How We Support You

How Match Support Works

Once you and your Little agree to be matched, our enrollment staff will arrange a “match meeting” where they will introduce you to each other and the parent/guardian, go over all of the rules, and help you get started with planning activities. They will also tell you who your “Match Support” staff person will be and their contact information. About two weeks into your match, your Match Support will contact you (usually by phone) and check in. Thereafter they will call monthly for the first 12 months of the match. After that, as long as things are going well, they will call quarterly. Anytime you have questions or feel you need support, you can also reach out to them. The Match Support staff help ensure that you have the ideas and resources you need to have a successful mentoring experience.

Youth Development Newsletter

Monthly we distribute a newsletter to all Bigs that has training and resources around a particular area of youth development or child safety.

Training

All new Bigs will receive training that helps prepare you to be a mentor. After your match begins, your match support staff person may also provide additional training opportunities specific to your match. Most of our training opportunities are on-line and can be done at your convenience. We also offer several trainings per year in-person at our offices.

Planned Activities

All community-based matches in the Salt Lake area are invited to Quarterly match activities including a Summer Picnic and a Winter Holiday party. Bigs in St. George and Park City are invited to match activities at least bi-monthly. These are low or no-cost activities designed for Bigs and Littles to attend together and to meet other Bigs and Littles in the program. We encourage you to attend as many as you are able!

All site-based matches have activities based on our youth development curriculum designed to help kids in the site-based programs thrive. Nearly every meeting there will be some free time and some “programmed” time that will help you and your Little bond.

mentor2.0 has monthly event nights that also include some free/eating time and some programmed activities. The activities are designed to help mentor/mentee pairs bond and also help mentees learn more about the non-cognitive skills they are learning in class and discussing on the electronic platform with mentors that month.

What it takes to be a Big

Bigs come in all shapes and sizes and ages! The most important part of being a Big is to be caring and consistent. We ask Bigs to commit to their Little for at least 12 months. We provide an orientation and training before you are matched with a Little – and then continue to provide on-going support and training along the way. From there – you just do what you already love to do – but with your Little. Or maybe try new things together. In a few hours a week you can truly ignite potential in a young person.