Enroll a Little

Safety firstThe safety of your child is your highest priority. It’s no different at Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Child Safety

Making the best possible match between Little and Big is critical to the growth and development of a child. But before we begin the matching process, we start by thoroughly screening potential Bigs.

Big Brothers Big Sisters National Standards of Excellence require each volunteer to complete an extensive screening process that includes:

Completion of a formal written application
Background and reference checks
An in-person interview
An orientation and training process that outlines the individualized needs of your child and provides information and resources on how to encourage your child's development

Big Brothers Big Sisters also provides child safety tips to you and your child, and we welcome your questions and feedback. Throughout the life of the match, our professional staff will be in ongoing communication with you, your child, and your child's Big. It’s the best way to build a strong relationship that will have the greatest impact on your child’s future success.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County is a youth-services organization that pairs adult mentors in professionally guided, one-to-one matches with children facing adversity. As an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, the organization holds itself accountable for children in the program to achieve positive, measurable outcomes through research-based methods. Among other improvements, local evaluation data shows that children served progress academically (83%), avoid delinquency (80%), and experience increased self-confidence (88%). Founded locally in 1976 as an outreach of Trinity Presbyterian Church, the organization is the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in the state of Virginia, serving 712 youth in 2011.

© 2011 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County
225 North High Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802, 540.433.8886