Youth Voices: Meet Our National Youth Mentoring Advisory Council

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In 2017, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada launched a National Youth Mentoring Advisory Council to ensure that young people are shaping the future of mentoring in Canada.

These young leaders have firsthand experience as mentees and mentors with Big Brothers Big Sisters. They bring enthusiasm and a fresh perspective to our work and they hope to inspire more of their peers to get involved locally.

Not only can you read about these impressive young people on the Youth Council page, but through their first blog entry below, you can also get to know where they’re from and what they like to do when they’re not at work, school, or at Youth Council meetings.

Thanks for getting to know us better. We hope to represent our diverse voices and experiences from across the country in a series of blog posts and we’re excited to start by sharing a little more about us.

Hello there. I’m Ashley Whiteman and I am from Edmonton, Alberta. My favorite place in my city is an tie between Churchill Square the River Vally and luckily they are in walking distance from one another. My passions are traveling, politics and acting.

Hey there! I’m Brianna Boyse from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba and I love the bright yellow of Canola fields that stretch across the Prairies on long summer drives. I am quite literally always dancing, wherever I am.

Hi there! I’m Nafeel Arshad from Abbotsford, British Columbia. I’m a huge fitness enthusiast, as I love to work out and play basketball. I love traveling and going on adventures.

Hello hello! I’m Anna Urquiza from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and one thing that I love about the city is the Remai Modern Art Gallery. Also, I am very interested in art history and philosophy.

Hi everyone! I’m Nicole Mensah from Brampton, Ontario and I have lived here my whole life. I enjoy cooking, and even more, eating, so I love discovering secret food spots throughout my city.

Keyla Ange Keza (Surry, British Columbia)

Hello from the West Coast! I’m Keyla Keza from Surrey, British Columbia and I love living in Surrey because it’s a short drive to all my favourite places around the lower mainland. One of my favourite things to do is go for some late night bubble tea. I am passionate about conflict resolution and global development.

Hey there! I am Kristen Dyson from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and I am a current graduate student here. I absolutely love downtown St. John’s in the summer – so much energy, music and laughter.

Karine Pomilia Gauthier (Cornwall, Ontario)

Bonjour! I’m Karine Pomilia Gauthier from Ottawa, Ontario and while I’m not a fan of the transit system in this city, I love seeing the Parliament Buildings on my commute to work every day. I also love Victorian literature, history and politics.

Hi everyone! I’m Walker Wearden and originally from Grand Prairie, Alberta. I miss my home town because I used to be able to watch the northern lights from my bedroom. I also enjoy politics and gardening.

Rivka Savage, BBBSC Youth Council member

Hello there! I’m Rivka Savage from Thornhill, Ontario which is part of the Greater Toronto Area. I enjoy visiting new exhibits at the Royal Ontario Museum, baking with my brothers and cheering for the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Blue Jays.

Hi there! I’m Renee Campbell from Pictou County, Nova Scotia and I love going to Trenton Park because it’s a great place for dogs to play and to enjoy nature. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends.

Hello from the East Coast. I’m Charlotte Gardiner and I was born and raised in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador. I enjoy skiing and hiking and spending time with my Goldendoodle puppy, Jack.

Hello everyone! My name is Markicia Fletcher and I am originally from Jamaica and now live in Brampton. I love the fun places I get to go to such as Glow Zone and Silver City Movie theatre. Working hard is very important but it’s also good to relax and have fun once in a while and to be happy.

Thanks for getting to know us better! Stay tuned for more Youth Council blog posts in 2019!

You can read our full bios here >