Here’s Why You Should be a Big Sister
When people think about mentoring, they think of it as benefitting girls, but the truth is that volunteers also benefit from mentoring. As a mentor, knowing that you have such a big influence on a young girl’s life gives you a strong sense of purpose; you gain meaning.
Depending on your schedule and lifestyle, you can become involved with Big Sisters in a variety of ways! We know that our volunteers have schedules and responsibilities, and for that reason we have positions convenient for people with a wide variety of lifestyles. There are many ways to get involved and change a girl’s life.
Have Fun & Change a Girl’s Life
“In my 3 years as a Big, I felt honored to be part of such a positive program. I loved seeing my Little grow more into her confidence and how much of a role I played in that. I felt reward in knowing I was a part of a larger community of role models helping young girls grow into strong women.” – Big Sister
If you have two to four hours to spare a week and can make a one-year commitment, you are a great candidate to become a Big Sister mentor! As a Big Sister you would spend time with your Little Sister and do fun activities while showing your Little that you care about her and are there for her. Being a Big Sister is about building a close relationship while providing guidance and a positive role model to a young girl. It’s about showing girls that they can grow to be whatever they want to be.
Help a Girl Gain Confidence in School and Life
“Since we started working together, my Little has really taken responsibility in school and started planning for her future after high school. Seeing her dreaming big and figuring out what she has to do to achieve those dreams makes me really excited and proud of her. Developing a relationship, being able to provide answers to her questions, and seeing her succeed is extremely rewarding.” – Big Sister
Study Buddies are more than just tutors. If you can volunteer for one hour weekly for at least six months and want to be a positive role model for a young girl, you might be interested in being a Study Buddy mentor. As a Study Buddy mentor, you would be tutoring a girl who would not have access to a tutor otherwise. You would help her with school work, motivate her to reach her academic goals, and ultimately give her a strong sense of self.
Teach Girls to Love Themselves Inside & Out
I truly feel that I’ve helped my community in a way that is not generally thought of as “conventional” but has been fun for me and beneficial to the girls of our upcoming generation! – Go Girls! Mentor
If you like to be active, want to make a tangible difference for middle school girls, and can spare two hours weekly for eight weeks, then you’d make an amazing Go Girls! mentor. As a Go Girls! mentor you would help girls have a healthy lifestyle by promoting physical activity and balanced eating, all while having gaining self-esteem.
Still on the fence about becoming a mentor?
Well, here’s more of what some of our Big Sisters have to say.
“My Little Sister is more than just someone I volunteer with, she’s a friend and we’re in pretty regular communication outside of our weekly meetings. It’s been so rewarding to see her grow and mature over the past four years, she’s an amazing person and someone I feel very lucky to have in my life!” – Big Sister
“I put off becoming a Big Sister for a long time. Things like time commitment and uncertainty about my life direction kept me from applying. But, once I started the program with my Little Sister I kicked myself for making excuses, because all it takes is one hour a week, and it’s such a rewarding experience.” – Big Sister
“To anyone considering becoming a Big Sister, I cannot recommend it enough. It is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do, and you will no doubt have a blast while doing it!” – Big Sister Elora