Seeking to encourage prospective mentors, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland is sending the message that “you’re more qualified than you think.”

The new audio campaign, for radio and the organization’s social channels, is heartfelt and humorous, and encourages prospective mentors, who may feel unqualified, to volunteer.

Different vignettes, built around whether a child is oldest, youngest, middle or only, remind mentors that they were once young themselves, with a call to action to the BeABig microsite. These spots are narrated by CODCO sketch comedy veteran and former Kids in the Hall writer Andy Jones.

“Many prospective mentors underestimate their experience. Or don’t even realize they have it,” says Kelly Leach, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland. “But the truth is, our own unique experiences and connections give us the knowledge and tools needed to mentor. Sharing those life lessons is key to helping set young people up for success and igniting their potential.”

“We want to take our audience back to their own childhoods,” says TJ Arch, creative director at Target, an agency with which Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland has been working on a project basis from 2017. The aim, he says, is for people to look back at those formative moments.

Launched on Friday, the “Be a Big” campaign precedes a separate, broader Big Brothers Big Sisters campaign that is currently earmarked for later this summer.

Arch tells strategy that the initial launch of this radio campaign is being made possible through donated media from OZFM and The Coast, allowing the messaging to reach most of the island of Newfoundland.

“There is a one-week commitment, with the hopes of extending,” Arch explains. “This opportunity for media space is the true reason for the ‘now,’ but there’re always a need for mentors, so the intention is that this campaign can be evergreen content for the organization. It will also be used in social media.”

There is no archetypical “Big” mentor target, Arch stresses, as volunteers come from different age groups and backgrounds.

“That’s part of the inspiration for the campaign – we all have something to offer.”