Who are the Little Brothers and Little Sisters?
Generally, when enrolled our Little Brothers are between 7 and 12 years of age. The one thing they all have in common is that they want a Big Brother to call their very own. Other than that, they represent all walks of life and come from the 150 cities and towns we serve.
How do I know I’ll get along with this child?
We get to know you first, so we can find the best Little Brother for you. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay matches you with a kid based on common interests, personality and geography. Since our Bigs are volunteers from all walks of life, we enroll and match children who can benefit from the friendship of typical caring adults rather than specialists or youth development professionals.
Can I really do this?
Yes! If you’re 18 years or older (currently, our oldest active volunteer is 80!) and can be a good, responsible friend who's willing to build a friendship over time.
How much is this going to cost me?
Being a Big Brother is nominal – other than providing your enthusiasm and some of your spare time. The focus should be on doing every day activities with your Little. We often provide Bigs with free tickets that they can use to take their Little to sports games, museums, cultural events, etc. You will also receive newsletters from us that let you know about low/no-cost events happening in the community. Plus, you may be able to claim an itemized tax deduction for any out-of-pocket expenses you might incur.
Where can I volunteer?
Generally, where it’s most convenient to you. Near your home, your work or somewhere else where you spend time and commute to relatively easily. In any areas where we are not currently enrolling additional children, we’ll ask you if you are interested in being matched with a child living in another nearby or regularly frequented community.
When do I meet with my Little?
In the Community-Based program it’s up to you, but most matches meet on the weekends. Bigs and Littles in the School/Site-Based program generally meet during weekday lunch periods or after school.
What sort of background checks do you do?
All volunteers and employees are subject to background checks including obtaining references from people who know them well and conducting criminal offender (CORI) and sexual offender (SORI) records checks.
Lori Breighner of Big Brothers Big sisters spoke to the Lynn Club last week about the need for mentors for Lynn students. The Big Brothers Big Sisters support mentors who volunteer to mentor young people between the age of 7 and 12. The mentor spends a couple of hours with the mentee a couple of times a month and the outcomes are very positive in the lives of the young people. The following are common questions about the program which she spoke about: 