EngageCorps Mentor VISTA at Big Brother Big Sister of SJ The BBBS mission is to create & support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Our vision is that all youth achieve their full potential. We partner with parents/guardians, volunteers, and others in the community and hold ourselves accountable for each child in our program achieving: (1) Higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships; (2) Avoidance of risky behaviors; and (3) Educational success. BBBS offers a variety of mentoring programs to meet the needs of the children and families in the community and to accommodate the schedules of the volunteers we rely on to build quality mentoring relationships. The underserved youth who enroll in our programs are growing up in two of the poorest counties in NJ. Both areas score alarmingly low in Kids Count & Public Health Rankings surveys. Cumberland County has a 15.3% poverty rate, which is 25% higher than the national average, while Salem County's poverty rate is 10% higher than the NJ state's rate. A VISTA member will serve as a guide to our mentors and mentees once they become an official mentoring relationship or "Match". Their role will be that of a Match Relationship Specialist, responsible for communicating with each mentor, mentee, and parent/guardian (if applicable) according to the established BBBS of America communication schedule. These communications will allow the VISTA to help the match build an effective rapport, identify the need for resources, and evaluate the effectiveness of programming. Documentation of each conversation will be entered into the BBBS data management system. Further help on this page can be found by clicking here. Member Duties : At Big Brother Big Sister of South Jersey, the VISTA will serve as a Mentoring Relationship Specialist. Conduct regular communications between Matches and connect them to activities and resources within the community. Serve as a guide for program participants, assuring positive impact and evaluating the quality of services. Assist with recruitment/community engagement at tabling events. Help organize and supervise activities for Matches. Utilize established materials and identify needs for changes and/or additions. Utilize the BBBS data management system. Support relationships with businesses/organizations who donate and/or contribute to the BBBS mission and attend community events as needed. Our wrap-around approach to meeting the needs of youth/families acts as a foundation to stabilize and improve their lives. Stabilization results in families moving out of poverty and into healthy lifestyles, reducing generational poverty and enhancing the lives of residents for years to come. Program Benefits : Childcare assistance if eligible , Education award upon successful completion of service , Health Coverage* , Relocation Allowance , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Living Allowance , Stipend , Training . Terms : Permits working at another job during off hours , Permits attendance at school during off hours , Car recommended . Service Areas : Education , Children/Youth . Skills : Youth Development , Team Work , Recruitment , Writing/Editing , General Skills , Social Services .