We discourage you from spending a lot of money on your outings. The goal of the relationship is friendship. You should focus your time on getting to know each other. What we want is for you to seek out free or low-cost activities and share the cost of our outings with your Little and their family. You will also receive weekly notices of free tickets for you and your Little to attend a variety of cultural and sporting activities.
BECOME A MENTOR
Every young person deserves someone in their corner.
By becoming a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters, you can build a meaningful, one-to-one relationship with a young person and help them feel seen, supported, and confident as they grow.
Our mentors (“Bigs”) show up consistently, listen without judgment, and make a lasting difference through everyday connection.
Our Bigs serve as supportive, positive role models and mentors to our youth.
AS A BIG, YOU WILL:
- Be a consistent, supportive presence in a young person’s life.
- Help a child in the Capital Region build confidence, discover new interests, and believe in their potential.
- Create a friendship rooted in trust, connection, and shared experiences.
- Explore your community together through everyday activities like grabbing ice cream, visiting a local park, attending events, trying new hobbies, or just talking about life.
- Celebrate milestones, navigate challenges, and remind your Little that they always have someone in their corner.
- Gain just as much from the experience as you give. Many Bigs say mentorship changes their own lives, too.
- Join a community of mentors committed to showing up, making a difference, and helping young people thrive.
HOW IT WORKS
Apply to be a Big below:
Click on the “submit an inquiry” button to learn more about becoming a mentor. A member of our team will contact you to discuss our programs.
After your initial conversation with BBBSCR staff, we will send you information for orientation.
Our online orientation will guide you through our mission, vision, and mentoring programs so you can learn more about what it means to be a Big.
This is also an opportunity to ask questions, explore the commitment, and decide if becoming a mentor is the right fit for you.
After submitting your application, you’ll participate in an interview with a member of our team so we can get to know you, learn about your interests, and better understand the type of match that would be the best fit.
As part of the enrollment process, you will also complete background checks and fingerprinting to help ensure the safety of the children and families we serve. Once everything is complete, a Matching Specialist will begin looking for a Little who aligns with your personality, interests, and availability.
After reviewing your profile, our Matching Specialist will thoughtfully connect you with a Little who may be a strong match based on shared interests and personality.
From there, you’ll learn more about them and work with our team to confirm a match that feels comfortable and right for both of you.
One of our professional staff members will facilitate your first introduction with your Little and their family to help everyone feel comfortable and supported as the match begins.
From there, you’ll start building a meaningful mentoring relationship that can have a lasting impact on a young person’s life.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Our Bigs come from diverse backgrounds, just like our Littles. They are regular people, just like you. You don’t need any special degrees or job skills. All you need is to want to positively impact a young person. Role models come in all shapes and sizes, and you could be a perfect fit.
Our Littles come from many types of home environments and family structures. They come from different socio-economic levels, ethnic backgrounds, neighborhoods, and schools across all communities. Their backgrounds and personalities are unique, but they all have a need for friendship with a dependable adult.
We serve children and volunteers in Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, and Rensselaer Counties. We match you with a Little in your area that’s in your preferred driving range.
We enroll kids between the ages of 6 and 14 in our programs. Our littles can stay in the program until they turn 18 or graduate from high school, whichever comes first.
Once you’re matched with your Little, a professional Match Support Specialist will be in regular contact with you and your Little’s family to provide you with assistance and give feedback. Any time you’re unsure about what to do or how to handle a situation, you can reach out to your Match Support Specialist. They’ll help you with ideas for activities, guidance for handling possible difficult situations, and feedback on how you are making a difference.
Matches get together two times a month and have a weekly phone call. You work together with your Little and their family to decide days and times that work for everyone. The length of the outings depends on what you are doing and everyone’s comfort level. You can expect to spend an average of 10 hours a month between the two outings, the weekly phone call, travel time, and match support.
We ask for a minimum commitment of a year from our Bigs. Studies show that match relationships that end before a year is completed are more detrimental to that child than if they had never been matched in the first place. Our current program structure does require our volunteers to own their own vehicle, with a valid driver’s license and insurance.
We match you with a Little who has similar interests. So you can play sports, do arts and crafts, ride your bike, go for ice cream, or any other outing that you would enjoy together. Some of our matches create a bucket list of outings they’d like to explore together. Also, we encourage our matches to attend our agency-sponsored activities. The most important thing is to have fun!