BBBSTT Welcome

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a mentoring programme which pairs an adult volunteer known as a "Big" in a one-to-one relationship with a child or adolescent, called the "Little", of the same gender. These pairs, referred to as Matches, are monitored by the staff of the programme to ensure that a healthy, positive relationship develops.

The BBBS programme first developed in the United States of America over 100 years ago, and is now a huge success worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of past and present participants.

This internationally respected programme is now in Trinidad and Tobago. You can be a part of such a well-respected and influential programme!

rtRole of A Big Brother or Sister

mDid you know...

Spending time with a vulnerable young person is both a big responsibility and a great privilege. For this reason we have to be certain that all of our volunteers are the appropriate people with the necessary skills and qualities to fulfill this important role. We will not compromise the safety, well- being and development of the young people in the programme.

The programme is designed to give young people the opportunity to interact in a positive way with an adult outside or their family or regular circle. The role of the mentor / Big is to be a positive role model and friend to the young person. They do not take on the role of parent or of disciplinarian with the child / adolescent. Their purpose is to develop a trusting, caring and healthy relationship with the child through guidance, listening, caring and modeling consistency and positive behaviour.

Big Brothers Big Sisters currently operates in more than thirty-eight countries from as far north as Canada, Ireland and Estonia to as far south as Guyana, South Africa and New Zealand!

Since its T&T establishment in 2004, hosted locally by the Heroes Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Trinidad and Tobago (BBBSTT) has made remarkable progress!

To achieve this, people are invited to call or come in for an orientation to the programme, and to apply! Presently our current figures are ten (10) Matches and we have set a goal to achieve 300 matches by 2008.

Big Brothers Big Sisters has developed a relationship with several children's institutions, but also works with children who come from single parent or low-income homes, or homes in which none of the guardians is the child's natural parent.

mnBecoming a Big Brother or Sister

Big brothers and sisters are trained volunteers who come from all walks of life. To be eligible, you need:

• To be 18 years of age or older
• To have good communication skills and a willingness to listen and learn
• To have the ability to accept others with different values
• To have the interest and ability to relate to a young person
• To have the ability to commit 2 hours each week to seeing a Little Brother of Sister
• To have the ability to present 2 references
• To have a willingness to have a police check conducted
• To have a willingness and ability to accept supervision from agency staff
• To have the ability to attend the quarterly support and training sessions.

mnmTestimonials

"I was introduced to my little brother in March 2005. I didn't know what to expect or what he would expect from me. There were many questions which ran through my mind. What type of Big Brother would I make? Would I do him justice? What would he think of me? Would he be disappointed? I had many apprehensions and many concerns.

What happened was I met a kid with a great heart. He's considerate and kind. He's intelligent and loved by everyone who knows him. He has a great memory for music and is fun loving. He is a natural athlete and loves to play. I consider myself lucky to have met him and now I have a little brother for life. He has the greatest of all gifts in his heart, so I consider my job easy. We will help each other to make life a success."

Testimonial from Kevin Ali - Big Brother

The Big Brothers Big Sisters program has helped me. It has influenced me to set goals and aim at achieving them. At first I thought it would be kind of dumb to have a big sister but that was before I met Pat. She has inspired me to become and do the best that I can at everything. Since she is more experienced, Pat has also changed the way I think and taught me a lot about life.

I would recommend this to anyone interested because the Big Brothers and Sisters are really what they are called. The bottom line is that it is a good experience to have because it can change your whole life.

Curlene George - "Little"

mNeed to know more about BBBSTT?

If you'd like to know more about the programme, and how you can become involved, feel free to call, email or drop in. Our staff is always happy to tell more people about the programme.

BBBSTT Office
c/o The Heroes Foundation
#52 Luis Street, Woodbrook, Trinidad, W.I.

Tel: (868) 628-0619
bbbstt@theheroesfoundation.com

A Little Hero Makes a Big Difference!