A mentor acts as a positive role model, providing guidance to a person in need. He or she helps someone set and reach goals, identify and pursue opportunities, develop new skills, and improve self-esteem. Big Brothers and Big Sisters volunteer as mentors to children, offering support and stability and helping them build a strong foundation for the future.

No. You don’t have to pay to be a Little Brother or Little Sister. Our program is about developing a positive relationship with a Big Brother or Big Sister and spending time together.

We encourage participation in no-cost or low-cost activities and even provide Bigs with an ongoing calendar of fun, free activities. If, on occasion, your child and their Big take part in an activity that is not free, we ask the Big to cover the total cost, but ask families to send money for the Little’s cost when possible.

Research conducted for BBBS found that Little Brothers and Little Sisters are more confident, more likely to steer clear of drugs and alcohol, improve at school, get along better with their family and friends, avoid early parenting and feel better about themselves. Spending time with their Big helps Littles develop skills and abilities that contribute to a brighter future.

Children in our program come from many types of home environments, family structures, economic levels, ethnicities, and communities. Their backgrounds and personalities are unique, but they all share a need for friendship with a caring adult who believes in them.

Children and caregivers may hear about our program from friends, teachers, or counselors, at church, at school or through public service announcements. All children and their parents/guardians choose to be in our program.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas serves children in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties.

The enrollment and interview process help us get to know each other. It allows us to understand what kind of match relationship suits your child best. We consider your child’s personality, interests, background and location, but the final decision to accept or decline a match is yours.

Some matches take longer to make than others, depending on our enrollment levels, and your child’s specific needs. For example, girls who apply in central Austin may be matched with a Big Sister more quickly than girls who apply in an area with fewer adult volunteers. Boys sometimes have a longer wait due to lower numbers of men volunteering to be Bigs. We also prioritize finding matches for children who are bilingual.

We recommend that Bigs and Littles keep a consistent schedule for outings and see each other on a regular basis. We ask that each match participant (child, parent/guardian and volunteer) commit to at least one year of participation, with Bigs and Littles meeting 3-4 times a month, mostly in-person, on a consistent schedule.

Matches must:

• Maintain consistent and frequent communication and interaction to ensure safety, healthy match development and growth in the mentoring relationship.
• Connect 3-4 times per month through in-person or virtual outings (e.g. video call) with a majority of activities being in person.
• Engage with each other at least 4 hours total per month, which may include all outings, calls, texts, etc.

We encourage Bigs and Littles to do things that give them something to talk about and help them get to know each other. For example, they might play a board game, go for a hike or listen to music together. We want your child to have fun with their Big Brother or Big Sister. After all, playing is learning.

When it comes to the future of our children and the well-being of our communities, we’re all in this together. So it should come as no surprise that we need parents/guardians to be involved every step of the way, starting with the initial match.

Not only will you help us understand your child’s strengths and struggles, you’ll give final approval to the selection of your child’s Big Brother or Big Sister. Once the match is made, you will remain closely involved in many ways, including:

• Approving activities and outings for your child and their Big,
• Asking your child questions about those outings and sharing what you learn with agency staff,
• Reporting on your child’s progress and milestones achieved to the agency on a regular basis (BBBS will contact you, but we welcome your feedback any time)
• Participating in training on child safety offered by BBBS staff and communicating with your child about the training you receive.

Before we even begin the matching process, Big Brothers and Big Sisters’ National Standards of Excellence require that we screen each potential volunteer. This screening includes:

• A formal, written application
• A background and reference check
• An in-person interview
• An orientation and training process that outlines the individualized needs of each child and provides information and resources on how to encourage positive youth development
• Provision of child safety tips to you, your child and family.

To ensure a safe match relationship, it is essential to maintain ongoing and open communication between our professional staff, Bigs, Littles, and parents/guardians. Healthy communication is the best way to address any questions or feedback participants may have.

Throughout the entire mentoring relationship, a Match Support Specialist from Big Brothers Big Sisters remains in regular contact with you. They are there to answer questions, provide assistance, offer ideas for activities, give feedback, help you handle difficult situations and offer support in any way they can.

We do everything in our power to make matches that last. However, we realize that sometimes situations change or thing don’t work out. If this happens we’ll try to mediate and resolve the problem first, but if mediation is unsuccessful we will end the match. Your Match Support Specialist will support you and your child every step of the way, working toward the best possible outcome for everyone.

Although we ask for a minimum commitment of one year, matches in our program can continue until your child turns 18 and/or graduates high school.

After age 18, matches have the option to transfer to our Big Futures program. In Big Futures, the mentoring relationship remains active as your child transitions into adulthood and begins post-secondary education, prepares for the workforce, or enlists in military service.

But even Big Futures doesn’t have to be the end of your relationship– many friendships between Bigs and Littles last a lifetime.