BBBS of Central Illinois serves the counties of Macon, McLean, Champaign, DeWitt, Ford, Piatt and Livingston. We work to match carefully screened adult mentors with children in the community who need someone to look up to. Company Overview For more than 25 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois has been helping our communities' most vulnerable children through the power of a relationship with a Big Brother or Big Sister, giving kids the support and care they need to make good choices. When we match a carefully-screened, adult mentor with a child at-risk, the path to the future is re-paved with hope. And not just hope, but real change. An independent research group found that Big Brothers and Big Sisters are truly changing their Little Brothers’ and Little Sisters’ lives. Our “Littles” are half as likely to use drugs or to skip school. They avoid violence, and develop stronger relationships with adults and with their families. General Information Community-Based Mentoring In the Community-Based program Bigs and Littles typically meet 2-3 times a month, for a minimum of one calendar year. We recommend that you keep a consistent schedule and that you see each other on a regular basis. Share an activity that gives you something in common to talk about. You want to select activities that give each of you a chance to learn more about one another. Buy a comic book to read to each other, play a board game, or take a ride in the car with the radio on and discuss the music! For children, playing can be learning. Site-Based Mentoring Our Site-Based program allows Bigs and Littles meet once a week in schools, and after school sites, to talk and have fun. Bigs and Littles typically meet 45 minutes to one hour a week, throughout the school year, to read together, play sports or computer games, or simply talk about life and personal issues – just as friends do!