All children have amazing potential and the Littles in our program have the great benefit of having an adult role model and mentor in their lives who will help them recognize and realize that potential. Studies show that kids matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister are more confident, are more likely to steer clear of drugs and alcohol, do better in school, get along better with their family and friends and feel better about themselves. Studies have also shown that long term physical health can be impacted by a trusted adult for the better. A bonus: your child will have fun! Learn more about our impact HERE.

Your child’s Big Brother or Big Sister will plan outings and activities to do with your child at least one time per month which will ignite their potential and motivation to explore the complex world around them. There is no “typical” outing for our Matches, as each pair is entirely unique! Bigs are friends, and with a friend you might play sports, watch a movie, back cookies, hike, do school work, wash the car, volunteer in the community or just sit and talk. We encourage Bigs to provide opportunities for your child to be exposed to new things as well as to participate in activities they already enjoy. The most important part of a Big & Little’s outing isn’t the activity, it’s the time spent together.

When we make a match between a Big and a Little, we want it to last! Mentoring relationships have the most positive impact on the child when they last at least 12 months. Because of this, we ask everyone involved to commit to at least one year. Many of our Matches last many years. Your child will spend a minimum 4-6 hours once a month with their Big Brother or Big Sister.

There is no fee or cost for the families and Littles enrolled in the program.

Although it is fast and simple to enroll your child, it may take some time to find just the right match.  Children and adults are matched by their preferences, interests, personalities, location and BBBS staff’s professional opinion.  We take great effort in not just finding any mentor for your child but finding the right mentor for your child. This can take time. We appreciate your patience during the waiting period and can’t wait to introduce you to your child’s Big Brother or Big Sister!

BBBS GSA is growing! We have recently hired additional support staff and we are making lots of new matches! We currently serve 119 Littles, but expect that number to keep growing throughout 2021.

You can sign up your child to be a Little Brother or Little Sister by clicking Enroll A Child on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America webpage. You will be instructed to provide your zip code which will direct you to your closest local agency. Then you will fill out the inquiry form for your child and your own identification information. A specialist at our agency will call you within 72 hours to answer any questions you may have and to begin the enrollment process.

WE ARE SORRY BUT CURRENTLY NEW MATCHES ARE ON HOLD.  PLEASE CHECK BACK WITH US

Your child will receive safety support for the entirety of the match. Agency staff will be in contact with you, your child, and their mentor regularly to assess if the match is progressing well. Your child and their Big will occasionally have access to discounted or free activities provided by BBBS and the community.

Families are active participants in our program! We ask that the parents or guardians of our Littles communicate openly with agency staff during their match support calls, that will be quarterly or monthly depending on the length and need of the match. We encourage you to ask questions to your child about the time they spend alone with their Big Brother or Sister, as well as stay in communication with your child’s Big to coordinate match meetings and build a rapport with them. We ask that the Little’s family member refrain from participating in outings with the Match, with the exception of special circumstances.

The safety of your child always front and center. Ensuring child safety is a part of everything we do.  

All Bigs complete an extensive screening process that includes

• Completion of a formal written application
• Criminal background check
• Reference checks
• A thorough in-person interview with trained staff

Additionally, our specially trained Match Support Specialists help ensure that the relationship between your child and their Big is developing in a healthy, safe way for everyone involved.  They provide ongoing support and match supervision for the life of the match.  

As a parent/guardian, you should also expect to be involved!  We see parent/guardians as partners in keeping your child safe.  You have input every step of the way!  Parent/guardians approve the selection of their child’s Big and remain in close contact with BBBS professional staff to look out for the child’s best interests and safety.  You will approve all activities and outings and are expected to communicate regularly with your child and their Big.

Everyone associated with our program, including professional staff, parents, volunteers, children and board members, is required to be trained in recognizing and responding to suspected child abuse.

After you’ve submitted an application, you will be contacted by a Match Enrollment Specialist. We will schedule an interview with both you and your child via Zoom or In-office. The purpose of the interview is to get to know you, your child, and your family better, and to collect information about your child that will help us to determine the right Big to match them with. You and your child will be asked personal questions during the interview, which are designed to obtain the information we need to make the best possible match, and to ensure that your child’s involvement in our program is as beneficial as possible.

When our Enrollment Team completes the interview with you and your child, we will determine a potential match with a Big Brother or Big Sister. When we think we’ve found a good match, we will share non-identifying information about your child with the Big, and we’ll share non-identifying information about the Big with you and your child. After sharing that information, both you and the Big are able to approve or reject the potential match. If both you and the Big approve of the potential match, the match becomes “official.” Our staff will set up a “match meeting” where you and your child will get to meet with the Big in-person. A BBBS staff member will be there to help facilitate the meeting. At this point, you will be assigned a BBBS Match Support Specialist, who will provide ongoing support to you and your child.

It depends on many factors. We always want our matches to succeed, which means we will take as much time as is needed in finding the best Big for each Little. This means that your child could be placed on a waiting list until we are able to find the best match for them. Typically, it takes longer to match boys with Big Brothers than it takes to match girls with Big Sisters, because there are more women who volunteer as mentors than men. If your child is placed on the waiting list, we will remain in touch with you and we will provide periodic opportunities for your child to participate in fun activities with our staff and other Littles who are waiting.

During the interview process, we will ask all parties involved about what they are looking for in the match. Your preferences for your child’s Big will be taken into account when selecting their mentor. It is important to understand that there are many components that go into finding a great match for your child. Our trained Match Enrollment Specialists will consider requests from all parties, but they will make a final match determination based on a large variety of factors. Ultimately, you will have the option to approve or decline the potential match.

We do everything in our power to make a Match that will last and most do. However, we understand that sometimes there is a Match that isn’t working out for any number of reasons. Efforts will be made to address any situation that arises and find appropriate solutions. Your Match Support Specialist will be there every step of the way to handle your questions or concerns about your match. It is rare, but there are times that we must end a match. Our staff is here to support you and will ensure it is handled in the best possible way for all parties involved. If the Match is in the process of closing, your Match Support Specialist will ask if you would like your child to continue with the program and be re-matched. Once we have confirmed your child’s continued interest, your Match Support Specialist will be in contact with the Enrollment Specialist to re-assess your child’s interests and match them with a new Big! While we can’t guarantee that your child will be Matched immediately with a new mentor, it will become our priority to find one and facilitate the process.