Community-Based: You're matched with a Little in your community and meet up two to four times a month doing activities your little enjoys!

Mentor2.0: You're matched with a high school student in one of our partner schools. Weekly mentoring is online and in-person events are pre-scheduled every month during the school year.

School/Site-Based: You're matched with a Little and meet during a non-core class, at lunch, or after school.  The match meetings happen at assigned locations–either the Little’s school or at an approved partner site-based location.

We believe every child needs someone in their corner. Someone who believes in their potential and is their biggest fan. Someone willing to show up for them. Mentors (or “Bigs”) can be that person. Research shows that a child who has a mentor tends to do better socially and emotionally, make improvements at school, avoid risky behaviors, and form a brighter vision for their future. At Big Brothers Big Sisters (“BBBS”) we focus all of our time and resources on connecting youth wanting mentors with safe, trained, and committed volunteers willing to show up for them.

Bigs in our Community Based program must be 18 years of age or older, have a valid driver’s license and be willing to commit to a long-term volunteer experience of at least one year, although most friendships last much longer. Once matched, Bigs are expected to see their Littles two-to-four times per month–minimally reaching out with a call or text to check on their Littles.  Adults in our School and Site Based programs have similar requirements and expectations, their contact is limited to time spent together at their Little’s school or the designated Site-Based partner location.

Mentor2.0 Mentors most often are graduates from college and/or have life experience in a career field.  These Mentors communicate with their mentees virtually each week and meet in person once a month at their Mentee’s school throughout the school year.

High school students who are at least 16 years old are able to serve as “Bigs” when part of a specific high school partnership program with BBBS and a local elementary school.

As a Big/Little team in our Community Based program, you decide together what you want to do and then your Little gets approval from his or her parent/guardian. We recommend that you keep a consistent schedule of outings and get together on a regular basis. Your Match Support Specialist will provide more guidance on this. The outings will also depend on the comfort level of your Little’s parents, your Little, and you.

In our Mentor2.0 program, contact between Mentors and their high school-aged Mentees happens on line each week and in person at the Mentee’s school each month throughout the school year. In person events are scheduled after the end of the school and work day, and dinner and activities are typically provided.

Mentors in a School or Site-Based match would spend time with their Littles at the student's school or at a partnership site (such as a recreation center, corporate office, or college campus)--during school hours throughout the school year.

Anything you like! Activities are up to each match to schedule and participate in. Common activities include going to get ice cream, going to a movie, playing catch or a video game, attending a sporting event or concert, or running errands. BBBS also hosts great match activities and parties that all Bigs/Littles are invited to. Our Bigs are also occasionally given free tickets to events that Match Support Specialists are able to distribute to matches.

Our School/Site Based matches meet at the Littles’ school or at a designated partnership location.  Staff typically plan activities or make available things for the Bigs and Littles to do together.

Mentor2.0 pairs focus their conversations on college and career exploration and preparation, and they talk about the full range of things that matter to high schoolers.  Online conversations are guided by programmatic prompts, and the in-person gatherings are organized by the mentor2.0 staff.

We don’t encourage spending a lot of money on your outings because the goal of the relationship is to help your Little see the world through a different lens so you can inspire your Little. If you are going to spend money, we encourage you to seek out low-cost activities, like playing a game together. Our agencies offer donor-supported group activities that are a great way to meet other Bigs and Littles. As a Big, you may also receive notices for free tickets to cultural and sports activities for you both to enjoy.

School/Site Based Bigs and mentor2.0 Mentors typically don’t have to spend any money.  The power as mentors comes simply from showing up and being engaged with their mentee.

Once youth applications and parent consent are received, a Big Brothers Big Sisters professional will reach out to answer specific questions and set up interviews.

Once a volunteer submits their application, a Big Brothers Big Sisters professional will reach out to answer questions and set up an interview. The interview serves to explore the volunteer’s understanding of mentoring and ability to commit to the program, learn about their personal interests and experiences that will inform the selection of their “Little,” and vet them for safety. Additionally, BBBS completes layered, national background checks on all volunteer mentors. Once the enrollment process and all pre-match training are completed and a potential mentee is identified, the volunteer is given the opportunity to “accept” the recommendation, enabling the match to meet for the first time.

“Bigs” (or “Mentors”) are adult volunteers who have voiced a desire to engage in a one-to-one mentoring relationship and a willingness to commit to the match relationship for at least one full year.

“Littles” (or “Mentees”) are youth, starting as young as 6-7 years old, who have expressed a desire to have a Big and are willing to commit to making a mentoring relationship fun and effective. Big Brothers Big Sisters sees value in every child and teen having a Big, though youth in the program often present a wide range of special circumstances that indicate the added value a mentor could bring. 

Mentees in the mentor2.0 program are identified by the staff at our partnering high schools in Dallas, Tarrant and Harris counties.  In this program, entire classes of students are involved–each with their own mentor.