Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Metropolitan Milwaukee Inc

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

 

Big Brothers Big Sisters has been the premier provider of youth mentoring services in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties for almost 40 years.  Our programming addresses the needs of children facing adversity by fostering and supporting relationships with caring volunteer adult mentors. 

 

Each year, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves over 1,300 children who live in single-parent households (76%), come from low-income households (76%), and/or have an incarcerated parent (32%).  66% of the youth we serve are African American, 16% are Caucasian, 15% are Latino or Latina, 2% are multi-racial, and 1% are Asian. 

 

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS’ MENTORING PROGRAM

Big Brothers Big Sisters’ evidence-based one-to-one service delivery model was developed in partnership with leading youth mentoring researches and is unique in the mentoring community.  This model is youth-centered and built on a foundation of strong and close relationships and includes:

• Careful recruitment and screening of volunteer mentors.
• Strong, personalized case management to every child, family, and mentor.
• Prioritization of educational success.
• Extensive and ongoing staff and mentor training.
• Strategic partnerships to expose youth to educationally-focused activities.
• Thorough evaluation to measure outcomes and impact, build on positive results, and use lessons learned to drive program performance and continuous improvement.

 

Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring program is youth-centered, professionally supported, and built on a foundation of strong and close relationships.  Big Brothers Big Sisters offers three mentoring service delivery options:

 

1) Community-based mentoring: This model matches one child with one volunteer adult mentor who serves as a role model and friend.  Children and mentors meet weekly for activities and outings that build confidence, encourage healthy choices, promote educational success, and lead to positive outcomes.

 

2) School-based mentoring: Volunteer mentors meet with children weekly during or after the school day at one of 12 partner school locations for educationally-focused mentoring, including assistance with homework and enrichment activities that incorporate classroom concepts.  Volunteer mentors provide role modeling, friendship, and guidance to increase measurable outcomes.

 

3) mentor2.0: New in 2014, mentor2.0 specifically serves high school students and builds on Big Brothers Big Sisters’ established, successful one-to-one mentoring model.  Mentor2.0 ensures that more low-income and first generation students graduate high school, increase college readiness, and enroll in college.  Mentor2.0 combines in-person mentoring with safe, secure online communication and a comprehensive weekly curriculum focused on college readiness.

 

To implement mentor2.0, Big Brothers Big Sisters is partnering with Veritas High School in Milwaukee.  For the 2014-2015 school year, we have matched Veritas freshmen with college educated, career-focused mentors and are providing on-going professional support for the mentoring relationship.  Each subsequent school year, a new cohort of freshmen will be enrolled in mentor2.0.  Mentors will work with students through high school and into the first year of college.

 

EXPECTED RESULTS

Big Brothers Big Sisters focuses on strengthening relationships that endure and yield positive youth outcomes.  Ultimately, we are successful when we empower youth facing adversity to achieve brighter futures by improving educationally, avoiding risky behavior, and developing social and emotional skills. 

 

Based on Big Brothers Big Sisters past performance and national averages, we have set benchmarks for children in our mentoring program.  We expect youth in our mentoring program to achieve the following results:

• 80% will maintain or improve their educational expectations.
• 70% will maintain or improve attitudes towards risky behavior.
• 70% will maintain or improve social and emotional skills, leading to higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships.