Journey of a Dollar: Step 2, Volunteer Training
July 29, 2020, Micaela Olson-Macgregor
Your gift makes a BIG impact. Follow the journey of your donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities.
Step 2: Volunteer Training
All BBBS volunteers are trained in youth development and mentoring best practices to prepare them to be a great Big. Volunteers complete their trainings before we match and introduce them to their new Little!
Pre-Match Trainings
Pre-match trainings are provided on-demand online which gives volunteers the flexibility to complete them on their own time and at their own pace.
One future Big Brother, Vinay, shared his recent experience with our pre-match trainings.
“I completed the training online on my own. They took a couple of hours and were very informative and helpful. I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the four approaches to mentoring and how certain approaches will likely not be as effective as others in this type of relationship.”
Trainings help mentors understand their role, how to effectively communicate with their Little and the Little’s family, and includes the fundamentals of relationship development. It also covers different scenarios that mentors may encounter (from real-life stories from other Bigs!) and how to respond.
For example, what happens if a Little’s sibling wants to join when you’re heading to the Science Museum for the afternoon? It’s a tricky situation, as of course we’d like to include everyone in the fun! But for the safety of our Littles and Bigs, we limit match outings to the participants in our program. BBBS staff provides some ideas of ways to communicate this with the sibling or the Little’s parent or guardian. We love including Little’s families in our BBBS agency-sponsored events like our Summer Picnic and annual Saints game!
“My favorite part was hearing detailed feedback on how to navigate potentially challenging situations such as redefining the relationship when there is a major change, or being adaptable when things can’t go as planned,” Vinay echoed. “It really helped me feel more confident, in case any challenges arise between my Little and me.”
Vinay, Big Brother
Our generous donors ensure that we can continue to prepare our volunteers to be the best mentors possible. We regularly review and update trainings in response to feedback from volunteers and as new research in mentoring and youth development becomes available.
Throughout the course of a match, Bigs continue to have access to even more specific on-demand trainings and receive frequent support from their Match Engagement Coordinator.
“While I feel like part of me will never be prepared enough until I actually do it, I am confident that the BBBS trainings and my 20+ years of experience as an older brother to two sisters have helped me to be as prepared as possible!”
Vinay’s Update
Now for the exciting news… Vinay recently got news that we found a perfect match and he will be meeting his Little sometime soon! Congratulations, Vinay!
“I’m really excited to meet my Little! I’m hoping we will have a successful relationship and I am especially thrilled to see what I can learn from them! This will be an incredible learning experience for both of us.” said Vinay.
Vinay, Big Brother
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.
