The Beyond School Walls Workplace Mentoring model is a one-to-one Site-Based Mentoring program through which youth from a local school meet with an employee volunteer mentor weekly during the school year. This new program initiative introduces middle school youth to jobs early in their middle school years, allowing them to experience what it means to work for a corporation or government agency and the educational requirements needed to achieve professional success, all while building a strong and supportive mentoring relationship. This program model has been structured based on other Big Brothers Big Sisters workplace mentoring programs from around the country that have been proven successful.

“We are very thankful for our collaborative partnership with Unum.  It was their willingness to host the first local Beyond School Walls Program in 2016 that has enabled Big Brothers Big Sisters to expand our program, thus allowing for life-changing opportunities for so many of our city’s youth.” Theresa L. Varos, Chief Executive Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga