Around young Élliot, 10 years old, some of the best BMX athletes in the world are warming up and adjusting their equipment. In a few minutes, they will take the stage as part of the Montreal Urban Games. If the boy had access behind the scenes of this competition held at the Eaton Center a few weeks ago, it was because he was the special guest of the host of the event, Kevin Raphaël.
As he makes his way to the back of the stage, the man behind the sports podcast Without restriction greets each athlete and each member of the organization he meets. On several occasions, he took the time to introduce them to Élliot Guénette, who followed in his footsteps. “He’s going to take my place later,” he slips in a half-serious, half-joking tone.
The young student of 5e year would like to create YouTube videos in the near future. Who better than a jack of all trades, host, columnist, comedian, who collaborates on numerous shows, to provide advice on how to present yourself in front of the camera?
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Kevin Raphaël and Elliot
But if Élliot accompanies Kevin Raphaël today, it is not as part of a television internship. Since last fall, the facilitator has been spokesperson for the Grands Frères Grandes Sœurs de la Montérégie organization, which pairs young people aged 6 to 17 with a mentor. Kevin Raphaël is now Elliot’s “big brother”.
If he accepted this role, it is because he can bear witness to the impact that trusted adults can have in the life of a young person. “As a teenager, I really saw my football coaches as a big brother figure,” explains the man who is also a coach. This spring, he will begin his 17e season in this position, including a third with the André-Grasset college team in Montreal. In his eyes, his involvement as a big brother is another way to inspire those younger than you.
The same energy, the same passions
Kevin Raphaël recognizes himself a lot through his little brother. “I was like Elliot… except he likes soccer,” he teases during the interview.
“They are both the same,” agrees the boy’s father, Mathieu Guénette. According to him, they have the same boundless energy in addition to sharing a passion for video games and sports.
Between two segments of the BMX competition, Kevin Raphaël takes the boy to another section of the shopping center where visitors can test their sporting skills as part of the Urban Games.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Elliot makes a few shots under the encouragement of his big brother.
Hockey stick in hand, Elliot takes on a fictitious goalie. “You almost had it!” », Encourages his big brother, who promised to help him perfect his shots.
Perfect pairing
It’s no coincidence that the flow goes so well between Kevin Raphaël and Élliot.
We pair [les jeunes et les bénévoles] according to the interests, profiles and temperaments of each person.
Marie-Hélène Demers, general director of Grands Frères Grandes Sœurs de la Montérégie, in telephone interview
The activities that each duo does during their bimonthly outing are very varied. If Kevin Raphaël chose to invite Élliot to his workplace – the boy was able to attend the recording of the show Vlogging, at TVA –, others play sports, cook or go to the cinema. “We have a nice twinning in which the members are putting together a car for the young man when he gets his license,” gives the general director as an example.
“We focus a lot on activities that are inexpensive to show the young person that it is him who interests us, that we want to create links,” she continues.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Kevin Raphaël explains to Élliot how the Urban Games will take place.
If the Montérégie organization decided for the first time to have a spokesperson, it is because it is having difficulty recruiting men as volunteers. On its territory, around forty boys are waiting to be matched. Some of them come from disadvantaged backgrounds, others not. This is not a requirement to use Big Brothers Big Sisters, which has more than 90 agencies in Canada, including 13 in Quebec.
“Big Brothers has existed for a hundred years and it has always been the dark beast of our organization. We never understood the real why,” underlines Marie-Hélène Demers.
She hypothesizes that some men doubt what they can bring to a child. However, the simple fact of being present and practicing an activity that he enjoys with him can do him a lot of good.
And the same goes for the mentor. “He makes me laugh so much,” replies Kevin Raphaël, when asked what his relationship with Élliot brings him. “Friday I had a bad day. After your call, I told myself that there was nothing stressful in life,” he confided to his little brother.
Visit the website of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Montérégie