Big Friends Little Friends Mentoring

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Big Friends Little Friends (formerly Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Lawrence) believes that every child deserves at least one caring adult in their life.

Did you know that Youth with a Mentor are...

• 130% more likely to hold leadership positions
• 55% more likely to enroll in college
• 81% more likely to participate in sports or extracurricular activities

Mentor Description

Mentors open doors and challenge young minds. Matches spend time in the community doing fun things they both enjoy, exploring interests, and building a relationship. A mentor might provide the first opportunity for a child to explore a museum, hike a mountain, or join a sports team. They may be the only adult in the child's life who can consistently devote time to just hanging out, one-on-one. The most common outings are as simple as walking in the park, baking a cake, or watching a movie. Mentors have the opportunity to be a true friend to a child in need. Matches are made with consideration to such things as geographic location, interests and personalities.

Family Services of the Merrimack Valley matches children aged 6-14 with a caring adult who serves as a role model and friend. Once a match is made, mentors and mentees meet once a week for 1.5-2 hours or 3-4 hours every other week. A few hours a month can have a lifelong impact!

We serve mentees living in the cities and towns of: Amesbury, Andover, Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Merrimac, Methuen, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Rowley, Salisbury, and West Newbury.

The program offers a variety of mentorship options:

• Traditional 1:1 Mentoring - Mentors and mentees meet 1:1 on their own out in the community.
• Mentor with a Partner - Two mentors spend time with one mentee, either at the same time or alternating schedules (spouse, friend, or co-worker).
• Family Matches - An option that involves your family. Typically, one adult takes the lead as the primary mentor, but all the family members participate in match outings and contribute to the mentoring relationship.
• Cross-gender Matches - A match in which a female mentor is paired with a boy aged 12 years old or younger. There are many more boys than girls waiting for a mentor in the Big Friends Little Friends Program.