Journey of a Dollar: Step 1, Volunteer Recruitment & Child Safety
July 28, 2020, Micaela Olson-Macgregor
Your gift makes a BIG impact. Follow the journey of your donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities.
Step 1: Volunteer Recruitment & Child Safety
Your gift helps us recruit great mentors and ensure the safety of the youth in our programs.
Volunteer Recruitment
Our Volunteer Recruitment Team meets potential volunteers where they are. By offering a variety of ways to learn about our programs, we are reducing barriers to join our programs like work & family schedules, transportation, and childcare. This allows us to recruit a diverse group of mentors. We regularly:
- Attend volunteer fairs or Lunch & Learns at local corporations
- Recruit volunteers during Open Streets festivals and in community spaces
- Hold Community Information Sessions in the neighborhoods where our Littles and Bigs live and work
- Host regular Information Sessions, offering flexibility in time of day or location (in our office or online webinars)
- Offer personalized 1:1 phone call Information Sessions with a member of our Recruitment Team to find the right volunteer fit
You can learn more about how to “Become a Big” here.
One Big Sister, Lauren, found Big Brothers Big Sisters through a simple Google search! She shared, “I heard about BBBS when I was doing a Google search to find volunteering opportunities in the Twin Cities. I have really enjoyed working with children in the past, so it piqued my interest. I did some additional research, and the rest is history.”
Information Sessions provide potential volunteers with information about each of our program areas and outlines the expectations and commitments for each up front. Of course, there’s a lot of inspiration as well – with stories about BBBS Matches and the difference having a mentor can make in the lives of Twin Cities kids.
“After understanding the statistics behind how successful BBBS has been, I was very excited for the opportunity to make a real difference.” said Lauren.
Application Process
Once an interested volunteer has completed the Information Session, they’re ready to begin the application process. This includes reference and background checks, and an interview with a BBBS staff member.
Thanks to generous BBBS donors, the application process is completely free of cost to volunteers, ensuring no one is turned away from becoming a Big because they can’t afford an application fee.
Gifts help us hire and train Enrollment & Match Coordinators who perform reference checks and 1:1 interviews to ensure the safety of our Littles. They also cover the cost of background checks for volunteers (normally $45 each). We perform almost 1,000 background checks each year!
Volunteer Interview
All potential volunteers complete an interview to discuss their commitments, hobbies, personality and goals for volunteering. This helps us to make great matches between Bigs and Littles.
Recalling her volunteer interview, Lauren shared, “I remember my overall impression being, ‘Wow, the BBBS staff is really making an effort to get to know me and understand my interests and background in order to truly make a match’”.
When volunteers successfully complete their application, reference checks and interviews, they are officially accepted into the program and move onto the next step of Volunteer Training before they’re matched.
“Thank you to the donors that create this opportunity for Bigs! I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my Little and I can say with absolute certainty there will be a life-long positive impact on both of us.” said Lauren.
Lauren, Big Sister to Ja’Siya
What’s next?
Curious what happens next? Follow along at BigsTwinCities.org/JourneyOfADollar.
Inspired and would like to make a gift? Visit BigsTwinCities.org/Donate.
