Students Mentoring Students Bursary
Applications for the 2026-2027 school year are now open.
Deadline to apply is September 11, 2026
Students Mentoring Students Bursary (SMSB) is an exciting program offering resume-building experience and skills, PLUS a $1,000 bursary to 100 post-secondary students in Edmonton and Area!
Be a mentor to young people in your community and have a life-changing impact on their lives—and yours.
SMSB is a mentoring project that grants bursaries to volunteers attending post-secondary schools as an incentive and reward for their generous service.
By participating in BGCBigs' SMSB program, you can gain new experience, build your resume, boost your profile, earn a $1,000* bursary, and of course make a positive difference in the lives of young people.
Your commitment
100 post-secondary students will be a mentor to two (2) young people from September 2026 through May 2027.
- Each mentor will spend one (1) hour per week with each young person (2 hours max.).
- Priority School locations (with the highest capacity) include:
- Abbot Elementary
- Delton Elementary
- Ivor Dent Elementary/Junior High
- John A McDougall Elementary
- Norwood School
- St. Alphonsus Elementary/Junior High
- Spruce Avenue Junior High
- Additional school locations (in Edmonton, with limited capacity) include:
- Academy at King Edward
- Garneau School
- Kate Chegwin School
- Kisewatisiwin School
- Lee Ridge School
- Menisa Elementary School
- Meyokumin School
- Millcreek School
- St. Teresa of Calcutta
- TD Baker School
- Thelma Chalifoux Junior High School
- Velma E Baker School
- Additional school locations (Outside of Edmonton) include:
- Brentwood Elementary (Sherwood Park)
- Glen Allan Elementary (Sherwood Park)
- Mills Haven Elementary (Sherwood Park)
- Ecole Hillgrove School (St. Albert)
- Lois E Hole School (St. Albert)
- Ronald Harvey Elementary (St. Albert)
- Georges H Primeau (Morinville)
- École Broxton Park School (Spruce Grove)
- High Park School (Stony Plain)
- Forest Green School ( Stony Plain)
- Successful completion of the program requires:
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- Spend approximately 40 hours mentoring in addition to completing 15-20 hours of enrollment, training and match monitoring requirements.
- Participate in mandatory online training(s)
- Complete a sign-in/sign-out form for every mentoring session
- Remain in good standing for the duration of the volunteer commitment
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The above map shows the school locations and nearby transit centres.
A note about your availability
Because mentoring takes place during school hours, in order to fulfill your commitment, you will need approximately two (2) hours available between 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Fridays or between 9:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. on Thursdays.
We strongly encourage applications from a diverse group of equity-deserving students from representational and racialized backgrounds with diverse lived experiences.
Enrollment Process
All successful applicants will be required to:
- Complete the BGCBigs online application form
- Provide three (3) references
- Provide proof of post-secondary enrollment
- Complete a Police Information Check
- Complete a Child & Youth Intervention Record Check
- Complete a pre-screen and interview (2.5 hrs)
What you'll get in return
$1,000* bursary upon completion of the program
Valuable resume-building assets such as:
- Letters of reference
- Strength-based training
- Real-world experience in a local school and classroom
- Increased social and network connections
Applications for the 2026-2027 school year are now open.
Deadline to apply is September 11, 2026
*In order to be awarded the Bursary volunteers must meet all program requirements and maintain good standing in the program.