For over 50 years, our 1:1 mentoring programs have been transforming the lives of children and youth in our community. These programs are designed to help young people overcome adversity and reach their full potential by connecting them with a caring adult mentor, called a Big, who meets with them regularly.
Bigs and Littles in our School-Based program meet once a week at school, while those in our Community-Based program meet twice a month out in the community, building meaningful relationships through consistent, supportive time together.
Through our 1:1 mentoring programs we serve young people 6-18 who face adversity and are in need of an additional consistent and supportive developmental relationship.
Read more about our 1:1 programs below.
1:1 In the Community
This program is for young people between the ages of 7 and 18. The Big and Little commit to meeting for 2 to 4 hours, twice a month, for at least one year. Together, they decide how to spend their time based on shared interests—whether that’s going for ice cream, shooting hoops at a local park, hanging out, or making crafts in the match space at the Big Brothers Big Sisters office. Whatever the activity, the Big and Little build a strong relationship rooted in friendship and trust, always supported by their mentoring coordinator.
Thank you for your interest in our 1:1 Community-Based program. Currently we are only accepting applications for female identifying children and youth. This is due to the large size of our waitlist for male identifying children and youth. If your child identifies as non-binary, please reach out to Sydney at 519-438-7065 x 243 to discuss. When we are able to accept new applications for male identifying youth, this message will be updated.
Eligibility Criteria for children and youth in Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area Programs
To participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters of London Programs:
- Your child must be able to communicate and manage self-care independently (i.e., toileting, hygiene)
- Your child must be able to comprehend safety messaging delivered by BBBSOLA staff through a training program.
- Your child may not have behaviors that put themselves or others in the program, including staff and volunteers, at risk.
- Your child must be able to build a relationship with an adult mentor that is positive, healthy, and respectful of boundaries.
Requirements for parents or guardians:
- The primary care provider must refer the child.
- The parent/guardian will be required to be aware of how the match is progressing and communicate with the match coordinator on an ongoing basis.
- Inability to maintain contact with the Match Coordinator(s) could result in the termination of the child’s application and/or the closure of their file/match.
We recognize that our scope is limited, and we cannot meet all children’s needs. Our mentors are volunteers in the community, not professionals in the field. These guidelines are in place to ensure that our programs are safe for all volunteers, youth, staff, and families.
When it has been determined that a child’s or youth’s needs are beyond our scope, we are committed to referring them to other community organizations better suited to meet their needs.
1:1 in Schools
This program is for children in grades 1-8 who have either been identified by their school or their family as someone who would benefit from extra support. The Big and Little make a commitment to meet for one hour each week at the Little’s school. The meetings take place during the Little’s nutritional break for the academic year. Together, they decide what they’d like to do based on common interests. It might be doing a puzzle, reading a book, or figuring out some tricky homework. Whatever it is, the Big and Little develop a strong relationship built on friendship and trust – and always with the support of their mentoring coordinator.
Contact your child’s school if interested in this program.