In 2009, My Magic Hands teamed up with Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Toronto (BBBST) and the Group Activities Program.
For the Toronto area, there is a group of children (“Littles”) waiting to be matched with a mentor (“Big”). In an effort to provide mentorship for these children as they wait for a permanent match, BBBST hosts group events where volunteer Bigs join children for group activities, usually on a weekly or bi-weekly occasion.
While this is a successful effort, BBBST found that there was a gap for young teens. With its interactive nature and structured learning, My Magic Hands was flagged as a complement to BBBST’s group activity programming.
During the winter of 2009, Magicana and BBBST partnered to deliver My Magic Hands over eight weekends. BBBST recruited volunteers ("Bigs") and participants ("Littles") and Magicana provided all the instruction, volunteer coaching and program execution.
And it was a smashing success!
Not only did we engage the youth in a fun and interactive program, but we also provided BBBST with a new tool to reach youth and to introduce them to meaningful mentorship.
Littles who participated in the program were invited to showcase their talents at the Annual WinterCarnival one week before their graduation from My Magic Hands. Unanimously, the Littles amazed, surprised and entertained the 100+ sized audience with all the charms and subtleties of professionals. Magicana was delighted with their performances and was equally proud of their achievements. The entire experience opened many opportunities for fun, learning, mentorship and bonding – all the hallmarks of My Magic Hands and BBBS’s program goals. Magicana continues to work side-by-side with BBBST, and now include junior programs, and hopefully soon, a leadership program for young teens. |
