Girl Scouts of the USA and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Team Up to Provide Girls Greater Access to Mentorship Opportunities and Leadership Experiences

The two iconic organizations join forces to help girls build meaningful relationships, make valuable connections, foster self-confidence in the midst of mental health challenges among today's youth

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Girl Scouts of the USA

Dec 01, 2021, 10:12 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) are working together to bring their outcome-driven experiences and programs to more girls across the country. The two organizations are combining their efforts to provide access to leadership and mentoring opportunities in the areas of STEM, outdoors, life skills development and entrepreneurship.

Both GSUSA and BBBSA recognize the impact forging meaningful connections with others and cultivating a sense of belonging can have on a young person's life, especially girls. At a time when students are struggling with their mental and emotional health after a year and a half of remote learning, this intervention and connection is needed more than ever.

"Mental health is top of mind for both girls and their caregivers," shared interim GSUSA CEO Judith Batty. "Girl Scouts' fun, educational, and research-based programming leaves a positive, lasting impact on girls as young as kindergarten and helps them develop into responsible, caring, and engaged leaders. The world needs Girl Scouts more than ever, and we are thrilled to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to support their caring mentors with our programming as they empower girls to stay on a path to a successful future."

With nearly nine of 10 Girl Scout alums achieving a high sense of life satisfaction both personally and professionally, and 93 percent of BBBSA youth participants, affectionately called Littles, attributing the presence of an adult who cares and looks out for them as very important in helping them achieve their goals, both BBBSA and GSUSA are well equipped to support girls in communities nationwide.

"BBBSA is committed to nurturing the growth and continued success of today's youth, and we're excited to announce this new alliance with Girl Scouts to bring the necessary resources to young girls who are seeking guidance and direction," said Artis Stevens, president and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. "These new connections and educational tools will allow our organizations to better equip young girls to conquer their struggles, and the everyday obstacles they're facing in today's world. Together, we can and will create a positive and impactful change for the future young women of our country."

Through this partnership, local BBBSA agencies and corresponding Girl Scout councils in 14 markets will partner to recruit and enroll "matches" of Big Sisters (volunteers) and Little Sisters. The 'matches' will have access to education-based tools and guidance during the 2021-2022 school year. This will allow even more girls to gain important skills through the Girl Scout Experience. Girl Scouts and BBBSA plan to implement this partnership more broadly in the coming years.

To learn more about the offerings and overall partnership, visit https://www.bbbs.org/girl-scouts/ To learn more about Girl Scouts and volunteer opportunities, visit www.girlscouts.org/join. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship and volunteer opportunities, visit www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.

We Are Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts.org.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters' evidence-based approach is designed to create positive youth outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and improved relationships. Big Brothers Big Sisters has over 230 local agencies serving more than 5,000 communities across all 50 states. For more information, visit: www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.

SOURCE Girl Scouts of the USA