National Mentoring Month

Celebrate National Mentoring Month with Us! 

We want to invite you to share in the celebration of National Mentoring Month throughout the month of January. We're joining Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country to talk about the power of mentoring, and to recognize the thousands of volunteers who give their time and compassion to be a friend, mentor and hero to kids in our community.

Throughout the month of January, we will be sharing stories about the impact of mentoring. Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and share our photos, graphics, videos and stories with your community to help raise awareness about how every child needs and deserves a mentor. 

Change your Facebook profile picture to include one of our National Mentoring Month frames:
We created four Facebook profile picture frames you can use: I'm a Big, #ThankYourMentor (use on January 25 for Thank Your Mentor Day), I Support Mentoring, and What Mentoring Looks Like (photo of your match).
How to apply the frame to your Facebook profile photo:
(works best when you access Facebook on a laptop or desktop - the phone/mobile site has glitches)
1. Move the cursor over your profile picture
2. Click on "Update Profile Photo"
3. Click on "Add Frame"
4. Search for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona (it can be slow)
5. Select one of the four frame options
6. Use the preview on the right to adjust the size and reposition the photo if necessary
7. For the date select "custom" and change it to whatever date you want (National Mentoring Month goes through January 31)
8. Click on "Use as Profile Picture"

Share your stories about mentoring on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, tag @bbbsaz and use #NationalMentoringMonth.

January 4: I Am A Mentor Day: Share your photos, videos and stories about why you decided to become a Big Brother or Big Sister
January 15: MLK Day of Service: Share photos, videos and stories about volunteering with your Little to build a stronger community
January 17: International Mentoring Day: Join the worldwide conversation about the power of mentoring
January 25: #ThankYourMentorDay: Share photos, videos and stories about how your mentor helped you realize your potential

Download and post these graphics on your social media pages (right click or drag the image). Or create your own post and use #NationalMentoringMonth and tag @bbbsaz. 

Suggested Social Media Posts for National Mentoring Month

Facebook:

It all starts with a little. January is National Mentoring Month and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona [@bbbsaz] is recruiting volunteers to become Big Brothers to boys in our community who need and deserve champions. By becoming a mentor you can change your life, and a child's life, for the better, forever. Make a BIG difference and visit www.bbbsaz.org today. 

January is National Mentoring Month and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona [@bbbsaz] is recruiting volunteers to become Big Brothers to boys in our community who need and deserve champions. Fewer men than women volunteer to be Bigs so the volunteer pool for Big Brothers is smaller than the demand. Some boys in the West Valley are waiting more than a year to be matched. By becoming a mentor you can change your life, and a child's life, for the better, forever. Make a BIG difference and visit www.bbbsaz.org today. 

January is National Mentoring Month. Celebrate the New Year with me and Big Brothers Big Sisters by becoming a mentor. Research shows mentors are critical to ensuring every child can reach their full potential. Join us in making sure every child has a caring adult in their life. Visit bbbsaz.org to change your life, a child’s life and our community.

Twitter: 

January is #NationalMentoringMonth & @bbbsaz is looking for 100 volunteers to become mentors to kids in our community who need & deserve champions. By giving 4 hours a month you can change 2 lives-your & a child's-for the better forever 

Make 2018 the year you change 2 lives, yours & a child's, for the better forever. Become a Big Brother today at bbbsaz.org #NationalMentoringMonth

January is #NationalMentoringMonth. Celebrate the New Year with me & @bbbsaz by becoming a mentor. Mentors are critical to ensuring every child can reach their full potential. Visit bbbsaz.org to change your life, a child’s life & our community.

Little Brothers Are Waiting for Men to Step Up and Become Big Brothers

Each blue dot on this map is a boy, age 6 to 14, who is ready to be matched to a Big Brother. Because fewer men volunteer to become Bigs compared to the number of boys who enroll, some of these boys are waiting a year to be matched to an adult mentor. If you live in one of these areas and are interested in becoming a Big Brother, or if you know someone who you think would make a great mentor, please visit our volunteer page to learn how you can change your life, and the life of a child. If you'd like to volunteer with your significant other or family members, ask us about our couple match and family match programs. 

Hey Bigs! Help Us Recruit More Big Brothers & You'll Get FREE BBBSAZ Shirts!

Our best champions are Big Brothers and Big Sisters, like you, who give your time and compassion to help children build self-confidence and develop the skills they need to succeed in life. Because the volunteer pool of Big Brothers is smaller than the need, some boys in Central Phoenix, South Phoenix and the West Valley are waiting more than a year to be matched with a Big.

You may know men in your community who would make fantastic mentors. Please let them know how they can change their lives, and a child's life, by being a Big, and encourage them to learn more. If you refer a male friend, family member, neighbor or coworker, please ask them to put your name on their application as the referral source. When that Big Brother completes the volunteer application, attends the orientation webinar, and schedules an interview, we will give you and your Little matching awesome purple Big Brothers Big Sisters T-shirts as a way to say thank you for all you do for your Little and for BBBSAZ. 

If you'd like us to visit your company, networking group, church group or professional organization to talk about mentoring, please contact Jessica at jwhitney@bbbsaz.org.