Statements
Mission
Mission: To create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
Vision: All youth achieve their full potential.
All of our programs and services are targeted toward low-income youth, particularly those growing up in single-caregiver homes. Across all of our programs, youth with trauma are our focus. Services are provided through three primary one-to-one mentoring programs:
- Community-Based Mentoring, where Bigs (mentors) and Littles (youth) meet weekly out in the community and the Big works alongside the parent or guardian for the growth of the child. Bigs and Littles spend 8-10+ hours together each month for a year or more, sharing activities such as library or museum visits, ball games, community service, and other everyday activities.
- Site/School-Based Mentoring, where Bigs and Littles (aged 6-16) meet once a week at a school or after-school facility during the school year. Matches share educational and recreational activities such as board games, arts & crafts, outdoor recreation, or schoolwork. Educational & recreational materials support matches, and students are encouraged toward social-emotional and academic growth.
- Site-Based Facilitated Mentoring: Bigs and Littles aged 6-18 are brought together in mentoring relationships outside of the traditional Community/Site-Based structures. We created this option to provide flexibility for mentoring relationships in response to changing conditions in our service area, while maintaining standards that produce positive outcomes for children and youth. Site-Based Facilitated programming includes E-mentoring, High School Bigs, Sports Buddies, and Big Cousins.
Background
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee (BBBSMT) was originally founded as Buddies of Nashville in 1969 and is a regional affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. BBBSMT has been successfully facilitating one-to-one mentoring relationships for children since 1969, building the next generation of citizens and stronger communities. Today, we remain focused on supporting caring adults (Bigs) walking beside individual children (Littles), helping them build resiliency from the adversity in their lives, find their talents and reach their potential. Following evidence-based national standards and practices for youth mentoring ensures high-quality programing and outcomes that are among the highest in the country. We currently serve eight Middle Tennessee counties: Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Robertson, Dickson, and Cheatham. Our 38 staff members are professionals committed to bettering the lives of young people in our communities.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has been providing mentoring services for more than 100 years, and the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring model we employ is the national gold standard. This one-to-one mentoring model promotes emotional support, forms positive social skills, and cultivates protective behaviors as well as feelings of safety and security. It enhances academic skills and produces greater positive relationships with both family and peers. Research has consistently shown that overall, youth enrolled in BBBS programs are less likely to begin using illegal drugs, alcohol, and are less likely to skip school than their peers who are not in a one-to-one mentoring relationship through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Thorough volunteer screening, training, and ongoing agency supervision of matches set Big Brothers Big Sisters apart from other mentoring services. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring is an evidence-based practice, recognized nationally in the federal Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention's Model Programs Guide and in the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices.
Impact
When families come to our agency looking for a Big Brother or Big Sister for their child, it's because they recognize the power of mentoring to inspire, encourage, motivate, and heal. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, our agency was honored to support 517 youth in a professionally supported relationship with a trained mentor who encouraged them to be the truest, best version of themselves. As these Bigs and Littles formed life-changing bonds, our BBBSMT team conducted more than 4,000 calls where they provided support, shared resources, offered ideas, and expanded possibilities… and the results showed. This year we've seen our youth improve their grades, set ambitious goals, build new relationships, and strengthen their emotional health. Despite living in increasingly challenging times we have seen that our work has ignited great potential and possibilities in our youth. Our work is important because our youth are important. As they grow, we all grow - and we look forward to continuing to grow alongside these amazing young people in the year to come. --Bryan Currie, Chief Impact Officer
2022-23 Impact:
- 804 total youth served
- 132 youth were served in our college/career readiness focused E-mentoring program. Established in 2017 at Antioch High School, we've since expanded to three new high schools in Davidson and Dickson counties.
- 54 youth participated in our High School Bigs training program. They learned skills in trauma-informed care, active listening, and other important life skills, gaining tools they'll need to succeed as future leaders and workers.
- 40 waiting youth were served as soon as they crossed our threshold through the new and innovative Big Cousins program, where we begin building relationships and preparing Littles for the mentoring experience.
