The Thing About Having a Village

Most people's idea of community is having a "village." To have a village, though, you must be a villager. Real community is more than just being surrounded by people. Building community in Bloomington means creating a hive of connection, support, and shared purpose. That is truly the idea that sits at the heart of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of South Central Indiana. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters does so much more than connect volunteers with kids in Bloomington. The organization facilitates professionally supported one-on-one mentoring relationships that shape young children's lives. Through their programs, children are matched with mentors, or "Bigs", who offer a range of activities, conversation, academic support, encouragement, and, most of all, consistency. 

How BBBS's Model Builds Community in Bloomington

Darby Keller, Lead Community Relationship Specialist for BBBS, explained that the organization's mentoring model is intentionally structured into 2 different paths. 

Site-Based Mentoring takes place at set locations (like a school) and offers a lower commitment, making it work well for college students. Community-Based Mentoring enables Bigs to spend much more one-on-one time with their Littles and has a one-year commitment, allowing important connections to be maintained over the summer. After filling out the inquiry form and starting the application, people can provide any preferences they would like to specify. Volunteers get matched with their Littles over the span of a couple of months based on training, hobbies, driving distance, and schedules. Additionally, BBBS staff support their Bigs through monthly check-ins in the first year of being matched, training, child safety topics, and mental health needs.

What Mentorship in Bloomington Really Provides

The goal of BBBS is to help ignite a child's potential, not to "save" or "fix" anyone. Bigs offer friendship, social-emotional support, and a consistent presence of a trusted adult. That consistency is what makes a difference not just to the child, but also to the Big. Keller described an example that immediately came to mind: two siblings had been waiting to be matched with a mentor, and the younger brother was finally matched in the fall of 2025. His Big chose the Site-Based Mentorship path and started to create a unique bond with the student at school. The Little has since become more excited to go to school and has started to look forward to meeting his mentor outside of a school setting. Keller mentioned her surprise to hear that the Big found the mentorship to be so rewarding that he requested to meet his Little more often than was required. She explained how volunteering within this organization often becomes a way for people to feel a sense of belonging in Bloomington and reconnect with their childhood fun. This is a simple example, but it shows what real connection can do when someone keeps showing up.

Darby Keller's Personal Connection to Building Community 

For Keller, this program is personal because she was once a BBBS Little. She grew up in a single-parent household with multiple siblings and was matched at a young age. That relationship with her Big continued all the way through high school, and they are still connected to this day. Keller is the ultimate example of someone who received mentorship and now helps create that same sense of belonging for other children and mentors through her work at BBBS. This organization supports Bloomington residents by creating a rapport that makes people feel like they are part of something good and allows mentors an opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

How You Can Begin Building Community in Bloomington

BBBS's goal of matching 200 children this year depends on more people in Bloomington stepping up to be the change and build a stronger sense of belonging within our community. A great first step is exploring local organizations through the blogs on our page and signing up for the Be the Change Challenge. Initiatives like this make volunteering feel more manageable by helping people find ways to mentor, support local organizations, and create connections that change lives. There is space for everyone to help grow the kind of village Darby talked about and contribute to the hive.

Find out more about local volunteering opportunities through the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network and see how you can find your own sense of belonging within our community here.