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FAQs from Volunteers and Parents
Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization in the United States.
Being a Big Brother or Big Sister to a child is all about sharing simple experiences that bring magic into a child’s life.
National research has shown that the positive relationships between Big Brothers and Big Sisters and their Littles have a direct,
measurable, and lasting impact on children’s lives.
What exactly is mentoring?
What are the benefits of mentoring?
How do I become involved?
How much time does being a Big require?
Will it cost me anything?
I don’t have much experience with children. How will I know what child is best for me?
Is there training available?
Who are the Little Brothers and Little Sisters?
How does Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana differ from other youth organizations?
Is the program safe for my child?
Will this cost me anything?
How often will my child meet with their Big?
Do I get to choose the Big?
A mentor is any adult who provides a young person with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement and a constructive example.
Mentors are good listeners who care about and want to help young people enhance and develop their personal strengths.
It’s fun, it’s simple, and it makes a profound difference in the life of a child. Sharing the benefit of your experiences with a growing child
is a great way to give back to the community. Both Bigs and Littles tell us it’s the best thing they have ever done!
BBBS serves Monroe and Owen Counties in Indiana. Call us and let us know you want to mentor a child (See Contact Us), or fill out an online application.
It takes so little to make such a big difference! Depending on the program, the time commitment is from 4-8 hours per month for a minimum of one year or one school year. For suggested time commitments and descriptions for all of our
programs see our Volunteer Information.
Being a mentor is free. The cost of activities between Bigs and Littles is up to you, though we suggest low or no cost outings. Frequently,our matches have access to discounted or donated tickets to many local area attractions like sporting events, musical and arts performances and educational exhibits.
Our Match Support Specialists are made up of professionals who have been trained to make and foster mentoring relationships.
Our
staff is here to support you in your match.
Yes! We require every volunteer to attend a Training Session before he/she is matched. This training will give you the tools necessary to make your match
a successful one. In addition, your Match Support Specialist is available by phone, email or personal visit to answers questions and provide support and coaching during your match.
See our Info Sessions & Trainings for training dates.
Little Brothers and Little Sisters are children between the ages of 6-17 who want and need the friendship of another caring adult in their lives. The majority of children in our programs have been referred by a parent or school personnel. Our Littles come from every racial, ethnic, religious and socio-economic level, though we do strive to serve children who are considered at-risk because of economic, social or family issues.
The success of the Big Brothers Big Sisters model is in it's unique approach. The key is that our matches are professionally supported and focus on building a one-to-one relationship between a child and his/her mentor. Big Brothers Big Sisters complements, without
duplicating, the efforts of other youth agencies.
Our Intake Specialists are trained professionals who screen every volunteer via personal interview, background checks and reference checks.
All matches are monitored on a regular basis by our Match Support staff. This process helps to ensure the safety and success of our match relationships.
No. Our services are free to you and your child.
In the Community-based program, we recommend that your child and his/her Big spend approximately 8 hours per month with each other for a minimum of one calendar year. In our Site-based programs, the recommendation is 4-6 hours per month for a minimun of one school year.
Your input is key to our success. Our Match Support Team will talk to both you and your child about the qualities and interests that you believe are important when determining who will be your child's Big. From the information gathered in those interviews,
a Match Support Specialist will choose a potential volunteer. He/She will then discuss the selected volunteer with you before proceeding with the matching process.
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