-99 of our young people graduated high school as part of the class of 2023. We held our first ever Big Graduation event to celebrate their accomplishments at Bridgestone Arena.
2022-23 Outcomes:
Youth served by our programs have shown to either maintain or improve their outcomes in a number of areas linked to mental health. These successes are linked to important long-term outcomes like reduced risk taking, reduced violence, academic achievements, and vocational success. Given the challenges many of your youth and families face, having the support they need to maintain in these areas is critical.
- 90% maintained or improved academic performance
- 81% maintained or improved connections with family
- 86% maintained or improved feelings of connection to school
- 92% maintained or improved ability to set goals for the future
- 90% maintained or improved feelings of social competence
- 91% maintained or improved emotional regulation
Needs
1. Our services are free to the children, families, and volunteers we serve. But operating a high-quality mentoring program requires professional staff, sophisticated data management systems, thorough volunteer screening and child safety mechanisms, continual volunteer recruitment efforts, professional training, match activities, and ongoing caseworker support. We must raise significant funds in order to serve more youth in our community with high-quality, safe mentoring relationships. Your financial investment in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee allows us to be nimble and thoughtful in how we recruit mentors, sustain their involvement, and empower the potential of youth in our programs.
2. At any given time, there are dozens of Middle Tennessee young people in urgent need that have asked for a mentor...and are waiting. They have the potential to change the world, and we are standing together to defend it. Your friendship and encouragement can ignite the powers of creativity and possibility for a young person. Please join us as an ally in defending their potential.
CEO Statement
Our Big Community,
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee is a community resource belonging to no one person or group. But rather, this organization is a tool through which individuals can come together to invest in our most precious resource--our young people.
Families enroll their children with a trusted partner. Youth set goals for themselves that a caring adult can support. Community volunteers bring their time, experience, and care as mentors. Professional staff support skill-building and healthy relationship development. Investors see the potential of our rising citizens and leaders. Volunteers invest their time and expertise as board members to guide the organization.
Together, WE are building a more caring and connected community where young people thrive.
As you look through our data, the numbers tell a story and represent people, relationships, and community. You'll see families that have built connections with agency staff and Bigs, reducing their stress through expanded support. Bigs who've developed mentoring skill sets and increased their well-being through building confidence and links to others. And young people who are empowered to achieve educational success, social and emotional health, connections and belonging, and learning to make good decisions.
Our collective efforts support young folks as they build their future. Through the experience of a healthy and productive mentoring relationship, youth are on a path to graduate high school and pursue a plan for their future, including being enrolled in post-secondary education, employed or enlisted, and doing so with improved well-being and mental health.
We are honored and excited to link arms with you to create community-level transformation and opportunities for upward economic and social mobility. Cheers to another year of investing in our future leaders!
Onward and upward together,
Melissa Hudson-Gant, CEO
Board Chair Statement
Every child in Middle Tennessee would benefit from having a mentor in their daily life to help guide them in the right direction. Unfortunately, many kids today are faced with growing up in a single parent household and where a one-to-one mentoring relationship is not available. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee is working very hard to help change this situation by matching caring adult volunteers (Bigs) with kids in need (Littles). The work of this agency and others like it can change the outcome of kids that may otherwise fall through the cracks of society. The one-to-one mentoring relationship with a kid in need is as fulfilling for the Big as it has the potential to be for the Little. It has been proven one to one mentoring works. It makes a difference in everything from improving grades in school to their self-confidence. There are many different ways in which to get involved and help us achieve our mission. If you want to help make a difference in the life of a child in need, please contact the agency today. The rewards of your involvement are immeasurable.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Youth Development - Big Brothers, Big Sisters |
| Secondary Category: | Human Services - Children's and Youth Services |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee serves children all across Middle Tennessee in Metro Nashville/Davidson county as well as Williamson, Rutherford, Cheatham, Dickson, Robertson, Sumner, and Wilson counties.
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Wilson |
