About BBBSNH
FOREVER FRIENDSHIPS. PROVEN RESULTS.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire is a 501(3)c nonprofit organization that provides youth mentoring services to the state of New Hampshire. We have several offices, but we are in most communities – we can interview and match in your community.
Supporting NH Youth Through 1-to-1 mentoring
All of our efforts, including service delivery systems, child protection procedures, training and activities are focused solely on affecting positive outcomes for youth through one-to-one mentoring. Our programs include mentoring children of incarcerated parents, children involved with the juvenile courts, children with disabilities, children in foster homes, children from homes with substance abuse, children who identify as LGBTQ+ and children who are at risk of dropping out of high school. Each of our quality one-to-one mentoring relationships is the result of the following professional responsibilities, which are critical to successfully carrying out our mission.
Volunteer Recruitment/Inquiry
Attracting effective mentors is at the forefront of out efforts to provide youth with ideal role models and advocates.
Volunteer Enrollment
Initial assessment of volunteer mentors includes a completed application, an in-depth interview, orientation and layered reference checks. With child safety being our utmost priority, we also conduct an in-depth review of the volunteer’s history including online database searches, state and national criminal background checks and a motor vehicle check.
Youth Enrollment
Parents who inquire about our services or are referred from a community partner receive an initial meeting which includes an orientation about our mentoring program, program expectations and an in-depth parent and youth interview and assessment.
Pairing & Making a Match
We evaluate the characteristics of each individual mentor and mentee to pair them in a successful one-to-one mentoring relationship. After carefully selecting a compatible match, our team facilitates an introductory meeting.
Training
Volunteer mentors, parents/guardians and youth must receive child safety and youth protection training during their orientation process. Annual required refresher trainings and mentor-to-mentor networking opportunities are also offered over the course of the mentoring relationship. Additionally, we offer trauma-informed mentoring and opioid misuse prevention training. With this training, support staff and mentors can better understand and respond to the physical, emotional and psychological impacts of trauma on a child, and learn strategies to help children in our program cope with these impacts.
Match Support & Customer Relations
Coaching, professional support and case management are integral to keeping a match healthy and strong. We connect with each parent/guardian, child and volunteer monthly for the first year of the relationship in order to support match development and meet youth outcome development goals. Beyond a year, we make those contacts quarterly.
Supporting
Granite State Youth
We are the only evidence-based, one-to-one mentoring program in New Hampshire. What sets us apart from other organizations is that we solely focus on one-to-one mentoring – that is our only mission, not a side program as part of a larger mission. As a result, we excel in committing resources to both making matches designed to last, and to providing intensive staff support to each one-to-one mentoring relationship through regular contact with parents, children and volunteer mentors for the duration of the match. All check-ins include safety questions as child safety is our number one priority. Our professional staff work with the child, their family and mentor to provide crisis management, coaching and mentoring, or provide referrals to other organizations for additional services, when needed.
OUR HISTORY
We are an affiliate of the national organization Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, based in Tampa, FL. As an affiliate we pay them for the overarching youth protection trainings and protocols and our proprietary volunteer system called Matchforce. This organization has been rated as one of the top Children’s nonprofits by many independent charity evaluators. The programs offered by our organization are proven to be successful and impactful.
OUR MISSION
Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
OUR VISION
All youth achieve their full potential.
Our Impact
We’re making a big impact on the youth of New Hampshire. See the results of our efforts.
Our Board
A nonprofit needs a supportive and passionate board. Meet the generous members of our Board of Directors.
LEARN MORE. CONTACT US.
We’re here to answer any questions about our organization. We appreciate the support of our New Hampshire community and look forward to hearing from you.