BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA INC

THE COMMUNITY-BASED AND SITE-BASED PROGRAMS SERVE CHILDREN AGES 6-12. IN THE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM, CHILDREN CAN CONTINUE IN THE PROGRAM UNTIL THEY REACH THE AGE OF 18. THE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM SERVES ROANOKE VALLEY AND NEW RIVER VALLEY. IN THE SITE-BASED PROGRAM CHILDREN CAN CONTINUE IN THE PROGRAM UNTIL THEY ENTER MIDDLE SCHOOL IN ROANOKE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND UNTIL THEY ENTER HIGH SCHOOL IN SALEM CITY AND PULASKI COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. RESEARCH SHOWS 67% OF FORMER LITTLES SURVEYED AGREED THAT THEIR BIG PLAYED A ROLE IN THEIR DECISION TO ATTEND COLLEGE. BY PARTNERING WITH PARENTS/GUARDIANS, VOLUNTEERS AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY WE HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR EACH CHILD IN OUR PROGRAM ACHIEVING: EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS, HIGHER ASPIRATIONS, GREATER CONFIDENCE, BETTER RELATIONSHIPS, AND AVOIDANCE OF RISKY BEHAVIORS. VOLUNTEER "BIGS" IN BOTH PROGRAMS (COMMUNITY-BASED AND SITE-BASED) ARE VERY MUCH INVESTING IN THEIR "LITTLES" EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. THROUGH THE OUTCOME EVALUATION SYSTEM AND ONGOING MATCH SUPPORT BY PROFESSIONAL STAFF, THE VOLUNTEER "BIGS- AND "LITTLES" SET GOALS THAT ADDRESS: GOOD GRADES, ATTENDANCE, PEER RELATIONSHIPS, CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR, AND AVOIDING RISKY BEHAVIORS. IN THE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM, THE BBBS MATCH SUPPORT SPECIALIST HAS REGULAR CONTACT WITH THE PARENTS AND CAN COACH THE PARENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING EDUCATIONAL OALS FOR THEIR CHILD. OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE LONG-LASTING, STRONG RELATIONSHIPS THAT LEAD TO THE GREATEST OUTCOMES POSSIBLE FOR CHILDREN FACING ADVERSITY. WE WILL ACHIEVE THIS GOAL BY BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHICH CHILDREN TO SERVE (RISK PROFILE, GENDER, AND ETHNICITY) SO AS TO ACHIEVE A MORE BALANCED PARTICIPANT POPULATION THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LOCAL AT-RISK POPULATION. OUR PRIORITY IS TO SERVE CHILDREN WITH AN INCARCERATED PARENT, CHILDREN IN POVERTY, AND AFRICAN AMERICAN BOYS. WHAT SETS BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS APART FROM OTHER AGENCIES AND MAKES ITS MENTORING PROGRAMS SO SUCCESSFUL IS ITS RESEARCHED-BASED SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL. A BBBS MATCH IS CAREFULLY ADMINISTERED AND SUPPORTED BY RIGOUROUS STANDARDS AND TRAINED PERSONNEL. BBBS STAFF STRIVES FOR MATCHES THAT ARE NOT ONLY SAFE AND SUITED TO THE CHILD'S NEEDS, BUT ALSO HARMONIOUS AND BUILT TO LAST. ALL PROGRAM STAFF TAKE CARE IN SELECTING VOLUNTEERS, ORIENTING SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION TO THE BIG, LITTLES AND LITTLE'S FAMILY, IN MAY OTHER CASES THE BIG RECEIVES TRAINING WHICH HELPS ALL PARTIES GET THROUGH ROUGH SPOTS IN THE RELATIONSHIPS (BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA, "MAKING A DIFFERENCE IMPACT STUDY"). BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS FOCUSES ITS DIRECTIONS ON EFFECTIVENESS AND PROVEN OUTCOMES IN THREE AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS, AVOIDING RISKY BEHAVIORS, AND PROMOTING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL APPROACH TO EACH CHILD AND FAMILY BY FOCUSING ON ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN "LITTLES- AND "BIGS". STAFF PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION FOR EACH CHILD AND FAMILY. IN ORDER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WE MUST HAVE AN IMPACT AT SCALE. SIMPLY PUT, WE MUST REACH AS MANY CHILDREN AS POSSIBLE WITH THE FUNDING AVAILABLE AND BE STRATEGIC ABOUT OUR COLLABORATION WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, SCHOOLS AND OTHER YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.