Mentoring Programs

"Of all the joys of childhood the nicest ever known is to have a Big Brother or Big Sister to call your very own"

Big Brothers Big Sisters serves more than 225,000 children, ages five through 18, in 5,000 communities across all 50 states. There are two core Big Brothers Big Sisters programs:

Big Brothers Big Sisters - Community-based
Volunteers provide Littles with one-on-one time and attention in their communities, typically two to four times a month. During these unstructured outings they cultivate relationships that provide children with skills to manage every day challenges. Through simple friendship, Bigs experience the joy of helping children discover a world of possibilities and opportunities.

Big Brothers Big Sisters in Schools
Volunteers provide Littles with one-on-one time and attention in their schools, typically once a week during the academic year. Teachers identify children who can benefit most from interaction with a caring adult. As their friendships evolve, volunteers and children discover ways to make school and learning fun.

Additionally, there are several related programs that are customized to specific categories of children, volunteers or partners. They include:

Boys & Girls Club After Work Program
Volunteers meet with their mentors at a local Boys and Girls Club community center. The match meets once a week for one to two hours at the center.

Alpha Phi Alpha BBBS
Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity volunteers meet one-on-one with African American boys for sponsored activities (sporting events, picnics, informal get-togethers, etc.). Alpha Phi Alpha members have a strong ethic of service and are positive role models for their Littles.

Club-based Big Brothers and Big Sisters (Up2Us)
Boys & Girls Club volunteers meet with their Littles at the club, typically three times a month for recreational activities that last one to two hours. The program provides structure and offers a safe meeting place, which appeals to parents, children and volunteers. The BBBS-BGC partnership grew out of a pilot project funded by a 2001 Pillsbury Foundation grant.

Corporate Volunteers
Businesses and corporations partner with local Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates to encourage volunteerism and community support among their employees. Employees are recruited and enrolled as a group, and paired one-on-one with children in a nearby school. Typically, volunteers meet with their Littles once a week during their lunch hour.

High School Bigs
High school juniors and seniors provide elementary student Littles with one-on-one time and attention, once a week during the academic year. The pairs meet during or after school hours depending on the proximity of their school locations. High School Bigs experience the joy and life changing power of service, build college resumes, and may receive school credits. Littles have the opportunity to connect with a role model close to their own age whom they identify with strongly.

Other Programs
Additional Big Brothers Big Sisters programs include those which take place at workplaces, community centers, YMCAs, and (non-Amachi) faith-based venues.

Big Brothers Big Sisters works closely with parents and guardians to match every child with the right Big. Every volunteer is screened, trained, and supervised, and professionals in youth development support each match to help ensure that the relationship will be safe and rewarding for everyone involved.