Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Southwest Colorado

TO PROVIDE CHILDREN FACING ADVERSITY WITH STRONG AND ENDURING, PROFESSIONALLY SUPPORTED ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIPS THAT CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOR THE BETTER, FOREVER.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO CREATES AND SUPPORTS ONE- TO-ONE MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS THAT INSPIRE THE POWER AND PROMISE OF YOUTH. OUR VISION IS TO HELP ALL YOUTH IN OUR PROGRAM ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. BY PARTNERING WITH PARENTS/GUARDIANS, EDUCATORS, VOLUNTEERS, AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR EACH YOUTH IN OUR PROGRAM, AGES 6-17, IN ACHIEVING HIGHER GRADUATION RATES, ADVANCEMENT TO SECONDARY EDUCATION, LESS RISKY BEHAVIORS, AND A INCREASING DESIRE TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY BY HAVING AN INCREASED SENSE OF BELONGING IN THEIR OWN ADOLESCENCE. IN 2021, OUR PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED STAFF CONTINUED TO SUPPORT 83 LITTLES AND BIGS THROUGH THE AMBIGUOUS STATE OF SOCIETY. WITH THAT CAME SEVERAL CLOSURES OF THESE MATCHES THAT WERE UNABLE TO CONSISTENTLY CONNECT, OR WERE DISCOURAGED TO CONNECT WITH THE UNKNOWNS OF THEIR OWN FUTURES. ADDITIONALLY, OUR PROGRAMMING WITHIN SCHOOL FACILITIES WAS IMPACTED DUE TO THE CLOSURES OF THESE SCHOOLS. THOUGH WE RECOGNIZE THIS WAS THE MOST BENEFICIAL TIME FOR BOTH MENTORS AND MENTEES TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, OUR AGENCY, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, WERE CHALLENGED IN DOWNSIZING SERVICES. THIS HAS LEAD US TO BEGIN AN INTENTIONAL STAGE OF REDEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMMING AND PARTNERSHIPS POST-HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC. ADDITIONALLY, OUR AGENCY CONTINUED TO DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND FUNDERS TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MATCH MORE MENTORS WITH YOUTH AS OUR COMMUNITY AWAKENS FROM THE PANDEMIC. NEWLY DEVELOPING PROGRAMS INCLUDED SPORTS BUDDIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FORT LEWIS COLLEGE AND DURANGO YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION. STAFF CONTINUED TO PROVIDE WRAP-AROUND SERVICES TO FAMILIES OF THOSE SERVED, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH PREVENTION RESOURCES AND TRAININGS AS WELL AS THE CONTINUED ONE-ON-ONE CHECK-IN'S WITH LITTLES, PARENTS/GUARDIANS, AND MENTORS TO SUPPORT THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A RELATIONSHIP. STATISTICALLY, BBBS SW CO HAD A 12-MONTH RETENTION RATE OF 84%, HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL RATE. THIS SHOWCASES THE WORK OF OUR AGENCY IN SUPPORTING THE WORK OF THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS. THE AVERAGE MATCH LENGTH OF MATCHES CONTINUED TO SUCCESSFULLY REMAIN AT 3.33 YEARS FOR OUR COMMUNITY- BASED MATCHES. BBBS OF SW CO CONTINUES TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND ONBOARD MENTORS FOR A NUMBER OF YOUTH THAT REMAIN ON THE WAITING LIST TO GAIN A MENTOR.