Our Program

Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, holds itself accountable for youth in its program to achieve measurable outcomes such as: educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships.

National research has shown that positive relationships between youth and their Big Brothers and Big Sisters have a direct and measurable impact on their lives.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Elkhart County focuses on one-to-one, community-based mentoring relationships. This is the traditional Big Brothers Big Sisters relationship, where volunteer mentors (“Bigs”) and youth (“Littles”) get together on their own to share fun activities they both enjoy. Matches typically meet 2-4 times a month, for 1-5 hours at a time.

Getting together is a great time for both the Big and the Little. It doesn’t require a special occasion or expensive activities; just a few hours every month to share the simple things people like you already enjoy doing.

Whatever it is the Big enjoys, odds are they will enjoy it even more with a Little- and they’ll be making a life-changing impact. Volunteering just a few hours every month with a youth can start something amazing, for both the Big and the Little.

With Site-based mentoring, Bigs and Littles meet once a week during the school day. After sharing lunch, they can read together, shoot hoops, play a board game, or just talk. Just like Community-based mentoring, it’s really all about starting a friendship, providing guidance and inspiring Littles to reach their potential.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Elkhart County is planning to launch Site-based mentoring in two local schools in the fall of 2017, We are currently recruiting volunteers, so if you are interested in sharing your lunch hour one day a week with a local youth who needs a friend, let us know!