Mission Statement

"Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County develops and supports long-lasting friendships between children and caring, responsible volunteers to provide a positive experience for both child and adult. These friendships are a strong investment in the future of our community."

What is Big Brothers Big Sisters?

Since 1966, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County has been matching caring, responsible adult volunteers with children primarily from single-parent homes and encouraging the relationships so they develop into close mentoring friendships. The adults involve themselves in the lives of their Little Brothers or Little Sisters by taking an interest in what they are doing and by serving as role models and confidants. They also bolster the child's self-confidence by offering emotional support and encouragement during times of uncertainty, vulnerability or confusion.

Forming Friendships
In 2006, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County served more than 1,300 children in one-on-one mentoring relationships. In our traditional program, volunteers meet with their young friends, one-on-one, during times that are mutually convenient. The matches get together three to five hours every week to 10 days. In the School Friends program, volunteers meet with their Little Brother or Little Sister at his or her school for about a half hour to 45 minutes once a week. Bigs and Littles engage in a variety of activities based on mutual interests and a desire to learn new things. Agency Match Support Specialists work closely with volunteers, parents, and school social workers to establish and monitor goals and objectives for each relationship.

Getting Involved
The general eligibility criteria for children to become involved in the program is to be from a single-parent family. Children from two-parent families are sometimes accepted if they are identified as someone who could benefit from an adult role model. There are no other acceptance criteria; however, most children come from low-income families and 65% are minorities. The agency serves children between the ages of 6 and 14 who reside anywhere in Dane County. Once a child is matched to a volunteer, they may remain in the program until they turn 18 or graduate from high school. Most of our matches in the traditional program last 32 months or longer.

The Cause
Over the past decade there has been an increase in Dane County families with children headed by a single parent. Single parents in our program face a heavy burden with approximately 65% of them falling below the federal poverty level. As such, the children often lack self-confidence, have a poor self-image and low self-esteem. The children often have limited exposure or access to recreational, educational, social and cultural activities.

The Proof
Having a Big Brother or Big Sister can dramatically affect a child's life. A recent national study showed how effective this mentoring relationship can be in helping children. The study followed 929 children from single-parent homes throughout the United States. Half the children in the study were matched to a Big Brother or Big Sister and the other half were purposely left on a waiting list. The two groups were compared after 18 months and the results were astounding.

The study found that children with a Big Brother or Big Sister are:

52% less likely to skip school,
46 % less likely to use drugs,
34 % less likely to hit someone,
31% less likely to lie to a parent,
27 % less likely to start drinking alcohol.

In addition, the study found that Little Brothers and Little Sisters were more trusting of adults, performed better in school, enjoyed better relationships with adults and peers, had higher self-confidence and were more optimistic about their futures.

To provide funding to recruit and screen new volunteers, as well as to support existing matches, Big Brothers Big Sisters asks for broad-based community support. Corporate and media sponsorship are extremely important facets of that community support.

History

The idea for a Big Brothers program was developed in 1904 by Ernest K. Coulter, a clerk in the first-ever Children's Court in New York City. Thousands of children passed through the court and were dealt with in accordance with the law, but little concern was shown for their personal problems or circumstances. Many went back to the streets only to return again and again to the court. On the evening of December 3, 1904, Coulter addressed the Men's Club of the Central Presbyterian Church of New York. He told these area business, professional and community leaders about a little boy who had just been brought to the Children's Court for an offense that would, upon conviction, send him to a reformatory for 18 months.

"'There is only one possible way to save that youngster," Coulter said, "and that is to have some earnest, true man volunteer to be his big brother, to look after him, help him to do right, make the little chap feel there is at least one human being in this great city who takes a personal interest in him; who cares whether he lives or dies. I call for a volunteer.'" (One-To-One, George L. Beiswinger, 1985).

Thirty-nine men stepped forward that night and the rest is history. Friends and acquaintances were encouraged to do likewise for other fatherless boys. They were soon dubbed "Big Brothers."

Across the country, similar local organizations were created and flourished. In 1946, 13 Big Brothers agencies from around the country formed a national organization. Under the leadership of Charles Berwind, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America was headquartered in Philadelphia, where it remains today.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, Inc. was founded by community leaders in 1966. Their goal was to assist in the development of boys growing up without the benefit of having a father in the home. In the same year the YWCA began a Big Sister program to assist girls from single-parent homes. In 1976, a United Way allocation panel recommended that the two local agencies explore a merger. After study and cooperative venture, the agencies officially merged on March 20, 1979.

Later, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County became the first agency in the country to match couples with Little Brothers or Sisters. Today, over 200 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies, across the country, offer this program. Our agency expanded again in 1999 by offering a Family Matching program. Then in 2000, an initiative was set forward to partner with area schools to form a School Based Mentoring program.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County currently has approximately 700 matches and is one of the largest agencies in the country.