What is a Big Brother/Big Sister? A Big is an adult, over the age of 19 who wants to volunteer their time in a friendship with a child. Each volunteer is carefully screened and trained by agency staff to ensure our Mentors have shown the necessary commitment level, degree of maturity and responsibility needed to be a positive role model for a young person to build a friendship with. A Big may be single or married with a family of their own. They may have any type of job or may be a student at a local college or university. They will be a special friend to do simple low cost activities with, someone a child can share life's moments with. The Steps to Building a FriendshipStep One: A volunteer application needs to be obtained from your community office, completed and returned to that office. Step Two: A Mentoring Coordinator will contact the 4 references you provided on the application form. Our agency requires all 4 references be successful.
Step Three: You will be required to provide a successful Criminal Reference Check and Driver's Abstract.
Step Four: The interview process. The initial screening interview takes place at your community office and normally takes 1.5 to 2 hours to complete. The second interview is conducted in your home to provide the Mentoring Coordinator the opportunity to evaluate the safety of your home environment for the child you will be matched with.
Step Five: Complete the Child Safety Program and Volunteer Training. This training session is completed at your community office.
Step Six: Upon successful completion of the screening process you will then be presented with a child profile which the Mentoring Coordinator feels would be a good match.
Step Seven: Meet the parent/guardian of the child.
Step Eight: Meet your Little Brother or Sister and begin Building a Friendship!
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