Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester offers one-to-one mentoring through Community-Based Mentoring, Sports Buddies, Beyond School Walls (BSW), and High School Bigs. Children are enrolled between the ages of 8 and 14. Community-Based mentoring meets a few hours once per week, with some matches meeting on weekends or in the evenings; Sports Buddies pairs youth through shared sports and activities; Beyond School Walls meets every other week; and High School Bigs meets one day a week after school.

Programs

• Community-Based Mentoring — Meet a few hours once per week; some matches meet on weekends or in the evenings
• Sports Buddies — One-to-one mentoring through shared participation in sports and activities to support a healthy, active lifestyle.
• Beyond School Walls (BSW) — Meets every other week · One-to-one mentoring program that matches youth with an adult mentor in the workforce. Meetings take place at the mentor's place of work to expose students to workforce opportunities.
• High School Bigs — One day a week after school · Matches high school students with elementary Littles in a group setting structured 1:1. The pairs engage in pre-planned activities under the supervision of BBBS staff.

At a glance

• Ages: 8–14 years old
• General schedule: Children are enrolled between the ages of 8-14. Community-Based mentoring meets a few hours once per week; some matches meet on weekends or in the evenings. Sports Buddies, Beyond School Walls, and High School Bigs each have their own cadence as stated in the program descriptions.

About the provider

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester has over 39 years of experience. Its mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Last updated August 26, 2026.