What is a Little? 

A Little is the title for children in our program.  Boys are called Little Brothers and Girls are Little Sisters.  Children in our program are matched with a caring adult from the community, who have gone through a rigorous screening process, including: Criminal Background and Child Protective Service Checks and DMV check.

The role of a mentor is to offer advice and enrichment to your child.

Eligibility:
In order for your child to be eligible to be a Little the family must meet the following Criteria:

1. Be six (6) through fourteen (14) years of age
2. Live in a one-parent family and have no close, ongoing relationships with the separated parent, and the agency must have reason to believe the separated parent will not interfere with child’s relationship with the Big Brother or Big Sister
3. Live within Danville and the Pittsylvania County Area
4. Be mentally, physically and emotionally capable of benefiting from a relationship with a Big Brother or Sister
5. Need a Big Brother or Big Sister because of some needs that are not being met due to absence of parent. May include:

                                                             i.      -Lack of friends

                                                            ii.      -lack of adequate support and attention of a stable adult

                                                          iii.      -underachieving in school

                                                          iv.      -overly dependent

                                                            v.      -insecure with and un-trusting of adults

                                                          vi.      -poor social skills

6. Want to participate in the program
7. Have parent or guardian who demonstrates understanding and acceptance of agency’s philosophy of what a Big Brother’s Big Sisters’ role is to be
8. Have parent or guardian who agrees to agency’s application and screening process and cooperates by providing necessary, correct information and authorization to gather information as needed from other sources such as child’s school, other agencies and from separated parent, when such information is deemed necessary.
9. Have parent or guardian who gives indication that they will be encouraging and supportive of child’s relationship with the Big Brother or Sister, so long as the relationship seems to be meeting the child’s needs and seems to be in the child’s best interest.

 Types of Matches:

Community Based Match:
Mentor will spend 1-2 hours a week with your child doing activities in the community, like go fishing, to the mall, to movies, share a hobby or just hang out. A little time can make a big difference. Volunteers are from Danville and Pittsylvania County.  Results of having a mentor include improvement in grades, social behavior, attitudes toward teachers and school, also, most children’s grades will go up a grade point each year of the match. Many current children in our program, have gone from struggling in school to the honor roll in only two years.  Unfortunately, there are lots of children waiting for a mentor and finding the perfect mentor can take up to two years. 

School Based Match:
This match occurs at school and the mentor will meet with your child and spend lunch, once a week. This program is designed for Elementary or Middle Schools and the mentor will join your little and eat lunch, go to the gym, read a book with your child once a week.  Children in this program improve their social skills, attitude toward school, friends and teachers. Many Averett college students are part of this program and they are wonderful mentors.   Unfortunately, there is a waitlist for this program.

Steps to Enrollment in Community Based or School Based Programs:
Step One:  Fill out an application. Print or call 434-792-3700 for an application
(There are separate applications for Matched and Community Based programs)
Step Two: Fill out and return application
Step Three:  Join Waitlist, participate in activities that are for non-matched youth
Step Four: When a big that meets your criteria is located, we will Interview the little & family
Step Five: Match with a Big – Due to the demand, this can take up to two years. We will meet at your house with the mentor and sign the agreement.  Then the Big will make arrangements directly with you, the parent to meet with the child. For School Based mentors, Children meet their mentor at school and mentors make arrangements with the school on which days to visit.

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