Program Philosophy

WELCOME. The Big Brother/Big Sister program at Dartmouth matches children from the Upper Valley between the ages of six and thirteen with Dartmouth student volunteers. Volunteers serve as role models for children with varying needs: some come from poor rural families, some from difficult family situations, some have learning disabilities or physical handicaps which lead to poor relations with their peer groups. Dartmouth Big Siblings provide individual attention to the child, boosting self-esteem and serving as positive role models in situations where such role models may be lacking. Dartmouth students also expose the children to opportunities they may not otherwise see, such as athletic or cultural events.

The benefits of the program reach both the children and the Dartmouth students. Through mentoring, Dartmouth students become acquainted with and gain a stake in the community beyond Dartmouth's campus. Also, it exposes Dartmouth students to lifestyles and backgrounds which are very different than their own. From this, students learn to accept differences -- an important part of the educational process.

The primary purpose of the relationship is for the Dartmouth volunteer to be a caring friend and consistent role model/example for the Little Sibling. The way each Dartmouth student accomplishes this task varies according to the individual: some spend time in the schools with their Little Siblings, and many spend time just relaxing and talking. The activities are not as important as the friendship that develops between the two. Through the friendship a caring Dartmouth student can provide, the child will hopefully learn to value him/herself more and envision a wider variety of potential futures.

Program History

During the 1968-1969 academic year, a group of students began "Project Buddy," which is in essence very similar to the Big Brother/Big Sister program as it stands today, yet lacked the formal structure. At that time, Dartmouth was an all-male institution, and about twenty matches were made. "Buddies" worked with young boys who were having difficulties socially or scholastically. The purpose of the program was to help boys overcome environmental handicaps and create more options for the future.

The Big Brother/Big Sister program as it stands today is a result of constant change and improvement according to the current needs of the program. It operated out of the chaplaincy for several years before being centralized in a formal community services office in the early to mid-1980's.

Dartmouth College has a long history of volunteerism and moral education. The College President was an ordained minister until the departure of William Jewett Tucker in 1909. Throughout the early part of the twentieth century until the 1940's, moral education was built into the curriculum and regular undergraduate schedule, until a decision was made to channel courses which dealt with religion and morality into departments of their own in the 1940's.

Approximately ten years later, College administrators determined a need to redirect the mission of moral education into a central location, and the Tucker Foundation was created for this purpose. With the creation of the Tucker Foundation came a renewed emphasis on community service internships away from campus to give students "a real life experience," as well as encouraging volunteering in area agencies.

Dartmouth Community Services (DCS) at the Tucker Foundation facilitates community involvement for about a quarter of the student body at some point during his or her undergraduate life. The Big Brother/Big Sister program is one of the largest DCS programs and involves between 150-200 students each year.

Connections

Connections is a volunteer program that works to establish a mentor/mentee relationship between Dartmouth student volunteers and emotionally and developmentally disabled children and adolescents in the Upper Valley....

Link to Connections