The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Carolina Youth Development Center is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and youth, assisting them to achieve their highest potential as they grow to become confident, caring, and competent individuals. Big Brothers Big Sisters accomplishes this mission, primarily through professionally supported one-to-one relationships with caring adult volunteers.

The vision of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Carolina Youth Development Center is to serve all tricounty area children who need and want a Big Brother or Big Sister relationship through both community- and site-based programs. We believe all children deserve the opportunity to flourish and thrive and that mentoring offers an unsurpassed opportunity for their growth.

Description:
LITTLE MOMENTS…BIG MAGIC! The feeling of being a Big Brother or Big Sister is universal. Think back on your own childhood. Who was that special person - other than a parent- who brought a little magic into your life? Big Brothers and Big Sisters are “that person” for a child, creating wonderful memories for themselves—and for their Little Brother or Sister.

ABOUT THE MATCH: Volunteers, youth, and their families are from all walks of life and are as diverse as all of America. What our Little Brothers and Sisters have in common is a desire to have a mentor, plus a parent or other caring adult in their life who feels they need one. What our volunteers have in common is a willingness to share some fun with a young person. Mentors consistently say that they get even more out of being matched with their Little Brother or Sister than the child does!

IT WORKS! National research reveals that Little Brothers and Sisters are more likely to show positive behaviors in school and at home than children not matched with a Big. Our matches are effective because professional staff ensure that the relationships are safe and rewarding for everyone involved.

History:
The idea of Big Brothers began in Charleston in 1972 when a sailor, Hebert Gould, contacted Mr. Edward Ledford, then Executive Director of Horizon House, Inc., about starting a Big Brother volunteer program.
Four years later under the auspices of United Way, the Big Sister component was added, thus the Trident Big Brothers Big Sisters program began.
In 1978, Trident Big Brothers Big Sisters merged with Horizon House, a day treatment program for children with emotional handicaps. In 1979, the program gained
provisional membership status with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
In 1981, Trident Big Brothers Big Sisters, Horizon House, and Oak Grove Residential
Treatment Center (Charleston Orphan House) merged to form Carolina Youth Development Center. Trident Big Brothers Big Sisters became Big Brothers Big Sisters
of Carolina Youth Development Center. In 1994, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Carolina Youth Development Center earned full membership status with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Carolina Youth Development Center is a leader in the tri-county area in mentoring. We manage more matches monthly—some 215—than any mentoring program in our area, while maintaining the highest standards of screening and evaluation practices.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of CYDC has a 32-year history and experience in one-to-one mentoring and has been accredited by the Council On Accreditation since the 1980s, ensuring the quality of our services. As a result, the demand for our services is high. Currently, we struggle to keep up with the request for services. At the present, over 150
boys and girls from single parent homes are waiting for a Big Brother, Big Sister, Site Based, or Couples match because our program represents a proven prevention approach helping children do better in school, stay out of trouble, and live happier, better adjusted lives.

Contact people:

Mandy Scherer, Program Director, (phone), (email) Jeremy Koenemann, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) Lara Olayiwola, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (843) 266-5231

Address:

5055 Lackawanna Blvd. North Charleston, SC 29405 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.becomeabig.org

Directions:

From Downtown • Take I-26 to the East Montague/Mall Drive exit. • Turn right off of the exit and follow Montague through 2 lights and over some railroad tracks. • After you cross over the tracks, turn left at the next light onto. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: In front of office, under 1 minute minute walk