KANSAS BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS INC
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Mission Statement
To create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
About This Cause
KSBBBS is a statewide organization with 10 hub offices in Butler, Cowley, Crawford, Douglas, Ellis, Harvey, Lyon, Reno, Riley, Sedgwick, and Shawnee counties, and we are actively serving youth in the following counties: Butler, Cherokee, Clay, Cloud, Cowley, Crawford, Douglas, Ellis, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Harvey, Jackson, Labette, Leavenworth, Lyon, McPherson, Montgomery, Pottawatomie, Reno, Rice, Riley, Russell, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Trego, and Wyandotte counties. KSBBBS serves youth (Littles) by matching them with carefully screened volunteers (Bigs) in our evidence-based one-to-one mentoring programs. These one-to-one matches help youth avoid risky behaviors, achieve higher aspirations, and reach educational success. There is no cost to the youth’s family or volunteers to be a part of the KSBBBS family. We offer two mentoring options: Community-based and School-based. Both programs are professionally case-managed and structured around best practices in mentoring to ensure enriching and enduring relationships. • Community-based Mentoring: Volunteers in the Community-based program are required to make a minimum 12-month commitment and will spend time with the youth in the general community. These one-to-one matches meet 2-3 times per month to enjoy a variety of outings and fun activities (e.g., visiting museums, going out to eat, bowling, exploring the arts, and participating in community service projects). • School-based Mentoring: School-based mentors meet with the child at school each week where they can do homework, read together, or talk about class. Teachers are highly supportive of the School-based program and enjoy seeing their students come back from time with their Big filled with confidence and eager to learn. School-based Bigs are asked to make a minimum commitment of one school year. KSBBBS defines success by measuring positive youth outcomes (proven predictors of long-term success, such as school attendance and engagement), the number of youth served by the program, and the duration of the match relationships. Ensuring matches are sustained over time is a high priority because research shows that the longer a match endures, the greater the positive impact on the youth. By partnering with volunteers, parents/guardians, and others in the community, KSBBBS is accountable to each child in our program for demonstrating positive outcomes in three key areas: 1) Educational success – KSBBBS is committed to seeing more Kansas youth graduate from high school and hold a living-wage job by age 25. 2) Social-emotional learning – includes higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships with family and peers. 3) Avoidance of risky behaviors such as violence and alcohol/substance use. By identifying youth who are facing the most adversity, prioritizing their matching with an adult mentor, and providing 100% case-managed support for those matches, we help to break negative generational cycles that help fuel economic and social progress. Over 30 years of nationwide studies about the impact of BBBS programs illustrate the positive outcomes of one-to-one mentoring relationships. Independent research performed by Harris Interactive indicates that the BBBS model of one-to-one mentoring has a lifelong impact on participating youth: • 52% reported that their mentor kept them from dropping out of high school. • 65% agreed their Big helped them reach a higher level of education than they thought possible. • 46% report a household income of over $75,000. • 78% vote in elections. • 90% report that their mentor made them feel better about themselves. • 76% learned right from wrong from their mentor. KSBBBS believes all youth – regardless of race, family background, or socioeconomic status – can achieve success in life, especially with the guidance and support of a caring adult mentor. Bigs/mentors in our program don’t just emphasize certain lessons or information, they serve as role models to youth in our programs. They provide advice, mentorship, and help answer tough questions about things like bullying, peer pressure, and substance use. Many times, a youth’s first call for advice is to their Big. Our MSSs continually provide resources, coaching, and support to our Bigs and Littles through case management. Additionally, many of the youth in our program decide to become Bigs themselves when they become adults. Through their experience with the BBBS program, they want to pay it forward by becoming changemakers in their communities and helping a new generation of Kansas youth achieve success in life. While our direct impact is made on youth, KSBBBS’ mentoring programs strengthen the entire community in the following ways: • Future Workforce Development: The development of job-related skills—acquired through KSBBBS’ Life Skills curriculum and community partnerships—helps youth to enhance their employability, gain access to better opportunities, and increase their earning potential. • Community at Large: Addressing complex societal problems requires a comprehensive and coordinated response among community partners that provides a full range of long-term and short-term solutions. • Family: KSBBBS integrates the needs of the entire family through monthly match support contacts. Any issues that have arisen are addressed, and appropriate referrals are made in a timely manner (e.g., counseling, healthcare, housing needs, and substance abuse treatment). Little Sister Courtney’s Story In 1997, my mom contacted Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters to match me with a Big Sister. Little did we know how much it would change my life. I laugh now, remembering how I expected a cool, young college student, but instead, Shirley Morrison, 63, stood at the door. She wasn’t what I imagined, but she was perfect. At the time, my mom was a single parent struggling to raise me and my brother while my dad was incarcerated. Shirley, a retired teacher, quickly bonded with me, helping me get back on track in school and teaching me the importance of education. Shirley was much more than a Big; she became my trusted guide. She taught me to sew, play tennis, manage money, and set goals. She was always dependable and gave her time generously. More than anything, I wanted to make Shirley proud. We had plenty of fun together, too—watching movies, playing games, and riding roller coasters. When I turned 18 and our match formally ended, we laughed and agreed it wasn’t really over – Shirley had become family. She remained a steady presence in my life as I navigated adulthood. I was so proud to graduate from college, the first person in my family to do so. Shirley was there for all the big events—playing the piano at my wedding where my Little Sister from BBBS was the flower girl, the birth of my children, and attending their events and becoming their grandma, too. Shirley passed away in 2018, but her lessons live on in everything I do.