Has anyone volunteered with them? I sent an app in a few weeks ago and haven’t heard back yet. Telling myself I can’t possibly have been rejected based on the limited info the first app asks for and they’re just backed up
Assuming I’m assigned a little sis, I’d love some suggestions on what to do with her. Of course that will depend on how old she is, but any general ideas? Other than pizza and movies, I’m thinking I’d like to go bumper bowling, to the apple orchard, the library and the numerous nearby museums. I have friendly dogs, it would be fun to take one of them for a walk in the park. Belle Isle is nearby, lots to do there.
Would love to hear from anyone with experience, I’m excited and eager to hang out with a kid again but also nervous!
I was involved years ago, originally as a Little Brother in Canada in early 80s, later as a counsellor at Camp McGovern (Canadian BB camp) and a member of camp committee around '90, then as part of a group Bigs trial in mid-90s in Canada and for a short time in the States after school and starting work full-time. That official match I had in the States lasted less than a year as my Little’s mother got involved in a new relationship and remarried and wanted to focus his relationship on her new spouse. Work and my own family took over and I never did pursue a new match.
All the things you mention are great ideas, there really is no limitation from just a walk in the park, hanging out and helping with homework to more organized longer duration activities such as overnight camping and amusement parks. I would still think most areas have waiting lists so they would need good reasons for rejections. Probably just takes a while to get through the applications.
I’m a current Big to a Little who was already 16 when we got together. We do a lot of eating, movies, manicures, and “shopping” (I am not allowed to buy her things, but she likes to look).
It took a few weeks for my approvals to come in. I applied, then had what was the most thorough interview that I can imagine. It isn’t only about whether you are OK. It’s also about who to put you with. In my case, being a tomboy sort, they considered putting me with a boy who didn’t have a positive female role model in his life.
After the interview, they contacted my references and asked them a lot of questions. Then, they did criminal background checks, pulled my driving records, and even googled me to see if I am dumb enough to put embarrassing things online.
After I was approved, I had to wait for a Little. That didn’t take too long, because mine had been without one for a while and they love her and her family. I met the mother along with my Little and a social worker, then went for a walk with my Little to get to know each other a little bit. We had our first outing soon after.
This has been a tremendously rewarding experience. My Little is absolutely amazing, and I don’t know how they knew we would be so good together (I am a tomboy, she was a cheerleader!). Our social worker checks in every few months, and I have stayed with my Little even with her in college. The program considers us to be poster children of a working pairing, which is nice. But the great thing is how impressive this young woman is. She is genuinely a pleasure to spend time with. I don’t even feel like I am mentoring her on anything. She already has it all together.
What a nice story, Mithril! I hope my match blooms the same way, although I’m hoping for a younger Little. I don’t know if I would be a good fit with an older teen. Interesting that they considered a boy for you, I didn’t know they made matches like that.
I have good references and no criminal history, although there is a divorce in my past and I live with family so those are possibly detrimental. My FB is private and no naked pics exist on the web, so I’m square there if it ever gets to that point!
I’m nervous about how long it’s taking them to get back to me, but the app only asked for name, DOB, location and a few other details so I can’t imagine they rejected me based on any of that. I’m sure Ice Machine is right, they’re just taking awhile to get through apps. A recent post on their FB page by a mom trying to get her kid a Big Bro says she’s been trying for a year and being told there aren’t enough applicants, so I don’t know why they wouldn’t be jumping on every potential volunteer, but I also get that volunteer orgs are usually short staffed.
My husband was a big brother for many years until his little bro aged out of the program. When he signed up, the program had plenty of big sisters but was in dire need of more big brothers. That may be why you haven’t heard back yet, and why they sometimes place a big sister with a little brother.
My husband’s experience was very rewarding. It’s all about finding out what interests your little sibling while trying to expand their horizons. Sometimes they would just get together and play video games, other times they would go to sporting events or museums. His little brother made it to college and I like to think my husband had an enormous influence on that. They still talk on the phone and visit every so often. They will be lifelong friends.
Color me surprised. I was under the impression that they only did same-sex pairings, no matter what the circumstances. I’ve considered volunteering myself, but I’ve wondered how much of a time commitment they would want.
I wouldn’t worry about the delay, Nikki. I applied in May and, though I got a phone call acknowledging my application within a week or two, the process was very long (and I only applied for the Lunch Buddies program, not a ‘full match.’)
What BBBS told me was that there are typically far more boys waiting than girls waiting, so you will likely run into that in your area, too. It took me five to six months to get a match, but part of that was because I applied at the end of one school year and had to wait to be matched until a new year was started. I also needed a couple of interviews, including telephone and in-person, in-depth. My references were called, and I had to go through a full background check.
Lunch Buddies is quite different - you meet with your Little weekly, and only at school - but some of the activities might be similar. My Little (who is now in 6th grade) and I play games together, just talk, eat lunch / sweets, take pictures, read books, etc. When her class did a field trip to the university where I work, I was allowed to meet with her and walk her around campus: she LOVED it. Although we can’t meet in person when school isn’t in session, we text and call on the phone, plus I write her a weekly postcard. She loved getting mail, so that might be fun for your Little too!
So no worries. They’ll get to you, and I don’t think any of the concerns you mentioned would prevent a match. Probably they’re just overwhelmed and have too few caseworkers.
As someone who benefited tremendously from having a Big Brother in my youth, I just wanted to thank the OP and others who have already volunteered.
Nikki, as others have suggested, just get to know your Little and find out what you guys will enjoy doing together. There are things you two may enjoy that neither of you are even aware of yet, but that’s the fun of getting to know each other.
That being said, all of the things you suggested sound like fun and worthy of exploration. I hope you both get a lot out of the experience. Good luck!
Part of the reason for your delay could be the timing of your application. BBBS utilizes college students as Bigs (both my sons were Bigs while they were in school) and consequently they get a lot of folks to screen at the beginning of the college school year.
Both of my sons enjoyed the experience tremendously. It’s nice for the teens especially to have someone close to their own ages, with good study habits and clear goals to help the teens with their studying and to give them a taste of how rewarding it can be to go to college.
Their Littles are still in touch with both my sons.
Although we can’t meet in person when school isn’t in session, we text and call on the phone, plus I write her a weekly postcard. She loved getting mail, so that might be fun for your Little too!