Mentoring Works!
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America's mentoring program is nationally recognized and proven to be effective:
- The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at University of Colorado at Boulder recognizes Big Brothers Big Sisters as a "Blueprint" program.
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Dropout Prevention Center both recognize Big Brothers Big Sisters as a "model program."
- The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention designated Big Brothers Big Sisters' program a "Best Practice."
- The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention rated Big Brothers Big Sisters as "effective."
- The Children's Defense Fund states that mentoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters has been "proven successful" in prevention activities.
- Forbes chose Big Brothers Big Sisters as one of its "top ten" most effective and well-run non-profit organizations in the United States.
As a result of participation, our Little Brothers and Little Sisters:
- Get better grades,
- Have better attitudes toward school,
- Get along better with parents and peers,
- Are more likely to attend school,
- Are less likely to begin using drugs and alcohol, and
- Are less likely to hit someone.
Types of Programs
Our programs are designed to serve youth by providing them with safe, quality mentoring relationships that help them reach their full potential by:
- improving their sense of self and community;
- improving their attitudes toward learning and school;
- learning to avoid negative or delinquent behavior.
We serve youth through three core programs:
- Community Based Mentoring - The original Big Brothers Big Sisters program in which each Big and Little Match meets in the community during days and times of their own choosing and determines activities based on common interests.
- Site Based Mentoring - A type of program in which each Big and Little meets regularly at a specific, supervised location where they build friendships and participate in activities in a structured environment designed to increase the Little's overall school performance and self-confidence. Site Based Mentoring includes:
School Based Mentoring
Girls Group Mentoring
Boys Group Mentoring
Falcon Club Mentoring
Falcon Club
The Falcon Club evolved to it’s current format 30 years ago when Big Brothers Big Sisters began matching children with Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy.
The matches get together once a month during the school year for group activities that allow each match to have their own time together. The program is structured to accommodate the Cadet’s busy schedules, while giving them an opportunity to spend time with their "Little" without having to worry about transportation, what to do, or when to do it. These details are taken care of by the Cadet staff and BBBS staff.
Cadets complete an extensive orientation, screening, assessment, and training process before being matched with a child.
Meeting Community Needs
Big Brothers Big Sisters focuses our services on the rapidly growing number of elementary aged youth who qualify for Free and Reduced School lunch (live at or below 185% of Poverty) and who live with a single parent or caregiver. We estimate that there are over 33,000 such youth living in metro Denver and Colorado Springs based on our analysis of Colorado Department of Education school enrollment data and the US Census. Students living in poverty and near the poverty line face significant barriers to success in school and are more likely to engage in risky behavior resulting in drug use, gang activity, violence and teen pregnancy. To combat these risk factors, Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs provide youth with a caring adult mentor and friend.
Big Brothers Big Sisters provided nearly half of all volunteer mentors in metro Denver, and over 90% of all volunteer mentors in Colorado Springs in 2007. Of the youth we served:
- Over 90% live in low-income, single-parent families
- 1 out of 4 have a parent in prison
- dozens are transitionally homeless and receive TANF assistance
Click here to view our service area. This does not disclude surounding areas, but shows the primary communities we serve.
Our agency is not only changing individual lives, we are also having a community-wide impact.
Kids we serve
We accept referrals for children in Metro Denver and Colorado Springs areas who are between the ages of 7 and 12. Children enrolled in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Community Program come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. The following are some common issues children in our program are facing or backgrounds they come from:
- Children of a single parent.
- Children of an incarcerated parent.
- Children with one or both parents deceased.
- Children in the custody of extended family members.
- Children in the custody of foster parents.
- Homeless children.
- Children in temporary housing.
- Children having experienced traumatic events in their lives.
- Children having experienced neglect or abuse in the past.
- Children needing guidance from a mentor outside their family.
Our programs are delivered 100% by community volunteers who generously give of their time to help youth. Children who are ill suited for our program are as follows:
- Children currently in an abusive situation or who have not had outside counseling regarding an abusive situation (these children should seek professional counseling).
- Children who do not want to be enrolled in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program.
- Children who do not have permission from their legal guardian to be enrolled in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program.
- Children of parents who are merely looking for a babysitter for their children.
Referrals of children to our program come from a wide range of people involved in the child's life and can include:
- Parents
- Extended Family Members
- Neighbors or Family Friends
- School Teachers
- School Counselors
- Outside or Private Counselors or Therapists
- Coaches
- Leaders of organizations such as Boy/Girl Scouts
Refer a Child
There are 3 ways to refer a child:
- Call Us: 719.633.2443
- Submit our online referral form.
- Print this PDF form and mail to:
BBBS-Pikes Peak
111 South Tejon, Ste 302
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
