Defend Potential Enroll a Little
Give your child someone in their corner.
Could Your Child Use a Big?
It all starts with the right role model
As a parent or guardian, you recognize the potential of your child better than anyone. By giving your child the opportunity to be part of Big Brothers Big Sisters, you're starting them down a path to an even brighter, more promising future.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Black Hills carefully matches kids with caring adult mentors who share their interests. Littles must be at least 6 years old to enroll.
- Community-Based Mentoring: your child and their Big meet about four hours a month for activities they both enjoy.
- Campus Kids: while waiting for a match, Littles meet every other week with a South Dakota Mines student mentor for STEM activities and a meal.
Take the First Step
Interested in enrolling your child? Get started by filling out the enrollment form.
Safety From the Start
Your child's safety comes first
Every Big passes a background check, provides references, and completes training before being matched. Once matched, a Match Support Specialist stays in regular contact with your family and your child's Big to offer guidance, ideas for activities, and help with any concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Share an activity that gives you something in common to talk about. Go to the library, check out a book and read together. Buy a comic book to read together. Play a board game. Go on a nature walk. Hit a bucket of golf balls at the local driving range. Take a ride in the car with the radio on and talk about the music you like. You want to select activities that give each of you a chance to learn more about one another. For children, playing can be learning. Most important: keep it simple and enjoy yourselves!
In the beginning it's most important for Big and Little matches to get to know each other. This can happen best on a one-to-one basis. However, over time it's also valuable for Littles to get to know the people who are important to their mentor and vice versa. Just keep in mind that if matches are spending lots of time with others, Littles may begin to feel jealous or neglected. The main focus is the friendship Bigs and Littles develop.
Once your child is matched, one of our Match Support Specialists will be in regular contact with you to provide assistance and give feedback. Any time you are unsure about what to do or how to handle a situation, you will have a Match Support Specialist there to help. Our staff will help with ideas for activities, guidance for handling possible difficult situations, and feedback on how the match is making a difference.
No, Littles have a parent or guardian in their life already. What they need is a Big to spend quality, one-on-one time with them. Someone to have fun with, someone they can confide in!
Other Ways to Get Involved
Let's create more opportunities for young people together.
Partner With Us
Contact us to partner with your business on match activities or to have us speak at your workplace.