CEO Corner April 2021
4/19/2021
Are you familiar with PRISM? PRISM: Pride, Respect, Identity, Safety, Mentoring is our new initiative that focuses on recruiting both youth and mentors from the LGBTQ community. We have partnered with Seacoast Outright to provide more comprehensive, thoughtful support and mentoring in a respectful manner. Please see the link below that highlights this program from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and read on for a firsthand look at one of our newest PRISM matches, Beck and Danielle.
Want to learn more about PRISM? Contact us and let us know you’re interested!
In all of our programs, we’re deeply invested in protecting the children we work with. This month we launched our inaugural Youth Protection Summit. The Summit highlighted emerging best practices in youth protection strategy and recent innovations from our own organization. BBBS has been a leader in child protection over the years, and our standards consistently evolve, becoming better and better over time.
Over BBBS’s 115-year history, we have modified and strengthened our child protection systems continuously, making it our priority to learn, share best practices, and screen volunteers to the highest standard. We also monitor our matches for the LIFE of the match. Yes, I said LIFE of the match no matter how many years it spans. Once we make a match between a child and mentor, we keep an eye on that relationship, checking in regularly with the child, mentor, and parent/guardian.
We provide child safety check-ins, resources and referrals to other services that may be needed, access to planned activities and events that the match can attend, plus a listening ear for anything that may arise in the relationship. For instance, we recently helped a parent enroll their child with a therapist to talk through issues happening at school. And just last weekend we partnered with Mark and his team over at NH Climbing & Fitness to offer rock climbing for our matches. There is never a cost to families for this careful monitoring.
Youth protection is a commitment we make each and every day throughout all of our work. Our supporters, volunteers, and community help make this priority possible. Thank you for joining us in this effort!
Stay well friends,
Stacy W. Kramer, CEO
PS: As I mentioned last month, if you have a great story to share or inspirational moment, please let us know. I would love to hear from you!