Enroll A Child
As a parent, you recognize the potential of your child better than anyone. By giving your child the opportunity to be a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters, you're starting them down a path to an even brighter, more promising future.
Could your little one use a Big?
✓ Is your child at least six years old?
✓ Is your child interested in having a mentor?
✓ Do you live in Johnson County or West Branch and will you be here for at least one year?
✓ Will you, the parent or guardian, partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters staff and a mentor so that the mentoring relationship can be as strong, safe, and successful as possible?
If you answer "YES" to all of these questions, read on!
*******
Big Brothers Big Sisters makes child safety our priority. We have zero tolerance for abuse or exploitation of any kind. BBBS has designed our child protection systems in collaboration with experts including the Centers for Disease Control, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Nonprofit Risk-Mangaement Center.
To ensure a safe and successful mentoring relationship, a BBBS match requires a partnership between the agency and your family. Enrolling your child means you agree to:
1. Regular phone or in-person contact with the BBBS Mentoring Specialist for the match duration; every 1-3 months, depending on the program.
2. Support your child in communicating with the Mentoring Specialist. Help them return phone calls if a message is left.
3. Talk to your child regularly about his/her activities with their "Big".
4. Contact your Mentoring Specialist when concerns arise, contact information changes, or to share successes.
*******
Beginning April 15, 2019, we are unable to accept applications for youth aged 15 years and older. We are very sorry for any disappointment this may cause.
If you have unmet needs, please see this list of local Family & Youth Services.
Additional resources can be found at the Johnson County Social Services' Resource Directory.
And/or feel free to call and speak with a BBBS staff person who may be able to direct you to helpful resources, at 319-337-2145.
PARENTS/GUARDIANS: PLEASE READ THE ABOVE SECTION BEFORE CLICKING 'Enroll A Child' BELOW!
Parents
You know what’s best for your child. So we’ll need your help from the start, providing information about your child’s strengths and needs, and ultimately approving the Big Brother or Big Sister match. But your role doesn’t end there.
Safety from the start.
Your child's safety is extremely important to us. Big Brothers Big Sisters conducts a thorough background check on every volunteer in our program, and every relationship is closely monitored and supported by a professionally trained match coordinator.
