Community-Based Mentoring
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester, 1 S Washington St, Suites 100/405, Rochester, NY 14614
About
Community-Based Mentoring matches each child with a mentor to share everyday activities such as sports, going to the beach, listening to music, taking a walk, going to a museum, playing in the park, riding bikes, heading to the zoo, doing arts and crafts, fruit picking, visiting area colleges, going bowling, and hanging out and chatting. Bigs and Littles plan their own outings in the community, and the volunteer picks up the child at his or her home.
• Ages: 8–14 years old
• Schedule: Bigs and Littles meet for a few hours once per week; some matches meet on weekends and others in the evenings
With over 39 years of experience, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester states that it is dedicated to being an organization families can trust. The mission of the program is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. The agency provides children a strong, enduring and professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationship, and children are matched with a mentor according to shared interests, hobbies, personality, and geography. The program enrolls children between the ages of 8–14 in the Monroe, Ontario, Yates, Wayne and Livingston counties, and parents and guardians are involved in the entire mentoring process, including approving the selection of the Big and approving activities and outings. Parents and guardians receive frequent check-ins, are included in every aspect of the match relationship, and are asked to report their child’s progress and milestones to the agency on a regular basis.
Studies cited by the program find that children matched with a Big are more confident and more likely to avoid use of drugs and alcohol, more likely to improve academically, and get along better with their peers and family. A nationwide study by Public/Private Ventures of over 950 boys and girls from eight Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies found that matched youth were 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip a class, and 33% less likely to hit someone. According to Karen J. Mathis, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s President and CEO, “We have known all along that Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring has a long-lasting, positive effect on children’s confidence, grades, and social skills,” and she also stated that when Little Brothers and Little Sisters feel good about themselves, they can positively impact their friends and families, their schools, and their communities. Gary Walker, then-President of Public/Private Ventures, described the study’s findings as “very good news, particularly at a time when many people contend that ‘nothing works’ in reaching teenagers.”
Last updated May 27, 2026.
• Ages: 8–14 years old
• Schedule: Bigs and Littles meet for a few hours once per week; some matches meet on weekends and others in the evenings
With over 39 years of experience, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester states that it is dedicated to being an organization families can trust. The mission of the program is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. The agency provides children a strong, enduring and professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationship, and children are matched with a mentor according to shared interests, hobbies, personality, and geography. The program enrolls children between the ages of 8–14 in the Monroe, Ontario, Yates, Wayne and Livingston counties, and parents and guardians are involved in the entire mentoring process, including approving the selection of the Big and approving activities and outings. Parents and guardians receive frequent check-ins, are included in every aspect of the match relationship, and are asked to report their child’s progress and milestones to the agency on a regular basis.
Studies cited by the program find that children matched with a Big are more confident and more likely to avoid use of drugs and alcohol, more likely to improve academically, and get along better with their peers and family. A nationwide study by Public/Private Ventures of over 950 boys and girls from eight Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies found that matched youth were 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip a class, and 33% less likely to hit someone. According to Karen J. Mathis, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s President and CEO, “We have known all along that Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring has a long-lasting, positive effect on children’s confidence, grades, and social skills,” and she also stated that when Little Brothers and Little Sisters feel good about themselves, they can positively impact their friends and families, their schools, and their communities. Gary Walker, then-President of Public/Private Ventures, described the study’s findings as “very good news, particularly at a time when many people contend that ‘nothing works’ in reaching teenagers.”
Last updated May 27, 2026.
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