As an organization dedicated to igniting the power of promise of youth, the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters remains clear now more than ever. Among the 240 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies around the country, we supported over 135,000 children and youth, 72% of whom are children of color. We have the responsibility to speak up for these children and their families.
We represent the largest youth mentoring organization in the country. Through one-to-one mentoring, our organization brings people together to play, talk and learn. Through mentoring, we provide a direct service that delivers positive generational change. We are dedicated to making these interactions inclusive of and respectful to all.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters network is comprised of diverse leadership and staff. We have a long history of bringing people from differing backgrounds and viewpoints together to serve our youth and their communities. We have become experts at leveraging the power of humanity to strengthen communities. We are invested in defending the potential of Littles.
But we cannot rest on the strength of interpersonal relationships alone to resolve the systemic oppression and bigotry that plague communities across America. Many of our leaders and staff across the country locked arms in protest and are now helping create positive change. We are meeting with elected officials and police and fire department leaders to collectively decide how we should begin to move forward.
We are continuing to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion as we hire and partner with individuals and organizations that align with our core values. We will provide a variety of educational resources to our Bigs, Littles and their families, helping them to discuss what is happening and how to effectively deal with the aftermath. We will continue to ignite the promise and power of hope in the youth we serve. But we have more work to do and with that we promise to listen. We promise to learn. We promise to defend the potential of not only our children, but of all our community members.
Together we will dismantle racism.
Wendy Koehler
Board President
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin is an affiliate of a national organization working to clear the path to a child’s biggest possible future. Joining parents with our staff, we match each child with a mentor to foster a friendship built on trust, learning and growth.
OUR OUTCOMES
Big Brothers Big Sisters is focused on evidence-based, long-term mentoring, and we effectively measure and report our outcomes.
Our programs are preventative, providing children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally-supported 1-to-1 mentoring relationships. The children we serve are members of families with recognized risk factors such as single parent/guardian, poverty/homelessness and incarceration. Providing children a positive role model addresses the need in our communities to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness, resulting in self-sufficiency.
Children who have a mentor are more likely to become responsible, productive citizens who realize their full potential, help our communities become more safe and become better employees in our workforce.
MATCH LENGTH
24 months avg match length (community-based)
19 months avg match length (site-based)
CHANGES
When compared with their peers, youth matched in our program experience:
84% improvement in socio-emotional competence
82% improvement in avoidance of risky behaviors
83% educational success
FUTURE ENGAGEMENT
And over time, children in our program are:
52% more likely to remain in school
75% more likely to earn a four-year degree
48% more likely to volunteer
81% more likely to hold a leadership role in an organization
CHILDREN SERVED – 2020
520 matches served (61% females / 39% males)
94 Littles waiting to be matched (50% males / 50% females)
AGES
48% ages 7 – 10
35% ages 11 – 13
17% ages 14 – 18
INCOME/HOUSEHOLD
69% household incomes > $25,000
57% single parent household
8% live with a grandparent/guardian
15% have incarcerated parent