INDIANAPOLIS — An aggressive push to get more male mentors is the mission for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana (BBBSCI). Their push is to meet folks where they are to encourage them to sign up.
“We have kind of intimate conversations with men, and I think we can reach them,” Deon Oliver, Owner of Big Tyme Barbers, said.
WRTV Outreach to provide mentors for hundreds of Hoosier kids.
“We have about 997 kids on our waiting list, about a little more than half for young men in our community that are that are waiting,” Eric Saunders, Community Engagement Manager of BBBSCI, said.
The kids are waiting to be connected with a “big,” through BBBSCI.
WRTV Saunders tells WRTV’s Amber Grigley that this time around they are taking a different approach to get more men to become a mentor.
“We know a lot of men go to barber shops. And so, let’s just meet people where they’re at,” Saunders said.
WRTV Saunders said they reached out to 90 barbers across the city to participate in their outreach campaign and about 15 agreed to collaborate.