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Big Brothers Big Sisters

MentorshipYouthUndergraduateCommunity ServiceCommunity/Public ServiceSAC
There are changes to this club page that are still pending approval from the Office of Student Affairs.
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Club Mission

Big Brothers Big Sisters at Penn matches Penn students as mentors to local elementary and middle school students, meeting one-on-one, once a week for an hour at one of several partner schools near the Penn campus. This is an opportunity for Penn students to connect with a local community member and to gain the leadership skill of mentoring. Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) matches volunteers (“Bigs”) with their mentee (“Little”) based on shared interests and personality. Together, Bigs and Littles play games, do arts and crafts, talk about life, and build an empowering relationship. Meetings being a Big and Little generally happen at either lunch time or after school at the Little’s school. Youth in the program feel more confident and have a greater academic outlook. BBBS provides Penn Big support in building a relationship with their Little as well as serving as a volunteer reference for the future career endeavors.

FAQ

Most Recent
Question: I am an exchange student from Japan and I am staying at Penn for a year. Since I am not a citizen of the US, I do not have a social security number. However, since I did receive my VISA after going through a security check, I am wondering if that is enough to apply. I am planning to volunteer in one of my courses which also requires a background check, and I believe the background checks can be done without a social security number. - Anonymous

International students can and do participate as Bigs in our program; however, the background checks we complete do require a social security number (SSN).  Thankfully, international students working in a campus jobs program automatically receive a SSN so Penn’s International Student Work-Study program can aid you in getting a SSN. Our program also asks for a commitment of at least two semesters so you would need to do gain an SSN very soon in order make sure there is time for your background checks to be processed and for you to be matched with a mentee before the end of this semester. Unfortunately, if you are not planning on getting a campus job, then you cannot attain the SSN required for the background checks. Our apologies for this bureaucratic impediment. Thanks so much for your passion for volunteering.

- Big Brothers Big Sisters
~2 people found this question helpful~
Question: Is there an application deadline? When would we start mentoring? - Anonymous

There is no application deadline. Bigs are admitted on a rolling basis. You are able to be matched directly after the interview and fingerprinting process is completed. Hope that helps!

- Big Brothers Big Sisters
~0 people found this question helpful~
Question: How is BBBS functioning this fall considering the remote nature of activities? - Anonymous
We are still doing interviews and matches for those interested in becoming Big Brothers or Sisters. Those already in the program are participating in virtual activities and are encouraged to stay in weekly contact with their Littles if at all possible. Match Coordinators are working really hard to make this a meaningful semester!
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
~0 people found this question helpful~

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Basic Info

19 Registered (> 100 Members)

Currently Accepting Members

Application Required

Both Semesters


Contact

How to Get Involved

Fill out the Inquiry form at TinyURL.com/BigAtPenn. A BBBS representative will be in contact with you to start the process!

Additional Pages