“Jane” became interested in being a Big Sister after a presentation at her corporate office.  She had raised two children of her own who were now both in college and married.  She thought of the years when she was actively raising them and felt these were some of her favorite times.  She was now missing the presence of children in her life.  Jane decided to become a Big Sister in the Site-Based Mentoring Program with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  In this program adult volunteers, “Bigs” and children, “Littles” meet once a week for about an hour to talk, catch up, complete homework, play board games, color and spend quality, one-on-one time together.

Jane met with “Emma” in this setting for a school year, loving every minute of her company.  While at site, the pair would color together and chat about their week at school and work.  They got to know each other on a personal level and Jane began thinking that she would like to expand their time together and expose Emma to new opportunities and activities outside of the site. 

The agency received permission from Emma’s mother to convert the match to a community-based match.  They were now afforded more time together in their meetings away from site, and Jane immediately noticed a difference in Emma.  At the initial check-in, Jane reported that Emma was calmer and more focused.  Jane attributed this change to Emma realizing that she had more time, which allowed her to harness her enthusiasm. This time together solidified the foundation of trust in their relationship, which occurred at a vital time. Already, improvements were being realized in Emma’s level of self-esteem and confidence in all areas of her life.Trust has been a key objective for Emma due to past traumas that she has experienced. 

Because of the traumas in her short life Emma has also experienced behavior and sleeping problems. Through Jane’s continued support, patience, communication and trust, Jane’s mom has observed a positive change in Emma’s mood. Her sleeping habits have also improved. Mom attributes this to Emma spending time with Jane and her family and friends. As Jane continues to be a constant in her Little Sister’s life, Emma communicates underlying feelings and new thoughts, and has shown immense improvement in her relationships with adults.