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Big Brothers Big Sisters Project Overview. Creating the Project Processes Utilized BBBS Mission Project Objectives BBBS Applicable Principles Communicatio n Strategies Scenario Examples Relevant Theories. Project Justification.
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Big Brothers Big Sisters Project Overview Creating the Project Processes Utilized BBBS Mission Project Objectives BBBS Applicable Principles Communication Strategies Scenario Examples Relevant Theories
Project Justification • Necessity for successful youth mentoring has grown in the United States substantially over the years • Indianapolis Star series focus “Our City Our Youth” highlights the importance of mentoring • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana (BBBSCI) is one of the prevalent organizations leading this effort in our city and across the country • Enhanced communication strategies to create better relationship building among the mentees (Littles) and mentors (Bigs) is essential
Processes • Met with various BBBSCI staff including the CEO and Director of Strategic Vision • Observed interviews with potential sibling matches and their guardian; interview with mentor candidate; training session for newly selected mentors • Read and researched agency information, mentoring articles, as well articles and books on the topic of poverty and class issues in the U.S. • Informal discussions with Bigs and volunteers • Review of detailed evaluation summaries from closed matches
BBBSCI Mission Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana develops mentors committed to helping boys and girls grow into the next generation of caring, confident and competent adults. Source: Big Brothers Big Sisters website: bebigforkids.org
Project Objectives • Increase the cultural competency and awareness of mentors and staff about class differences among the youth they serve. • Create a series of communication strategies to assist with better navigating the differences in socio-economic and class culture • Ultimately lead to a decrease of early termination of mentor/mentee relationships
BBBS principles applicable to this project • Volunteers: Actively recruit and train volunteers • Services: Mentee (Littles) Development and Mentor (Bigs) Match Support • Diversity: “We will promote diversity of staff and volunteers to ensure the success of serving all boys, girls, and volunteers.” Source: Big Brothers Big Sisters staff and board materials
Real Life Issues • What we view as success is culturally subscribed and there is room for more than a single standard of success. • In several interviews, Bigs indicated not feeling secure in the knowledge that they made an impact on a Little’s life for various reasons. For example, the Little does not have plans to go to college. Yet, making it through high school graduation is a significant achievement for many families in our city.
Real Life Issues (cont.) • Mentors were frustrated with the choices that mentees made. Again, mentors need the encouragement, and the right tools, to help them with the understanding that they have hopefully provided the mentees with life-long decision making abilities. Recognizing the value in our difference and better understanding the cultural differences in many of these families will help provide mentors with the tools to bridge class barriers.
There are many intercultural themes and theories relevant to the discussions we have had that apply to the communication project. Such as: