Mentoring programs differ in the target population in which we serve.  The most important reason we supported bringing Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program to the valley is because of their willingness to serve "At Risk Youth". 

One of the hopes of those individuals and organizations involved in local mentoring is a desire to collaborate and refer youth to programs most appropriate for the individual.  All mentoring programs aren't for all youth and a certain population of youth will not get benefit out of a program.  Big Brothers Big Sisters nationally concludes their program is appropriate for about 75% of students in their age range.  Protective factors are increased and risk factors are reduced for these youth and undoubtedly for those in other local programs.

Big Brothers Big Sisters has a reputation for being a best practices program with dramatic results for youth who stay in the program 18 months or longer.  According to the program, these youth are 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol and 52% less likely to skip school.  We are thrilled to offer this program to local youth as a satellite operation of the larger Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Idaho.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Blaine County has a full-time program Director, Bronwyn Patterson (208-578-5405) and the program is on track to have 60 matches by August 2010 and one-hundred matches by year's end.  The program offers community, site and school-based programs for youth ages 6 to 15.