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WILKES-BARRE — Think about the people who influenced you as a child.
Consider the ways in which you grew and developed thanks to their teaching and guidance.
Now imagine what your life would be like if they hadn’t been there.
For nearly a quarter century, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bridge has matched young people in Northeastern Pennsylvania with mentors who seek to help them reach their full potential. It is the local affiliate of the national program, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
With January being National Mentoring Month, the group is hoping more volunteers will come forward to work with hundreds of young people across the region who are waiting for a “Big,” as mentors are called.
“I feel so passionately about the program especially since I have seen first-hand what a mentor can do in a child’s life,” said program supervisor Amanda Sivco, who has has been with the group for a little over 2½ years after serving as a program case manager.
“A mentor, or Big, can inspire confidence, be a listening ear and be a positive role model,” she added.
Sivco said the program offers children in the community the opportunity to grow and build upon their own strengths. A volunteer/mentor is there as extra support, not to take the place of anyone, but to add to the child’s life.
“These volunteers are not coming in and being saviors to these children, they are there to defend their potential,” Sivco said.
Impact, needs in focus
National research done for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bridge has shown that positive relationships between “Littles” and their “Bigs” have a direct and measurable impact on children’s lives.
Landmark research conducted by Public/Private Ventures found that Littles, when compared to their non-mentored peers, are:
• 52% less likely to skip school.
• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs.
• 33% less likely to hit someone.
In addition, a survey completed by Harris Interactive on adults who participated in the program as children, found:
• 90% agreed their Bigs made them feel better about themselves.
• 81% say their Big caused them to change what they thought possible in life.
The program works — not just as evidenced by the measured outcomes, but as reflected in a lengthy waiting list.
Jim Roberts, chairman of the Big Brothers Big Sisters the Bridge Board of Directors, said there are 224 active matches in the region, but also 304 children waiting for a “Big.”
“I was fortunate to have my mother and father, teachers and others serve as my mentors as a young man. Not every young person in our area has that same benefit,” said Roberts, who has been involved with the chapter for 25 years.
A public relations professional, Roberts said he was initially recruited for work on a fundraiser and gradually became more involved as time went on.
“The volunteers on the advisory board, as well as the staff and the families we serve help drive my desire to help the program,” he said.
How it works
The program started in Luzerne County in 1974, striving to provide high-quality mentoring services to the children and families of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Its reach has grown to include Wyoming, Columbia, Monroe, and Carbon counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as Montour and Lycoming counties. Across that broad area, the program matches over 500 youth with a variety of services each year, according to its website.
Funding for Big Brothers Big Sisters programs is provided through the various United Ways, state and federal grants, private donations and fundraising efforts and program development.
Sivco said volunteers are asked to dedicate at least two to three hours a week to their match for at least a year. This can include anything from going for a walk, throwing a ball, doing arts and crafts, working through homework together, or even going out for dinner or cooking it together.
Collectively, that translates to 450 hours of one-on-one mentoring each week across the region.
Roberts said mentors in the program can make a big influence in a young person’s life by simply being themselves.
“Mentoring can happen in basic, everyday ways, like shooting hoops, attending a car show or a hockey game, taking a hike, helping with homework, or just providing a friendly ear for the young person to share their thoughts,” Roberts said.
“Most of the families participating in our program face some sort of challenge, but not all are in crisis, and that is the right time for mentoring,” he added. “Mentors serve as everyday, positive role models to prepare young people for situations they may face later in life or the mentor provides perspective and aspirational goals.”
The need for volunteers is great — and especially for younger volunteers, Roberts said, explaining that younger generations volunteer less frequently to be mentors than those who came before.
With that thought in mind, Roberts said he often uses the new national BBBS tag-line, “defending potential,” when speaking to younger possible volunteers.
“Get involved now and enhance the potential and the possibilities for young people when you can have the most impact,” Roberts said.
How you can help
Sivco said Big Brothers Big Sisters receives more than half of its operating income from private donations. The program’s success depends on contributions that it receives from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
Donations enable the group to recruit, screen, train and match Big Brothers and Big Sisters with the children that are on the waiting list.
To donate, visit the website at — bbbsnepa.org — and look for upcoming fundraisers. On, Thursday, Jan. 30, the gency will host its Game Night Event at the Woodlands Inn from 6 to 9 p.m. On Saturday March 28, the annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake event will take place at Chacko’s Family Bowling Center.
To become a volunteer, visit bbbsnepa.org or call 1-800-955-4376.
