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Monthly Archives

July 2021

Match Story: Justin & Alan

By Big Futures, Match Stories, School-to-Work

Little Justin and Big Alan met as a School-to-Work match at Nielsen in 2017, where Justin would visit his Big at his workplace to learn post-graduation and professional skills. Justin was interested in computers and technology, so he was a perfect fit to be matched at Nielsen because they use technology to gather information on audiences with media insights.

Alan was an excellent listener when Justin needed someone to talk to about his plans after high school and what was going on with his life. And Alan was excited to show Justin the ropes at his workplace. After graduating high school, Justin and Alan chose to enroll in Big Futures so that Big Brothers Big Sisters and Alan could continue to support Justin in his goal of attending college.

Justin was grateful to have Alan as a support system these past four years. Justin’s family fell on hard times and struggled both before and during the pandemic. Even when Justin had challenges enrolling into Hillsborough Community College (HCC) for a year, Alan was there for him throughout the process, and Justin was finally able to register!

Today Justin has completed his first year at HCC and made the Dean’s List studying Computer Science. He hopes he will get all As and Bs in his next semester and stay on the Dean’s List.

Defend the potential of youth in our community by supporting our one-to-one mentoring programs. Make a donation or volunteer as a mentor today!

A young African American girl smiles at the camera wither her hands in the air

The ACEs Conversation

By Resources

Domestic violence, parental neglect or mental illness, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse are all examples of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences). Unfortunately, 45% of kids in America will endure exposure to one ACE before they turn 18. Alarmingly, one out of ten has experienced multiple ACEs.

Household dysfunction can have long-term effects on children, especially if no one is there to help them heal from the after-effects of trauma. ACEs are linked to anxiety, depression, chronic pain, diabetes, liver disease, and stroke. Experiencing multiple ACEs can lead to toxic stress and subsequently long-term damage to the brain and body.

That’s why Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay offers training to its volunteers and parents so they can familiarize themselves with the effects of ACEs.

Part of the strategy to building resilience in a child is providing a formal mentoring relationship. Harvard studies show that positive relationships with a parent or caregiver can help buffer a child from the effects of stress. (And the BBBS program model tracks the outcomes of the mentees in our programs.)

Want to show support but are afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing? Remember the acronym CLICC, representing the five supportive gestures: Celebrate, Listen, Inspire, Comfort, Collaborate.

Learn more about healing gestures to affirm children’s experiences here.

Become a Big and be a positive, supportive mentor for a child in our community. Join us for one of our upcoming Virtual Big Orientation & Training info sessions. View our schedule.

 

Additional Resources

How To Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Harvard Infographic and FAQ Guide

Toxic Stress and its Effects on Brain Development

CDC Fast Facts

Neglect and the Early Years of Life (Video)

CDC-Kaiser ACE Study

Aerial view of two girls sitting at a table using an Apple brand computer

Internet Safety in the Summer

By Resources

Now that school is out, kids spend more time in front of their phones and computer screens. Our youth have grown up with the internet and various kinds of technology, but it’s still crucial to remind them about online risks and how to avoid or report unsafe behavior.

Talk to kids about online safety issues, such as inappropriate websites to avoid, malware, fraud, phishing scams, and sexual predators. Keep an open dialogue with your kids about their safety and what they are doing on the computer and smartphone.

Set clear rules about internet and phone usage. Some examples are:

    • Do not give out personal information. Avoid using birthdates, legal name or other identifiers in handles
    • Do not post your photo on public sites.
    • Do not open emails, texts, or DMs from someone you don’t know. If they claim to know you but the message seems strange, show it to a trusted adult.
    • Always report inappropriate messages to a trusted adult
    • Ignore or delete hurtful, insulting, or bullying messages and comments
    • Never agree to meet up with someone you’ve only chatted with online
    • Set time limits for being on the computer

Other guidelines for improved internet safety include:

  • Keep kids’ computers in a common area to monitor activity
  • Check your child’s browser history
  • Activate privacy features within the internet browser and all devices
  • Know your children’s passwords and change them regularly. Again, avoid using birthdates or easily guessed information.
  • Watch for changes in behavior that may indicate cyberbullying or contact with an online sexual predator.
  • Monitor chats within live streams on Twitch, YouTube, and gaming platforms

Technology has enhanced the way we learn and communicate, but we also have to adapt the way we keep our kids safe while online. We’ve included some online safety tips below:

CDC: Information on Safety in the Home & Community

Child Safety Tips & Resources

Internet Safety for Kids

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