Today, we’re going to talk about the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America program. It’s a nationwide organization whose mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships.
They do this by pairing kids between age five and young adulthood—they’re called Littles—with carefully screened adult mentors – known as Bigs.
My guest is the Executive Director of the Northern Arizona chapter of Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Erin Mabery. Erin is a leader of children and families and has one of the most powerful youth mentoring programs in the United States. I know because I was a speaker for her first mentoring symposium this year. They’ll do another in February 2021.
I’m also honored to have a Civility Ends Bullying partnership with Yavapai Big Brothers, Big Sisters. I’m based in the Los Angeles area, but still, I have a profound love and admiration for the large and enriching collaborative projects and associates in Northern Arizona
I can’t possibly name all the weighty regional and state associates that Erin has through Big Brothers Big Sisters, but suffice it to say, there are many.
About Erin
Erin Mabery, Executive Director, Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters. Erin is a born native of Cottonwood, although raised in the Phoenix area, she spent summers and weekends on the banks of the Verde at the family ranch (now the Blazin M Ranch Chuckwagon Suppers). Erin returned to Cottonwood to raise her two children and give back to the community she loves.
Erin’s passion is to help strengthen the Yavapai County children and families by leading several projects and taking participatory roles in early education, youth mentoring, child abuse prevention, businesses and initiatives that support quality of life.
Collaborative projects include: MLAA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Mid to Large Agency Alliance collaborative focused on BBBSA enrichment of mentoring youth; YBBBS Mentoring Symposium, bringing together regional and statewide mentoring agencies; Bright Futures, Verde Valley Medical Center Sponsored Child Care and Preschool; Discovery Connection Afterschool Programming in partnership with COCSD and CJSD; Verde Valley Education Consortium, working to strengthen and support education in the Verde; Strengthening the Verde, an initiative to create a cradle to career community; Az on the Move, the annual Early Childhood Education conference in partnership with Yavapai College; Annual Children’s Celebration, a regional resource fair highlighting child abuse prevention (CAP); Statewide CAP messaging projects in collaboration with AZ Regional CAP Councils and AZ Department of Child Safety; Yavapai County Health Improvement Plan steered by Yavapai County Community Health Services; Nursery Rhymes and Daddies Video Project, highlighting human trafficking awareness; Professional Development Program, giving training opportunities to early childhood educators throughout Northern Arizona; and HRSS, a DES program certifying home child care providers in five counties.
Erin currently serves as Past Chairman the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and on the Matforce Board of Directors. Erin has formerly served on the Matforce Verde Steering Committee, Verde Valley Education Consortium, Regional CAP Councils in Verde Valley and Show Low, Verde Valley Forum for Public Affairs, (former co-chair/ co-founder) Northern Arizona Restorative Justice. Erin is a trainer for ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences education) and is a graduate of Verde Valley Leadership, Class IX. Erin’s daughter graduated from UNYP, Prague, Czech. Erin’s son works for Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. Erin lives with her fiancé in Bridgeport.