Youth Mentoring - The Impact on the Mentor

While there are numerous positive outcomes for mentored youth such as improved academic performance, enhanced self-esteem and confidence, and better interpersonal skills. Mentoring relationships also have a huge impact on the lives of the mentor.

Many youth mentors report having higher self-esteem as a result of a feeling of accomplishment that they were able to make a difference in a child's life. Along these same lines many mentors feel accomplished because they spent their free time wisely by making a connection with an at risk youth.

When working with kids, mentors use, develop, and refine several professional skills that they can then translate into their work lives. Most significantly increased patience and supervisory skills. Whether it is continued work with kids, an office job or something else; patience and supervisory skills will always be well utilized. Volunteer work is also always something that employers look for. Being able to put mentor work on a resume can help to make someone standout in a sea of potential employee candidates.

Becoming a youth mentor can provide great experience and education for those who are interested in the fields of education, child/family development, and social work. Being a mentor can give a good look at what it is like in the various developmental stages of youth. Each of the stages is very different and requires a different approach. These are the sorts of skills learned though mentoring that can provide real life experiences for future fields of work.

Lastly, mentoring opens the door for other volunteer experiences and allows the mentor to develop volunteer networks and contacts.

While the impact made on the child through mentoring programs is the most significant and crucial, mentors themselves have many great takeaways from the experience as well. Mentoring without a doubt can change and improve the life of the mentor as well.

Sources
"Benefits for Young People." youth.gov. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.

Bonner, Sadric. "Youth Mentoring Has Lifelong Benefits - for the Mentor Too." Reclaiming Futures. 6 Dec. 2010. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.

The Big Impacts of Mentoring

Mentoring has a big impact on youth in the community. Mentoring involves tutoring, life skills, and creating long term relationships with the mentor and the child being mentored. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, this is just the beginning of what a large impact mentoring has in the community.

The positive impacts on youth in mentorship programs have been studied for years. Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada sponsored a five year study which highlighted the impacts of mentorship on youth. The results of the study include:

• Girls with a Big Sister are two and a half times more likely than girls without a mentor to be confident in their ability to be successful at school

• Boys with a Big Brother are three times less likely than boys without a mentor to suffer peer pressure related anxiety, such as worrying about what other children think or say about them.

• Mentored boys are two times more likely to believe that school is fun and that doing well academically is important.

• Mentored boys are also two times less likely than non-mentored boys to develop negative conducts like bullying, fighting, lying, cheating, losing their temper or expressing anger.

The study reveals what many have already said about mentoring. According to Youth.gov, mentoring has an impact on high school graduation rates, lower drop out rates, enhanced self-esteem, improved behavior at school and home, and improved interpersonal skills. 

Mentoring gives a child a person to look up to as their role model when they may not have one in their life. Not every child is fortunate enough to have a person in their life who can positively impact their future- and that is why mentoring is so important. The effects of being exposed to a positive influence has more than enough benefit for a child and the life they truly deserve. 

Sources

"Benefits for Young People." Youth.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2016.

"Youth Mentoring Linked to Many Positive Effects, New Study Shows." Science Daily. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 15 Jan. 2013. Web. 23 Nov. 2016.

Becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister

Want to become a Big Brother or Big Sister but do not know how? The application process is broken down into three simple steps on how to become a Big!

Reach Out
The first step is to reach out which consists of a simplified form asking for your name, gender, birth date, email address and phone number. At the bottom of the form, there is a submission button that is required to be clicked to confirm the submission to Big Brothers Big Sisters. To ensure that you are involved in a Big Brothers Big Sisters in your area, simply type in the zip code you live in and the website will prompt you to the simplified form for your location. A local representative from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin will be in touch. The link is posted here for your convenience and takes you directly to the application process.

                                                       Become a Big Application Link

Application 
The next step is the application and interview process which are taken very serious by the organization. The children's safety is listed as their number one priority. A local representative will contact the applicant via email or with a phone call to discuss the interest they have in becoming a big. An interview could then be set up if you are qualified for a Big position.

Introductions 
Once the application and interview process is completed and a position is offered, the final step is to match the Big with a child. Local staff will continue to help with the one-on-one relationship between the Big and the child and provide guidance. The only thing left to do is begin the mentoring process through the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.




Source
"Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin." Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern  Wisconsin. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016

Other ways to make a BIG difference

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a great organization that does a lot for the community and its youth, but not everyone who wants to help support their mission is available to become a mentor. There are many other ways to support Big Brothers Big Sisters, whether it is through donations or volunteering your time at events.

Donations can make a big difference in a variety of ways. You can donate funds to Big Brothers Big Sisters online as well as by check. Another option to donate is through stocks and securities and even by making Big Brothers Big Sisters part of your trust. Along with funds, there are needs for other items ranging anywhere from office supplies to electronics and games. For more information, you can look on Big Brothers Big Sisters website at: http://www.bbbsnw.org/donate/other_ways_to_give.phtml.

If you are looking to donate your time, there are many ways to volunteer without becoming a Big. There are committees you can join that help with many different events that take place throughout the year. Along with committees you can volunteer your time at different fundraising and marketing events. Bowl for Kids’ Sake is Big Brother Big Sisters’ biggest event, which is held in April and May, that requires the most volunteers. If you have personally been a Big or Little and want to share your story of how the organization impacted your life, you can join the speaker’s bureau. BBBS is always looking for people to spread their message and how mentorship helped them in life. You can share your story with different organizations, businesses, and at events throughout the year. More information can be found on the website at: 
http://www.bbbsnw.org/volunteer/other_volunteer_opportunities.phtml.

Whether it is through monetary donations or just helping on a day off, there are many ways to help support Big Brothers Big Sisters. Mentoring is such a crucial part in the community and any support you can give can be life changing for today's youth.