Big's FAQ
Have a question about being a Big? Before you start this process, you probably would like a few questions answered.
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Our Bigs come from diverse backgrounds just like our Littles. We have Bigs ranging in all ages, from 18-75. They are regular people, just like you. You don’t need any special degrees or job skills. You just have to want to positively impact a young person and make the time to do so. Role models come in all shapes and sizes, and you could be a perfect fit!
As a Big, you will work with your Little’s parents/guardians to decide together what you want to do and when would be a good time to meet. We recommend that you keep a consistent schedule of outings and get together on a regular basis. A lot of our Bigs shoot for every other week.
The outings will also depend on the comfort level of your Little’s caregivers, your Little and you. You then will pick up your Little at the scheduled time, go have fun, and then drop them back off at home.
The quality of time invested with your Little is more important than the amount of money you spend. That’s why we don’t encourage spending a lot of money on your outings. The goal of the relationship is to help a Little see the world through a different lens so you can inspire them to become something they never thought possible. If you are going to spend money, we encourage you to seek out low-cost activities, especially in the beginning. Play a game together or share that pizza that you were going to have for lunch anyway. To best support you, we have a spending policy that we will review with you before you are matched.
We have a list of Boosters that give our Matches discounts, we frequently get free tickets to events that we give to our Matches for free, and we host quarterly Match Activities for all of our Matches to attend together!
Share an activity that you both enjoy, that you both want to try, or that you want to teach your Little. The possibilities are endless. You can cook, do arts and crafts, play games, shoot some hoops, go hiking or on a nature walk, get ice cream, and the list goes on and on. Most importantly, keep it simple and enjoy yourselves!
Here is a link with more ideas.
In the beginning, it’s important for you and your Little to get to know each other. This happens best on a one-to-one basis. However, over time it’s also valuable for your Little to get to know the people who are important to you. Your Match Support Specialist will guide you in this process.
Once you are matched with your Little, a Match Support Specialist from our agency will be in regular contact with you to provide assistance and feedback. Any time you are unsure about what to do or how to handle a situation, you will have a Match Support Specialist there to help. They’ll help you with ideas for activities, guidance for handling possible difficult situations, and feedback on how you are making a difference.
