizens,” said Peter Coleridge, National President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. “Events like YOUth In Office are informal mentoring opportunities, which build confidence in young people and result in positive outcomes in mental health, employment, inclusion and civic engagement later in life.”

“YOUth in Office is an important part of our mission to give youth in Canada a voice,” said Owen Charters, President & CEO, BGC Canada. “Job shadowing an MP for a day helps our youth explore different careers, learn about the democratic process, and get involved in their local communities.”

The 2017 YOUth In Office event will also serve as the official Canadian launch of Instagram’s #KindComments campaign.

#KindComments is a global movement to spread kindness on and off of Instagram. Ottawa will be the first Canadian city to host a mural created by local artist @RollHerSleeves. Additional murals will appear around the world in 10 cities including New York City, Dallas, Chicago, Mexico City, Jakarta, Tokyo, and Mumbai.

“Today is an exciting day as we reveal the #KindComments mural in Canada! For many, Instagram is a place where millions come to communicate with friends, express their creativity and be inspired,” said Kevin Chan, head of Public Policy, Instagram Canada. “Whether it be your online wall or the #KindComments mural, we want to remind Canadians that kindness can be infectious and shared anywhere at anytime.”

BGC Canada and Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada are committed to improving social, educational, and career outcomes for all youth. Before spending the day with MPs, participants will take part in a training day that will include media training, networking, and skill-building.

We are grateful for the generous support of Coca-Cola Canada, WestJet, and the Government of Canada to run another successful YOUth In Office event. Special thanks to Instagram for including us in their #KindComments launch, and to Morguard for providing the space for the beautiful mural.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jody Lundrigan (@jodylundrigan)
National Director, Marketing and Communications
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
1-800-263-9133 x49
jody.lundrigan@bigbrothersbigsisters.ca

Jared Morrow
Media Relations Manager
BG Canada
905.477.7272 x202
jmorrow@bgccan.com

About BGC Canada (@bgccan)
As Canada’s largest child- and youth-serving organization, BGC provide vital programs and services to over 200,000 young people in nearly 700 communities across Canada. During critical out-of-school hours, our Clubs offer safe spaces where young people can explore their interests, develop their strengths, and realize positive outcomes in self-expression, academics, healthy living, physical activity, mental health, and more. Our trained staff and volunteers help young people build the confidence and sense of belonging they need to overcome barriers, form positive relationships and mature into responsible, caring adults. Visit www.bgccan.com to learn more and follow us at www.facebook.com/bgccan and www.twitter.com/bgccan.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada (@bbbsc)
For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been changing the lives of Canada’s youth by developing and implementing a wide range of group, in-school and one-on-one mentoring programs. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides quality mentoring services for more than 40,000 youth, engaging over 21,000 mentors in 108 agencies that serve youth in over 1,100 communities across the country.

Research demonstrates that Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs yield positive results in mental health, employment and civic engagement, with every dollar of investment in BBBS programming returning between $18 and $23 to society through higher taxes, increased spending from higher incomes, volunteerism, and charitable donations. For more information, visit www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca.