Frequently Asked Questions - The Kids We Serve
What is a "Little?"
A "Little" is a child, between ages 6-14, and has gone through a screening and
interview process and has been accepted into the Big Brothers Big Sisters
program.
What is a "Big?"
A Big is a mature adult, age 18 years and up, who has reliable transportation,
and is interested in being a part of a child's life. All "Bigs" go through a
lengthy interview and background check to ensure a safe environment for the
child.
What is a "Match?"
We consider parental preferences and the strengths of the volunteer when matching a child. Even though our staff suggests potential matches, our volunteers and parents make the final decision.
How is my child matched?
We consider the strengths of the volunteer and match the mentor with a child who
could best benefit from these positive characteristics. We also match volunteers
with children who have similar interests. Even though our staff suggests
potential matches, our volunteers and parents make the final decision to make
the match or not.
What if the mentor and my child do not get along?
Big Brothers Big Sisters staff are very good at cultivating matches and will do
what is necessary to ensure the match is successful, however we understand that
sometimes personalities clash and the parties do not get along. If this is the
case staff will evaluate the situation and close the match if necessary. Once
closed, each party will be evaluated to determine if a new match is appropriate.
If my child's match ends can they be rematched?
When a match ends staff members evaluate the match and determine if it would be
appropriate for the child to be rematched. Each evaluation is done on an
individual basis.
What areas does BBBS serve?
Although our service area covers a 17 county radius, we actively serve Greene,
Webster, Christian, Stone, and Taney counties. It is sometimes difficult to get
volunteers in the outlying area so children living outside of our main service
area may wait a while before being matched.
What is my role, as a parent, in the match?
Your role is supporting the match and communicating with the Big and Big
Brothers Big Sisters staff. We have found when a parent/guardian is excited
about the match the Little is as well and the match is generally successful.
Who are the kids you serve at Big Brothers Big Sisters?
We serve a diverse group of kids representing a wide range of socioeconomic,
cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Big Brothers Big Sisters begins serving kids
once they reach six years old. We will match them in mentoring relationships
through their late teen years, and stop monitoring these services upon graduation or their 18th birthday.
How do you enroll a child?
It's easy. A parent can call, email
bbbs@bigbro.com or fax our agency. We review the criteria for being involved
and the parent completes an application. After the waiting period, our staff
interviews the parent and child. Then we go on to the phase of matching the
child with a mentor.
What are the criteria to be a Little?
First is to be the correct age, at least 6 years old and no older than 14.
Beyond that, each child is evaluated on a case by case basis. We are willing to
work with behavior disorders and other problems, but the severity of these may
determine eligibility. If our agency cannot serve your child, we are happy to
refer you to another agency that would be better equipped to meet the needs of
your child.
How much does it cost for my child to be involved?
It does not cost anything to enroll a child in our program, however we do not
ask our volunteers to pay for the Littles on outings. We encourage the
volunteers to do low to no cost activities with their Littles, but we also let
them know that if the activity will cost money, the parent/guardian is
responsible for paying for the child. It is acceptable to let the volunteer know
if an activity is too expensive and they can make their decision about the event
at that point. We want the relationship with the Big and Little to be based on
friendship, not based on buying things.