During National Mentoring Month, make a difference by becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.

“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard. Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in community- and school/site-based programs ...

• 94% became more self-confident
• 88% got along better with their peers
• 89% improved relationships with adults
• 87% became better at problem solving
• 87% became more motivated to learn

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.  Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.

To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in the 18 counties in BBBSWNC’s region, go to bbbswnc.org.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina
Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network, holds itself accountable to its “Littles” and supporters by measuring rates of success that include higher aspirations, better relationships, greater self-confidence and avoidance of risky behaviors. Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and other community members, BBBS carefully pairs children with screened volunteers and monitors and supports these mentoring matches. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity with strong, enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that ignite their potential. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, has 10 branches in the mountain region, with plans to open several more in 2021.

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