Organization seeks mentors for children

Learning to mind your manners, listen to your teacher and keep up those grades are lessons kids learn as they age but a mentor can have a huge impact on just how fast those lessons are learned and to what degree.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida are looking for volunteers willing to spend a few hours a month with a child who needs a little extra encouragement.

"It's a rewarding experience because it helps the child grow mentally and everybody has time that they can make available for such an important reason," said Jodi Slais of Bonita Springs. She has volunteered her time for the last three years and has mentored two children in that time.

Slais got involved with the organization that began in Lee County in 1974 after working in child care for almost 10 years.

"It's important to be someone in a child's life that they can count on and a lot of kids need that apart from their families," said Slais, who moved to Florida and realized she missed the opportunity to work with kids.

The mentorship program has few requirements other than a year's commitment and spending a 10 hours a month with a child.

"The volunteer gets to pick what they want to do with the child. They can go to movies, bowling or other activities we set up for them," said Julie Digby, the director of marketing for the program.

She organizes many of the events such as the bowling night on Sept. 9 in which kids will be able to compete and socialize with other "bigs" and "littles."

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the largest provider of one-to-one youth mentoring services in the United States and Digby said their track record proves mentoring relationships work.

"Ninety-six percent of kids are promoted to higher grades, there is a reduction in drug use and they stay in school," she said.

Pairing a mentor with a child requires applicants to fill out a questionnaire with interests, preferred location, and preferred age of the child.

"We take all the information and use that match makeup to ensure that it's going to be a quality relationship that will hopefully last," said Digby, who offers mentors a chance to meet with the child before a "contract" is signed.

"We like to make sure they hit it off and everybody is comfortable."

Currently, there are more than 300 kids awaiting matches but their aren't enough mentors to fill demand.

"Littles can sign themselves up from age 5 and we support them until they are 15 but some relationships continue through high school until they are 18," said Digby, who offers two types of mentorship programs.

One focuses on academic work in school or spending time in the community doing different activities.

"We pair up with local businesses for discounts to encourage mentors to take kids out or we also give tickets to baseball games and such," she said.

Mentors who also want to socialize with other "bigs" can attend little-free events like the "Bigs after 5" happy hours held in Fort Myers and Naples.

"There is a commitment there when you sign up but it's not an overwhelming type of thing and it's between you and the child," Slais said. "It's just a matter of making time for it and when you give of your time like this, it's a very rewarding experience."