Enroll a Child
There is no fee for enrolling a child to have a Big Brother or Big Sister.
Does having a mentor for my child work?
One poor decision or action by a young person can rob them of their future opportunities and the chance for a happy and productive life. The results from a 1992/1993 impact study conducted by Public/Private Ventures, a national research organization, are astounding! This study provided concrete evidence that youth matched with Big Brothers and Big Sisters are:
- 52 percent less likely to skip school
- 46 percent less likely than peers to begin using illegal drugs
- 27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol
- 37 percent less likely to skip a class
- More confident in their abilities to succeed at school
- Get along better with their parents and peers.
Getting Started
The child must meet our enrollment criteria.
- Parent or legal guardian requests the service for their child
- Child must live in Pulaski County, Arkansas
- Child must be between the ages of 6 (enrolled in the first grade) and 14
- Child is living in a single-parent household, with a grandparent(s), or in a household where one parent is unable to fulfill their role for some reason.
The Legal Guardian Schedules an Interview with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas.
The interview allows the following:
- An opportunity to ask questions about the program
- An opportunity to discuss expectations
- An opportunity for us to get to know you and your child to match them with the best possible mentor.
It’s easy to schedule an interview.
- Call or e-mail Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas to schedule a time for an interview.
- Interviews are 45 minutes to 1 hour in length and are scheduled Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
After the interview:
- The guardian receives letter confirming the child is accepted in the program and is on the waiting list. The length of time a child waits to be matched varies based on need, preferences, and location.
- Match Support Specialists call the guardian when a suitable match is found. They tell the guardian a little about the potential mentor and set up a time for all parties to meet.
- The child, guardian and volunteer agree that the child and mentor will spend time together for one year and agree to keep in contact with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas on a monthly basis.
