They are regular people, just like you! You don’t need special degrees or job skills, just the desire to positively impact a young person. Role models come in all shapes and sizes, and you could be a perfect fit!

Our Littles are children ages 5-18 looking for a mentor in their lives. They are referred by teachers, parents, counselors, and partner organizations. Big Brothers Big Sisters assists all children, including those living in single-parent homes, growing up in poverty, or coping with parental incarceration. The one thing they all have in common is they want a mentor to be their friend and help them achieve their goals.

Consistency is the most important part of the mentoring experience. You meet with your Little 4-8 hours a month. As a "match", you and your Little decide what to do. Until your relationship is established, the outings will depend on the comfort level of you, your Little, and their parents.

Volunteers must be willing to commit to being matched with a child for at least one year and meet with their Little four to eight hours a month. Most matches last more than two years and may continue until the child is 18. Every day we hear stories of matches who are still close friends even after their match officially closes!

Quality time with your Little doesn't have a price. The goal of the relationship is to help your Little see the world through a different lens and inspire them to become something they never thought possible. Our agency offers group activities that are a great way to meet other matches. You can also sign up for our Think Big program to receive notices on free tickets for events and activities.

Take part in an activity you're both interested in! Shoot some hoops at the park, play a game together, talk about music you like - the options are limitless! Select activities where you can both learn about each other. For children, playing can be learning. Most importantly: keep it simple and have fun!

At the beginning of your relationship, it's important for you and your Little to get to know each other which is best achieved on a one-on-one basis. However, over time, it's important for your Little to know who is in your life. Keep in mind your Little may feel rejected or jealous if you spend too much time with others. The main focus is the friendship you and your Little will develop and the impact it will have on their life.

Please note that all adults will need to receive a background check clearance from us in order to spend time with your Little

Littles already have a parent or guardian in their life. They want a Big to spend quality time with; someone to have fun with and to confide in.

A background check is required for all adult volunteers in contact with minors in our program to assure child safety. As a thank you for volunteering, we cover the cost of your background check but are happy if you wish to assist in that cost.

We conduct in-depth interviews with the Bigs, Littles, and parents/guardians enrolling in our program so we can get to know all parties and can make the best match! We make matches based on common interests, personalities, preferences, and geography.

Once matched, a Program Coordinator will be in regular contact with you to provide guidance, support, and feedback. They can help with activity ideas, guidance for handling a difficult situation, and feedback on your experience. Big Brothers Big Sisters also offers trainings and provides resources so that we can ensure that your match is successful.

Being a Big is life-changing for our Littles. Research has found that children who spent 18 months in our program compared to those not in our program were:

• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs

• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol

• 52% less likely to skip school

• 37% less likely to skip a class

• 33% less likely to hit someone

Littles also report being more confident, increase in positive family relationships, and have more hope for the future.

Our Volunteer Information Session gives you a formal overview of our programs, the youth we serve, impact and commitment. These sessions are offered 2-4 times per month as 30 minute webinars.

We would be happy to visit your employer and meet your coworkers to chat about volunteer opportunities as well as how to support Big Brothers Big Sisters. Please call us at 406-248-2229 or email bbrosis@bbbsyc.org to schedule a visit.

We currently have two mentoring-based programs:

• Community-based: Adults 18+ transport youth in the community to/from activities

• School-based: High School juniors and seniors attend a leadership development class once a week, and visit their Littles at school

We also have several committees and special events that you can volunteer for.

No. We have several criteria to ensure that our youth are safe and supported in their mentoring relationship.

Yes you can! You'll have a dedicated and professionally trained Program Coordinator who will assist you throughout the duration of the match with helpful suggestions designed to specifically enhance your relationship with your Little.

We handle this on a case-by-case basis. It is important that you disclose this to us and address it fully. In some instances an offense may not be an obstacle because it is minor or long ago. In other instances, for example a case that is still open, it is a disqualifier.

As long as you have access and insurance towards a car, you can volunteer.

We are currently working on additional opportunities for volunteers who do not have a car. Stay tuned!

Absolutely! You still have valuable skills for a child, and we would love to have you.

With wide-open arms! BBBSYC values diversity, and no person will be denied equal opportunity under applicable laws to volunteer because of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Preferences, fit, and similarity of interests are taken into consideration. As part of the matching process, we will disclose such information to the parent/guardian in a confidential manner. If preferences are not aligned, BBBSYC will work to find a Little who we believe will be a good match for you.

For the safety of the youth in our program, we are unable to assist in court-ordered volunteering.