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Give your child the gift of a mentor — and a new friend.
When people think of mentoring programs, they think of Big Brothers Big Sisters. As an established youth organization, for more than 100 years we’ve worked to develop youth mentoring programs that work. Our experienced approach to recruiting, screening, matching and supporting our mentoring relationships has resulted in lasting relationships, and helped change the lives of young people in our community.
Quick Steps to Enrolling your child
Here are the quick and easy steps we'll walk you through:
1. Apply. Ready to take the next step right now? Print the Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Application. E-mail the completed application to
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. Our Enrollment & Match Specialist will contact you about setting up an appointment. Alternatively, give us a call at 263-9996 or
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and we can send you the application.
2. Interview/Orientation & Child Safety Training. A match coordinator will set up an appointment to interview you and your child individually. A parent orientation will review Big Brothers Big Sisters policies and child safety. This meeting will be at the location and time most convenient for you.
3. Matching. When we have a volunteer that we feel would be a good fit for your child Big Brothers Big Sisters staff will contact you. Making the right match is important to our commitment to form lasting relationships.
4. Ongoing Support. You won’t be in it alone. Big Brothers Big Sisters will contact you regularly about your child’s progress and milestones in the match relationship.
Parents are our Partners.
We’ll work closely with you because your input is important. Not only do you provide information about your child’s strengths and needs, but you approve the selection of the Big Brother or Big Sister. Once the match is made, parents remain closely involved in several key ways, including: approving match activities, asking your child questions about their time with their Big, and regularly communicating with Big Brothers Big Sisters staff.
Your child's safety is very important to us.
Big Brothers Big Sisters conducts a thorough background check on every volunteer in our mentoring programs and every match is regularly reviewed by a professional trained match coordinator.
The safety and well-being of the children we serve is Big Brothers Big Sisters' highest priority. We strive to achieve the highest quality possible in matching a child to a caring volunteer Big, and in providing ongoing professional support services to our children, parents and volunteers.
To help ensure child safety, Big Brothers Big Sisters National Standards of Excellence require the following steps to be taken. Each volunteer must complete a thorough screening process that includes:
- Completion of a formal written application
- A criminal history record check
- References Checks
- An in-person interview
- An assessment of their home environment (for community-based mentoring)
- A professional assessment of their appropriateness to volunteer with a child
- An orientation and training process that outlines the individualized needs of your child and provides information and resources on how to encourage your child's healthy development
Big Brothers Big Sisters also provides child safety tips to you and your child, and we welcome your questions and feedback. Throughout the life of the match, our professional staff will be in ongoing communication with you, your child, and your child's Big. Our staff and your child’s Big, with your support, are committed to the healthy growth and development of your child.
Interested in becoming a volunteer? Click here.
Want to make a donation to support our programs? Click here.
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