BY VIVIANA FELIX

Something we cannot stress enough as a coalition is the importance of a caring and supportive adult in a child’s life. You may think that you do not have the skills or knowledge to be a mentor to a child. The truth is that not much is needed to be someone who listens, shares, and has fun. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah is a community mentoring program that matches an adult volunteer mentor to a child or adolescent to reduce problem behaviors and improve academic success, peer and family relationships, and self-confidence. North Davis Communities That Care Coalition supports this community-based program because of the research behind the program proven to strengthen family connections and reduce low commitment to the school. A mentor is one of the best protections we can offer a child.

One-to-one matches are made based on the shared goals and interests of the child (little) and the adult volunteer (big) with the expectation that a caring and supportive relationship will develop. Each big and little participate in generalized activities related to their shared goals. Bigs meet with their little 3-5 hours per week for a minimum of 12 months. Mentors complete a thorough review process and are interviewed. Additionally, acase manager is assigned to each match to stay informed of the child’s experiences and to guide and advise the mentor.

Most bigs and littles are matched within their local community. As of right now, there are 17 littles waiting to be matched in Davis County.

Take this as your message to become someone’s mentor today— visit: bbbsu.org/volunteer. You can truly make a difference in a child’s life today.