OUR COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, & INCLUSION

BBBSYC maintains a policy of non-discrimination which states that all staff, volunteers, board members, and participants cannot be excluded on the basis of race, religion, national origin, marital status, gender, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability. BBBSYC complies will all federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yellowstone County believes in a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization in which all employees, volunteers, families, and stakeholders feel valued, respected, and supported. We believe that diverse life experiences and heritages allow for higher-quality relationships and programming, and we aim to ensure that all voices are valued and heard.

Our vision at BBBSYC is that all youth achieve their full potential. We recognize that while all children have equal potential, they do not have equal opportunity. Too many children are struggling with generational poverty, limited academic opportunities, familial incarceration, community violence, trauma and mental health concerns, and a lack of access to positive role models. Inequities that impact our youth often result from systemic biases that "sort" people into resource-rich or resource-poor neighborhoods and school systems. We are committed to serving all children, with a focus on children and youth who are the most impacted by adversity.

Our program helps build up children's resilience and enhance their self-esteem, opportunities, and employability. Our goal is to reduce the frighteningly high economic and health imbalances that damage educational opportunities, health care, and wealth accumulation.

ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

At BBBSYC, we use a trauma-informed care approach in working with our families, Bigs, and youth, based on the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) study. This study correlated childhood experiences with current health and behaviors of adults and found that more than 67% of the adult population had an ACE score of at least 1 adverse childhood experience. One in eight adults has a score of 4 or more, which correlates to a 4.5 times higher likelihood of being diagnosed with depression and 12 times greater risk of suicide. They found that the higher your ACEs score, the worse your health outcomes as an adult. Determine your own ACEs score here.


**Please note: taking the ACEs questionnaire may bring up some upsetting feelings for some. Please reach out to BBBSYC or other mental health resources, should you need to process your results.

BUILDING RESILIENCE

Research also shows that resiliency is the number one protective factor against adverse childhood experiences and inequities. This is powerful! Being a positive mentor for a child directly impacts their health, wellness, and success. You can make this level of impact for a child by simply playing ball a few times a month. YOU can make a BIG difference!

YOUTH TOWN HALLS

Hear from youth who have diverse life experiences.