Quick Facts

Growing up is hard work. Let's face it; kids today face problems we never dreamed of when we were young. But hard as it is for some kids, there is help - a Big Brother or a Big Sister.

A Big Brother or Big Sister can act as a mentor and a role model. By being a true friend, they can show the child that no matter how difficult things get at times, there's always someone special there for them. Someone who will listen with an uncritical ear. Someone who will give advice when asked. Someone who will help put things back into perspective.

In the end, a Big Brother or Big Sister can be the difference in whether or not the child succeeds at life and develops into a confident, hopeful adult.

Being a Big Brother or Big Sister can have a major impact on a child's life. And yet, it's a truly simple process. It takes commitment - several hours a week for a year - and a love of life and concern for children.

A Big Brother or Big Sister is not a substitute parent, not a babysitter, but a friend. And the activities involved are those friends share: fishing, watching movies, bicycling in the park, or just sitting and talking. The result? The child's self-esteem increases through the knowledge that a non-related adult genuinely cares for them. The possibilities for the future are broadened by someone who can be a role model, who knows the obstacles, and knows how to work hard to overcome them. And for our children, most of who come from single-parent homes, the obstacles are very real.

But these are not the only benefits. For the volunteer, it's a chance to reconnect with youth, to share good times, and to make a good life even better. The feelings of growing and learning are shared by both the child and the volunteer. As one volunteer put it, "I joined to make a difference in a child's life, but sometimes I think I get more out of it than he does."

So there it is - it's simple, rewarding, and a way to make a positive difference in a child's life.

A Record of Success

For more than 90 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) has been the preeminent national youth-serving organization, based on a One-To-One relationship between an adult volunteer and a child at risk. Volunteers serving as mentors and role models help youth to increase their self-confidence, reach their highest potential, and to see themselves, often for the first time, as having happy and successful futures.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters have influenced the lives of over one million children throughout thousands of communities in the United States. More than 500 Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) agencies nationwide "match" adult volunteers based on the child's specific needs and common interests.

We're Proven Effective

A recent study conducted by a respected national research firm examined the impact of mentoring on youth and found that when compared to their peers, Little Brothers and Little Sisters who met with their Bigs regularly were:

  • Forty-six percent less likely to start using drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking;
  • Fifty-two percent less likely to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class. The youth not only skipped school less, but also earned slightly higher grades and felt slightly better about how they were doing in school;
  • One-third less likely to hit someone; and
  • More trusting of their parents or guardians, less likely to lie to them, and felt more supported and less criticized by their peers and friends.

Relationships Make an Impact

A Big Brother or Big Sister becomes a friend, confidant and mentor. The relationship provides the "Little" with an increased sense of belonging, and often leads to enhanced communication skills and improved performance at home, at school, and in the community. The "Bigs" and Littles have fun together and, ultimately, the volunteer also benefits by "giving something back" and by truly making a difference in the life of a child.

Each carefully screened volunteer commits to spending a few hours a week for at least a year with a Little Brother or Little Sister, sharing experiences, accomplishments and concerns. Professional caseworkers provide supervision and support, and work with the volunteer, the child and the family to help set goals for the match.

Many BBBS agencies provide alternative mentoring opportunities with flexibility, and many agencies also support youth development activities, such as community service projects, where volunteers can make a valuable contribution to a child.

Volunteers Make a Difference

Not every child from a single-parent home needs a Big Brother or Big Sister. Many can rely on the support of other family members - an uncle, aunt or grandparent. But in cases where a caring adult is needed and requested, Big Brothers and Big Sisters can provide friendship and support. They can be the role models so vitally important to children at risk of failing in school or of engaging in harmful behavior. Our work is as elementary as putting a friend in a child's life, and as essential as putting hope into a child's future.