Big Sister is the largest mentoring organization in Greater Boston exclusively serving girls. Since 1951 they've been helping girls to meet their potential through positive mentoring relationships with women. In 2008 Big Sister over 2,000 women volunteered as Big Sisters and over 3,000 Little Sisters were served.
Big Sister offers a number of different ways for Boston's women to get involved. They have a program to fit any busy woman’s schedule and level of commitment:
- Community-Based Mentoring. Big Sister's signature and largest program, it is a one-to-one mentoring program that matches girls with caring, supportive, women mentors. Big and Little Sisters meet on a day and time of their choosing and engage in various activities. They ask that you commit to at least 12 months with your Little Sister. You will meet once per week for the first three months, and then you may meet two to four times per month after that. Volunteers must be at least 20 years old.
- School-Based Mentoring. Big and Little Sisters meet at the Little Sister’s school or after-school site during her lunch period or after-school program and engage in an activity of their choosing such as arts and crafts, reading a book together, or playing board games. They ask that you commit to a full academic year. Big and Little Sisters meet once a week while the Little Sister is in school for about 45 minutes to an hour. They have programs at 27 sites in and around Boston. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.
- Neighborhood-Based Mentoring. This one-to-one mentoring program matches a Big Sister with a middle-school aged Little Sister. Matches will meet for an hour and a half at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School in Dorchester on Saturday afternoons for 90 minutes. Big and Little Sisters spend time doing one-to-one activities together and group activities with the other matches in the program.They ask that you commit to at least 12 months with your Little Sister. Volunteers in this program must be 18 years or older.
- TEAM. A group mentoring program composed of about 15 Little Sisters, three Big Sisters, and a group leader (Big Sister social worker or Master of Social Work intern). Sessions last about 90 minutes and are held at the Little Sisters’ school or community center. Groups are normally held for about 22 weeks, and they ask that you commit to attending every session. They currently have programs at seven sites in and around Boston. Volunteers in this program must be at least 18 years old.
Big Sister is a donor-supported mentoring organization. Many people think they only need volunteers, but in order to hire and retain their professional social work staff who assess, train, match, and support our Big Sisters (as well as assess, match and support their Little Sisters!) they rely on the generosity the community. In addition to corporations and foundations, individual donors play a key role in our vitality. For information on making a donation to Big Sister, click here.
You can follow Big Sister on Facebook and Twitter @bigsisterboston.
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