ABOUT 60 MEN IN 60 DAYS

Big Brothers Big Sisters is looking for 60 good men to be a friend, a role model, a mentor to at least 60 boys in our community and we’ve given ourselves 60 days to do it. The campaign starts on June 1, 2019 and will end July 31, 2019.

WHY MEN?

Big Brothers Big Sisters traditionally has more boys waiting for a mentor than girls because women are more likely to volunteer than men. In our program, nearly 70% of the children who want a mentor are boys, yet only 30% of the adults who volunteer are men. Most boys wait at least 9 months to be matched with a male mentor and some can wait up to two years, if they ever get matched.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO AS A MENTOR?

A mentor is defined as a “wise advisor”. In Big Brothers Big Sisters terms, a mentor is an older individual who is there to spend time with a younger person to support their development, provide friendship and guidance, and offer a different perspective on the world.  Basically, mentoring is an additional caring relationship for a kid.

Mentors (Bigs) spend time with mentees (Littles) doing anything related to recreation, education or social and life skills. Mentoring can take place out in the community or a at school partner site.

A mentor provides inspiration, acceptance, a sympathetic ear and exposure to new ideas and activities. Children matched with mentors show improvement in the following areas:

  • Confidence, self-esteem and sense of hope
  • Academic grades
  • School attendance
  • Interactions with peers, parents and teachers
  • Social and communication skills
  • More likely to finish high school and less likely to be involved in criminal activities

Mentoring makes a BIG difference.  Studies show that children matched with mentors are:

  • 80% more likely to finish high school
  • 46% less likely to use drugs
  • 27% less likely to use alcohol
  • 52% less likely to skip school

PROGRAMS

Community-based mentoring – Spending time out in the community is primarily how Mentors (Bigs) and Mentees (Littles) develop their relationship. After all, to change a child’s perspective of the world, it helps to spend time in it. The Community-based program is highly flexible and allows for endless possibilities for Bigs to connect with their Littles.

School-based mentoring – Sometimes the best place for enjoying activities together is a the child’s school. And, the best part is, it can be a great learning experience, in or out of the classroom. Students enjoy having their Bigs meet with them once per week, and teachers know what a positive impact it makes.

Mentor2.0 (available in Albuquerque only) – Mentor2.0 matches high school students with college-educated mentors and provides them with the support and guidance they need to graduate high school succed in college and workforce. Mentor/mentee matches get to know each other through an innovative combination of weekly messages (via a secure web-based platform) and monthly group events held at the high school hosted and organized by mentor2.0 staff.

ENROLLMENT PROCESS

Safety is our #1 priority. Here are the steps that all of our volunteers must take prior to being matched with a child. Please note that it can take up to 8 weeks to move your application through the process.

Step 1: Online Application
Your application will be received by a Customer Relations Specialist and he/she will respond to you by phone and/or email within 2 business days.

Step 2: Training (In-Person or Online)
We strongly encourage you to complete your training in-person. Experience has shown that mentors who attend the in-person training have a better mentoring experience. The Customer Relations Specialist will send you an in-person training schedule when you are contacted.

If you are unable to attend an in-person training session, we do offer on-line training. Please tell your Customer Relations Specialist that you would like to complete the training on-line and they will send you a link to the training for the program in which you are interested.

Step 3: Personal Interview
A Big Brothers Big Sisters Enrollment Specialist will conduct a personal interview. This interview is designed to learn more about you, your motivation for becoming a mentor, and help us better match you with a child that shares your similar interests. The personal interview is a key component in making sure that we match you with the right child.

Step 4: Background Check 
Big Brothers Big Sisters conducts a layered background check on all potential mentors prior to pairing them with a young person. Background checks include an FBI fingerprint check, state and local courts, as well as a motor vehicle check. Fingerprints are taken when you come in to complete your personal interview and are taken every 18 months, after you are matched, to insure the safety of the children in our program.

Step 5: References
Big Brothers Big Sisters will contact at least 3 of your references. References need to include a spouse/live-in partner (if applicable) or other family member (if no spouse), professional reference, personal reference and/or any other organizations with whom you interacted with children. Please make your references aware that Big Brothers Big Sisters will be contacting them to avoid any delay in processing.

Our goal is to complete each of these steps in a timely manner and to match you with your mentee as quickly as possible because there are hundreds of kids waiting for a mentor like you