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Looking to get involved? Whether you’re interested in donating, volunteering or enrolling your child, Big Brothers Big Sisters offers several types of programs in communities across the country.

School-Based Mentoring

It may sound obvious, but sometimes the best place to help a child realize their potential is at school. Kids enjoy having their Bigs meet with them there, whether it’s in the classroom or on the playground. And parents know what a positive impact it makes.

It’s teacher-approved.

Some of the biggest supporters of our School-Based Mentoring program are actually teachers. They see students come back from their time with their Big filled with confidence, smiling big, ready to learn and eager to succeed.

Learning about life.

Although it takes place at schools, our School-Based Mentoring program isn’t limited to the classroom. Of course, some Littles do talk with their Bigs about class, or do homework, or read together, but it’s perfectly fine to shoot hoops in the gym or play on the playground. At the end of the day, it's really all about starting a friendship, providing guidance and inspiring them to reach their potential. 

At Big Brothers Big Sisters, we have tremendous confidence in our ability to impact children and put them on the right path. But it means even more when an outside study. 

Nationwide School-Based Mentoring Study

At Big Brothers Big Sisters, we have tremendous confidence in our ability to impact children and put them on the right path. But it means even more when an outside study comes to the same conclusion.

Public/Private Ventures—a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the effectiveness of social policies, programs and community initiatives, especially as they affect youth and young adults—has carried out a thorough evaluation of the Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring program.

The analysis culminated with the issuing of "Making a Difference in Schools: The Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring Impact Study". And the results? The study found that within a one year period, Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring makes a real difference in the lives of our nation’s at-risk school children. Since that time, Big Brothers Big Sisters has integrated the learnings into our programs so that these impacts will be felt over a two-year period and beyond.

The study was generously funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies, Philip Morris USA – an Altria Company, and The William T. Grant Foundation.