Defending Potential
We’re so glad you’re interested in becoming a Big Brother, Big Sister, or Big Couple with Big Brothers Big Sisters! It doesn’t take special skills, money, or a particular personality type to be a great Big. All it takes is someone who will stand with a child as a friend and ally --- someone who will help clear a path to their biggest possible future---someone who likes to have fun! Someone like you!
Big Brothers Big Sisters has been doing this for along time, so you can rest assured that you will be supported every step of the way! And there arent many steps to take to become a big in our program! Here are the brief steps in our enrollment process:
- Complete the inquiry form and submit to Big Brothers Big Sisters (5 minutes)
- Once we receive the inquiry, you will receive an email inviting you to schedule a convenient time to talk with one of our enrollment specialist who will explain our program options, steps involved and answer any questions you might have. It's not uncommon to have A LOT of questions, as this is a new experience for you! (10-20 minutes)
- Upon completion of our phone interview, you will be ask if you're ready to formally enroll in our program. This will involve scheduling an in-person appointment with the specialist, and completing the pre-enrollment packet prior to meeting. (20 minutes)
- In-person interview is next, where you will get to tell us all about you and what you hope to achieve through your participation in our program. We'll talk about your upbringing, your family, career, special skills, talents or hobbies, as well as get a feel from you the age and personality of a Little that best fits you. (1 to 1.5 hours)
- Following the interview, BBBS gets to work compiling your information and developing a plan to match you with the right child. We'll also be completing some of the safety elements of the enrollment.
- While we're preparing for your match, you will be asked to complete an in-person or online pre-match training to gain an understating of your role as a mentor, managing expectations, and understanding the opportunities and boundaries of being a mentor. (35 minutes)
- Match recommendation- once we have completed our enrollment process and you have completed your pre-match orientation, you're ready to have a conversation with our enrollment specialist about possible matches!! Our team uses a compatibility model to recommend matches between adults and youth. The specialist will have some recommendations for you and you will learn important information about the perspective Little and their family. Once we have decided on a Little, the enrollment specialist then connects with the parent/guardian to discuss your interests, background and goals. If you, the parent/guardian and child are on the same page, it's time for the Match Introduction!!
- Match introductions are A LOT of fun. There is excitement at meeting for the first time, getting to know each other and talk about what you're going to do in the next few months. We also give each of you your first BBBS T-Shirt, mentor guide, gift certificates, and other information to get you off to a great start! The Big, Little, parent/guardian and the enrollment specialist are all part of match introduction.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is successful because of the partnerships we have in the community who dedicate time, talent and resources to help make our mentoring programs vibrant, engaging, and memorable for everyone involved! The above companies/corporations are significant advocates and investors in our mission, providing funding to support the recruitment, enrollment and matching process. You can be assured that the process is thorough, safe and positions all parties for success. It's through the proven service delivery model, over a century of performance data, and an outstanding professional staff that allow our clients the best possible experience.