By Dave Schudel and Jack Benz

In Cayman, some of you have a lot of time on your hands. I’m talking about those who spend their evenings imaginatively in the bar or in front of a television.

What you can find to do in Cayman is always a challenge, especially when you might not have a big circle of friends and no family around. So have you thought about charity work?

Many people, locals and expats alike, donate time with the various charity organisations in Cayman. It’s a way to put something back into the island whilst keeping you busy and meeting new people.

It was having time on my hands that prompted me to do something for the community and one day I signed up for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Cayman. It took a while to get paired up with a little brother, and for four years we had nothing but a lot of laughs.

If you don’t know the Big Brother/Big Sister organisation it is a mentor programme that started in 1904 in New York but now has spread around the world. Being a Big Brother isn’t about moulding, indoctrination or rules. It’s about being an older ‘brother’, a person who is a little wiser, who knows the limits and can mentor a child or teenager without making it dogmatic or being like a parent. Most of all, it’s about having some fun.

The idea is that you a paired with a young adult or child (your ‘little brother’), the age ranging from a kid to teen, and then you make commitment to be with them once a week for at least a few hours. The children and teenagers are not ‘problem’ kids but are those who could benefit and learn from one-to-one mentoring.

In the few hours you spend with your ‘little’ what you choose to do depends on the both of you being happy. Some kids or teens like to pursue hobbies, some just go with the flow and you might even help with studying - it all depends on the ‘little brother’. It did force me to be creative as we had to come up with all sorts of ways to change the routine from borrowing kayaks or begging rides on boats. It’s amazing what you can do when you tell people why you are asking.

What happens if there’s a problem? I have to say, in four years I never had any problems with my little brother. Any rare incident, and I use the term lightly, was no worse than any faux pas I’ve managed a working professional. In those few occasions we discussed what had happened and treated it as a learning experience then moved on. The idea is to maintain empowerment and trust.

Naturally, to decide to mentor is a big commitment and a step into the unknown. At first it was scary for me, and I expect my little brother was feeling the same. Yet in a short time, a matter of weeks, it turns into something fun, relaxing and most of all, the sense you may make a difference. I also had a reason to get outside the house, explore parts of the island I would never have visited, and tried things I wouldn’t have done otherwise.

You can never know how your time invested in any charity will make a difference. I believe mentoring works, and BBBS has been around for over 100 years so there is some evidence, but there are many, many organisations on the island. Getting involved with any charity is an investment in both yourself and also the community. If there is a financial price it’s usually minimal and can be adjusted to match your finances. The biggest price is always the time commitment.

All charities need volunteers who can donate their time. Whether it’s cleaning litter from the parks, walking dogs at the Humane Society or getting involved in mentoring programmes, donations only go so far without pairs of hands to get things done. Many of us don’t have that time, but in this moment of economic strife, it’s more important than ever to bring help and charity back into the communities so that we all ride the rough times together. Less help and less donations mean that the areas supported by charity will suffer more.

So what are you waiting for - go out and get involved!