BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF PALM BEACH AND MARTIN COUNTY, INC.

Big Brothers Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach and Martin Counties seek to provide various avenues to provide mentoring. Increasing the number of children being mentored by providing Mentors in various ways of mentoring: whether it be in the community, at our schools, and at our local businesses. Children involved in BBBS mentoring relationships are given opportunities they otherwise might not have – opportunities that expand their perceptions of the world and give them hope for the future. Together we can continue to reach out to children who might otherwise never know the incredible impact that a caring, supportive mentor can have in their lives. National research has shown that positive relationships between Littles and their Bigs directly and positively impact children's lives.
• More confident in their schoolwork performance
• Able to get along better with their families
• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol
• 52% less likely to skip school

According to the National Mentoring Partnership, youth who have a Mentor are:
• 55% more likely to enroll in college.
• 78% more likely to volunteer regularly.
• 90% are interested in becoming a mentor.
• 130% more likely to hold leadership positions.

Big Brothers Big Sisters strives to improve the quality of life of at-risk children by offering mentoring programs that focus on building trusted relationships with positive role models. These programs allow children and youth to build social skills and relationships, promote school success, and strengthen the child's perceptions of their self-worth and competence.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach and Martin Counties staff provides professionally supported mentoring relationships to our volunteers, children, and families in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Beginning at the time a family or volunteer inquires about mentoring; degreed staff guide potential Bigs, Littles, and their families through enrollment. Multilayered background screenings, orientations, and interviewing are just the first steps to making meaningful mentoring relationships (Matches). With child safety being our top priority, BBBS staff use the enrollment period to discover information about inquiring families and volunteers to ensure program eligibility. Staff identifies the best match of goals, needs, and interests that will yield the most positive outcomes for the child. A “Youth Outcome Development Plan" is created for every child who is enrolled in all BBBS programs. The plan prioritizes the child's needs through goal setting and gives the mentor direction, strategy, and methods for helping their Little develop socially, emotionally, and academically. Once a Little and Big is matched, a Case Manager monitors the match to ensure participant safety and positive relationship development, while providing ongoing coaching for volunteers and giving parental support.
While Big Brothers Big Sisters continues to provide its signature community-based mentoring program, matching a child with a caring adult in a one-to-one personalized relationship, we also have several mentoring sites in local schools and mentoring through internships with our business partners in the community. The agency seeks to provide and encourage educational opportunities, service projects, and activities “just for the fun" to all participants. Big Brothers Big Sisters staff provide contact (Match Support) with Bigs, Littles, and Guardians. Mentor training is provided formally and informally on varying topics; communication with families, understanding their Little, boundary setting, relationship building, developmental stages of youth, cultural diversity, and socioeconomic differences that may prove a challenge for the Big.
Criteria to become a Big includes a one-year commitment to Mentor, local, state, and national level background screening that may include fingerprinting, driving record check, predator checks, reference screenings, in-depth interviews with qualified BBBS staff members. Our Bigs are a diverse population, varying in age, gender, race, education, and socioeconomic levels, but they all share a common goal of wanting to help a child achieve success; giving their time, talent, and resources to make a difference in the life of a child.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach and Martin Counties values its alignment with the community and its partners, viewing them as allies in the vision and mission. Through partnerships with the Martin and Palm Beach County School Districts, the agency can deliver mentoring programs to children in schools. In-kind, the schools provide referrals and space for our program to operate. Our partnerships with community agencies and Universities provide opportunities to work together on a common goal; to serve the community. We have partnered with ICouldBe, Florida Atlantic University (FAU), and United Way to provide resources, recruitment opportunities, and volunteers to Big Brothers Big Sisters throughout the year. Big Brothers Big Sisters also partners with FAU School of Social Work by providing field supervision for Social Work Interns; mentoring the next generation of Social Workers. Area business partners with our agency encouraging mentoring as a volunteering option while at work. Through this shared value, Martin and Palm Beach Counties provide quality mentoring relationships for local kids impacting their future for success.

Since 1986, Big Brothers Big Sisters has provided mentors to children in Martin County. In 2010, the Martin County agency expanded into Palm Beach County, creating an overall territory of over 2,000 square miles and a population of over 1.5 million residents. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, inc. is proud of its accomplishments, collaborations, and awards over the past thirty-five years and seeks to continue to strive for excellence.
• 2007 Top 35 of Big Brothers Big Sisters Agencies Nationwide
• Again in 2009, 2010, 2011 Top 35 Big Brothers Big Sisters Agencies Nationwide.
• 2007 CEO, William P. Bee, Jr., Top Agency CEO
• Business Leader Magazine: Top 100 small businesses in South Florida.
• 2008, 2009, and 2011 Martin County's Best Places to Work.
• 2013 Awarded from the City of WPB for Dedication to the Children of PBC.
• 2015 Sun Sentinel Doyle Award for Nonprofit Excellence.
• December 2015, BBBS completed a 3-year collaborative research project with the American Institutes for Research. The project studied advocacy and teaching in mentoring relationships. The results have provided valuable insight into the field of mentoring.
• Fall 2016, BBBS partnered with Florida Atlantic University, School of Social Work by providing field supervision for Social Work Interns; mentoring the next generation of Social Workers.
• Summer 2017, BBBS developed and piloted a summer “School to Work" program.
• 2018 the program became a full-year career development-mentoring program and expanded into Martin County in 2019.
• 2020, Big Brothers Big Sisters successfully transitioned all programs to virtual using monitored platforms. Big Brothers Big Sisters continues to provide mentors to kids during this time of social distance. Over 130 kids have received mentoring through virtual means between March 2020 and August 2020.
• 2021 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach and Martin Counties contributes to John's Hopkins University's study for best practices for digital mentoring.
• 2021 Big Brothers Big Sisters increases program enhancements through Sports Buddies and Literacy mentoring.