By Cliff Roberts Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Making a difference in the life of a disadvantaged child can be as easy as acting like a kid again.
From 7 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 303 of the Chemistry Building, the Big Sibling program will be holding an information session to recruit new volunteers for the 2004-05 school year.
The program is designed to forge positive relationships between University volunteers and local elementary-aged children. These children each have been referred to the program by a parent or teacher who feels as if the child could use a role model, according to fourth-year College student and program director Keith LeBlanc.
Volunteers for the program are expected to spend two to three hours per week with their little sibling. Big siblings are responsible for planning and organizing activities to fill this time, LeBlanc said.
Each volunteer is assigned to a program director like LeBlanc to help them come up with ideas for activities. Program directors also provide guidance to big siblings who are having problems in their relationships with their little siblings.
Although new volunteers will not be able to start participating in the program until the fall semester, enrolling this spring will allow volunteers to complete the screening process, background check and required three hours of training by the end of this semester.According to LeBlanc, this means volunteers will get an earlier start with their little siblings next fall.
"With our old system, big siblings couldn't even meet with their little siblings until late October," LeBlanc said. "Now we can get the training out of the way so they can meet at the start of the year."
Contact Cris Gasperini at rcg9q@virginia.edu for more information on the program, or pick up a registration form at Madison House.
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