Big Brothers Big Sisters Expands Technology-driven Mentoring Program to Fort Worth, Texas
Combination between technology and mentoring allows local companies, employees to provide guidance and support with less of a time commitment than traditional mentoring.
Online, May 21, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Big Brothers Big Sisters is pleased to announce that it is expanding its innovative technology-based mentoring program to high school students in Fort Worth, Texas. The program - mentor2.0 - has met with resounding success since its launch in Dallas last year. In addition to Fort Worth, Big Brothers Big Sisters will further expand the program in Dallas and Houston and expects to launch nationally over the next five years. "We are tremendously proud of the success we've achieved in Dallas, and we're excited to be able to expand this worthy initiative in Tarrant County," said Rob Roby, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters. "We expect that the citizens and business community of Tarrant County will get behind this opportunity and volunteer as mentors to local students."
To date, almost 400 students have been served as mentees in the mentor2.0 program during the 2012-2013 school year. Dunbar High School will be the first Fort Worth school to launch mentor2.0. Jason Ray, Chief Operating Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters, expects to match more than 100 students from this school with an adult mentor for the 2013-2014 school year.
A groundbreaking initiative developed by Big Brothers Big Sisters, mentor2.0 is a professionally supported, technology-enriched one-to-one mentoring program that engages high school students in the classroom and online in an entirely new way. Mentors and mentees use an interactive secure portal to follow a curriculum-based program administered by Big Brothers Big Sisters staff. In addition to online mentoring, the mentors and mentees meet at group events throughout the year that are organized at the school campus.
The goal of mentor2.0 is to provide the support and guidance that students need to graduate high school and succeed in college and the workforce. The interaction between mentor and mentee is orchestrated via a secure, proprietary email system monitored by Big Brothers Big Sisters staff to ensure safety and provide relationship support. Some of the curricula include: problem solving skills, motivation, career exploration, interview skills, leadership and college admissions processes.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring organization, holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships. Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children ("Littles") with screened volunteer mentors ("Bigs") and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course. The first-ever Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Summary, released in 2012, substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth, areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization's 85-year history. Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star serves over 30,000 children, volunteers and families through 20 offices and over 100 counties in Texas. Learn how you can positively impact a child's life - donate or volunteer at bbbstx.org.