Our Programs
Get involved with mentoring
In Community-Based Mentoring, volunteers provide our “Littles,” individualized time and attention on a regular basis, typically 2-4 times a month, for 2-3 hours. During unstructured weekly or bi-weekly outings, filled with conversations and shared activities, they develop a relationship that helps youth manage the everyday challenges that are part of “growing up.” During the time with their Big, children gain new skills, explore new interests and test behaviors that expand their experience base beyond their family or neighborhood. Over the course of time, children gain confidence in themselves, acquire new skills and competencies, and develop an enhanced capacity to care for others – all tasks that are a part of developing healthy maturity. Volunteers experience a sense of discovery and enjoyment as they see the world of possibility open up through the child’s eyes.
The “Big/Little” Relationship: The agency monitors the “Big/Little” relationship on a regular basis and offers continual support for the match.
The Children
- Reside in Westmoreland and Fayette Counties
- Are 6 to 14 years of age
- Are primarily from single parent homes and/or facing adversity in their lives
The Volunteers
- Are from all different walks of life
- Are 18 years of age and older
- Are committed to working with a child for at least two years
- Provide friendship, guidance, and a positive role model to the child
- Complete agency screenings, references, and background checks
- Maintain regular contact with Big Brothers Big Sisters’ staff
Volunteers serve as Big Brothers/Big Sisters for local elementary students. The volunteer meets one-on-one with the same student weekly during the school year to work together on improving academic, social, relationship, and life skills issues. The goal of the programs is to allow for the elementary students to experience a positive mentoring session and ultimately improve grades and reduce their tardiness and absenteeism rates.
- Lunch Buddies: This program achieves success by matching local college students and community volunteers with at-risk elementary students and providing a weekly lunch-time mentoring session. The goal of the program is to allow for the elementary students to experience a positive mentoring session and ultimately improve grades and reduce their tardiness and absenteeism rates.
- Read to Succeed: Read to Succeed is an initiative within our Lunch Buddy program geared towards helping struggling youth improve their reading skills. Volunteers (Bigs) meet weekly with a youth (Littles) for 30 minutes to listen to them read and provide intervention tactics. This simple act helps them to improve their reading skills and get them back on track. For every book a Little reads with their Big, they receive a free reward book.
Greensburg Salem
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Laurel Highlands
The “Big/Little” Relationship
The agency monitors the “Big/Little” relationship on a regular basis and offers continual support for the match.
The Children
- Are recommended by school staff based on criteria such as the child not working to his/her potential, exhibiting poor relationships with peers, and exhibiting low self-esteem.
- Are screened by Big Brothers Big Sisters’ staff for participation.
The Volunteers
- Are able to commit to meeting with a child once a week during the school year for at least two school years.
- Provide friendship, guidance, and a positive role model to the children.
- Complete agency screenings, references, and background checks.
- Maintain regular contact with Big Brothers Big Sisters’ staff.
- BIGFutures is designed to assist Littles in making educational, career, and life decisions, up until the age of 24.
- Our goal is to provide Bigs and Littles with life-guiding resources that are important to becoming successful after high school.
- This program will help youth earn a livable wage and lead a fulfilling, happy life!
- To enroll into BigFutures, you must already be match in BBBSLR’s system.
- Financial Literacy
- College 101
- Workshops
- Resume writing
- FAFSA Completion
- Incentives for Seniors
- Job Shadowing
- Interviewing
- Career Readiness
- Independent Life Skills
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Health and Wellness
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region is part of the nationwide initiative to recruit Bigs with Badges–including police, fire, EMS, corrections, juvenile probation, state and federal departments — as mentors for youth. This initiative is being brought to our area in response to increasing tension between those in uniform and the public. BWB offers a grassroots effort to reset the adversarial dynamic while building social capital and exposing youth to potential careers in public safety.
The evidence-based data collected through our agency may be represented through the graphic below.