The BBBS Model: Building relationships that last

What does it take to make a strong, healthy, and lasting match between a volunteer Big and their Little Sister or Little Brother?

Big Brothers Big Sisters has a century of experience in creating healthy and strong one-to-one relationships between Bigs and their Littles. We are known for the quality of the match support services we provide to Bigs. Our job is simple — we help each Big to develop and maintain a relationship with his or her Little. The development of this relationship is the key to Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring.

In order to help build positive relationships between Bigs and their Littles, BBBS SEPA staff are busy!

• We recruit volunteers who will serve as one-to-one mentors and will commit to meeting with their Little for one hour each week for at least one year.

• We screen individuals (including a completed application, the collection of three personal references, a criminal background check, a child abuse clearance check, and a personal interview with a BBBS SEPA Enrollment and Match Specialist).

• We interview volunteers and youth about their interests, personalities, life experiences etc. in order to create healthy, productive, and sustainable matches between youth and volunteer mentors.

• We educate Bigs about key aspects of mentoring such as strategies for building a positive relationship with the youth, ideas about activities and topics for discussion, and specific strategies for enhancing the social, emotional, and cognitive competencies that these at-risk youth need to avoid risky behavior.

• We support Bigs and Littles through regular phone calls and check-ins with the Big, the Little, and the parents/caretakers.

• We evaluate the quality of the match relationship through the collection of data on the amount and frequency of contact between mentors and youth and on the impact of the relationship (through the BBBS proprietary Program-Outcome Evaluation — POE).

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