Resident Retention - Big Brothers

Resident Retention: The Big Brother & Big Sister Way

My resident retention idea is something that we have just started to implement in the property, but so far we are getting a very positive response from the kids and their parents.

I have had the privilege to watch the kids on complex go from 4th grade to 6th grade. Which as we know is a big change in personality. I noticed that some of my kids who were normally "A" students and who were involved with school activities are now caught up in relationships, smoking, causing trouble, and have become "D" and "F" students.
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Starting A Big Brother/Big Sister Program At This Community Showed A Huge Change In The Attitude, Grades and Morals of Resident Children.
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This just broke my heart to see these kids who come and visit me everyday after school go on the wrong path so young. I don't have kids of my own, yet, so these kids are like my kids. So I got on the horn to a couple of groups like Campfire boys and girls, but they wanted to charge me an arm and a leg and that just wasn't feasible for my budget. So I called Big Brothers Big Sisters group.

They were so thrilled to hear from me. They had never thought of anything like this. So we have just passed out the sign up sheets and the liability forms and already I have 30 kids signed up. In January we are going to have from 4:30-6:00 once a month and a craft and learning time with high school volunteers. Then in January each volunteer will be partnered up with a child to come out once or twice a week from 4:30-6:00 to have activity and tutoring time with their little brother or little sister.

These volunteers are teens who have applied from the local area high schools with Big Brothers Big Sisters. But if a resident would like to apply to be a volunteer they can also.

We try to promote a community not a complex. And this keeps the kids on the right track, encourages the families, and other residents to get involved.

Now once a month they come out with volunteers and have crafts, games, and snacks for the kids. They also have tutoring and moral lessons. I have seen a huge change in my children at the complex. They now come in and ask when is the next event. But not only is this opportunity reaching the children that are 5-13 years in age, but any high school or college student may volunteer as a mentor and receive community service credit. This program has not only gotten the children excited, but cut down on incidents on the property (e.g.: vandalism, unsupervised children, etc.).

The program has been going on for 6 months now and the residents couldn't be happier and the prospects are taken aback by the community that exists within our complex.
Jessica Rowe, ARM
Property Manager
Pine Meadows Apts

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This program has not only gotten the children excited, but has cut down on incidents on the property (e.g.: vandalism, unsupervised children, etc.).
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For help starting your own program...
visit the Big Brother/Big Sister of America Web site: http://www.bbbsa.org/

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