How It Works

Step 1: Interview & Enrollment

After completing an application and background check you'll meet one-on-one with a Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) staff member. You'll have a chance to describe your personality, what your interests are and to ask any other questions you may have about Project Mentor. The interview gives Project Mentor all of the information they need to make a match!

Step 2: Training

Once approved you'll be trained by BBBS, the Mentoring Center of Central Ohio and Columbus City Schools. The training includes workshops on how to be a mentor and how to relate to adolescents and young people.

Step 3: The Match

After you are approved and trained you will be matched with a student who needs an additional adult role model to encourage and support them. Project Mentor staff will help you find a school and a time for mentoring that will work with your schedule. Students will be referred to the program by teachers and counselors and must have parental permission and a desire to participate. Please note that our goal is to make matches early in the school year so you have time to build the relationship before summer break. If you are applying later in a school year, we may wait until the following school year to match you with a student.

Step 4: Mentoring

You and your student will meet at school for an hour at the same time once a week. Many programs meet at lunchtime. Mentors spend time with their students on activities designed to help build their relationship and support character development and literacy. Coordinator-provided activities are always available throughout the school year. Within the guidelines of the program, matches may choose more individually-focused activities at any time. BBBS staff members provide on-going support, training and coaching to help you along the way.