1. African-American Mentoring Research-Based Recruitment

2. Agenda Welcome Overview of African-American Mentoring African-American Male Mentoring Research Study’s Findings and Recommendations Response to Recommendation African-American Mentoring Principles African-American Male Mentoring Assessment Tool

3. Strategic Direction “We believe the right relevant messages can help us transition from being known for “what we do” to being known for “what we achieve,” positioning BBBS at the heart of urgent, socially relevant issues in our communities.” 2007 – 2010 BBBS Nationwide Strategic Direction

4. The Children We Serve

5. African-Americans Served and Serving

6. African-American Male Volunteer Research Funded by The Gap Foundation

7. African-American Male Research Objectives Understand the perception of BBBS in the African- American community Explore the barriers that prevent African-American males from volunteering with BBBS Understand strategies that can motivate more African- American males to get involved with BBBS Understand what messages and visuals would best promote BBBS to African-American males Understand which “message senders” could best promote BBBS to African-American males

8. African-American Male Research Methodology MEE Productions led the independent research Conducted in three cities –Philadelphia –Baltimore –St. Louis Six Groups segmented by: Bigs, Contemplatives and Prospects Research complete

9. African-American Male Research Key Learnings Presence in the Community BBBS lacks an image and presence in the urban areas Opportunity to use relevant media (i.e., black radio, signs on transit, black newspapers) Messages “You don’t have to change your life to change a child’s” is the strongest message Men need to be convinced that they have something to offer Telling how many children are on the waiting list isn’t motivating (“There are hundreds of children waiting”)

10. African-American Male Research Key Learning Engaged recruiting Fraternities and congregations are key opportunities Events work Form an Ambassadors Group Current Big Brothers asking others to sign up Persistence pays off—keep mailing, keep calling, keep in contact

11. African-American Male Research Key Learning Obstacles Not sure what they have to offer Fear of the unknown Fear of inappropriate accusations Belief that BBBS is in suburban locations not inner city Emphasis on structure and screening (“I am not a saint”) What will the child be like? Don’t want to be another kid’s father

12. African-American Research Completed Summer 2007 The research recommends that BBBS: 1.Address its candidate relations and management process. 2.Develop more culturally-relevant marketing strategies. 3.Create new marketing messages and materials. 4.Use African-American Bigs and Littles as recruiting resources. 5.Form alliances with organizations that have credibility in the black community.

13. Is there anything about the process we used to get this information you do not understand?

14. Let’s Hear From the Participants

15. Response to Research Recommendations

16. Recommendation #1 Address Volunteer Applicants Relations and Management Process Cindy Mesko, Vice President, Agency Development Sandra LaFleur Director, Program Development

17. What Can We Do Know the Yield Rate for: – All Volunteers – African-American Men – African-American Women – Any other populations we are interested in serving Set goals for yield rates and retention rates Set a goal for response time for male inquiries Develop a plan to achieve the goals

18. What Can We Do Review customer relations messages to: – All Volunteers – Men – African-American men Review feedback from volunteers – Those that are matched – Those that are not matched

19. What Can We Do Develop a plan for constant communication between recruitment/partnership and customer relations functions Make certain that all inquiries have closure, even if they are not candidates to become Bigs. Provide additional training for customer service staff to ensure they are equipped to –Learn why the volunteer is calling –Answer all the volunteer’s questions –Schedule an interview

20. Recommendation #2 Develop More Culturally-Relevant Marketing Strategies Jessiah Styles Associate Director, Cause-Related Marketing and Strategic Partnerships

21. What Work is Being Done to Develop Them Share best practices throughout our network Identify viable media outlets and/or radio personalities to provide BBBS African American leaders the opportunity to express the importance of mentoring Produce templates for local agencies to leverage media contacts to key messaging to the target audience

22. What Local Agencies Can Do NOW Develop relationships with local African-American media outlets. Place advertisements on African-American media outlets that are culturally sensitive to African- American men. Become more relevant within the African-American community.

23. Recommendation #3 Create New Marketing Messages and Materials Jammie O’Brien Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications

24. What the National Office is Doing Campaign for Men Replacing tags on current national ad campaign with people who resonate more with the community, example Hill Harper Adding elements to the national website that profile current Bigs that would answer some key questions of what it is like to be a Big Brother and highlight the importance of structured programs AAM microsite project

25. What You Can Do Now Utilize current African-American Big Brothers in “testimonial” campaigns so that African-American men are the ones sending the recruitment message and that other Black men can “see themselves” as Big Brothers. Update your website and materials to more reflect the population you are trying to attract Take advantage of the materials that have been and will continue to come out to support male volunteer recruitment

26. Please type in your questions now

27. Recommendation #4 Use African-American Bigs and Littles as a Recruiting Resource Mark Scott Director, Community Partnerships

28. What the National Office is Planning to Do Work with three agencies to create African-American Big Brother ambassador groups. Ambassador groups are for Big Brothers to be able to hang out with one another, share ideas about activities, and talk about how to encourage others to get involved.

29. What You Can Do Now Take current Big Brothers and Little Brothers to recruitment events to tell their story and encourage others to sign up as Bigs. Form African-American Big Brothers ambassador groups for Big Brothers to be able to hang out with one another, share ideas about what activities, and talk about how to encourage others to get involved.

30. We would like you participate in a quick poll

31. Recommendation #5 Form Alliances with Organizations that have Credibility in the Black Community Mark Scott Director, Community Partnerships

32. What Are We Doing African-American Advisory Council and Task Force Alpha Phi Alpha BBBS Amachi Developing relation with other four African-American fraternities Develop relationship with African-American business/professional organization. Strongest consideration right now is given to: - National Black MBA Association - National Bar Association - National Association of Black School Educators

33. What You Can Do Now Use Brother Lowell Perry’s Black and Gold paper to reach out to and deepen relationship with local Alpha Phi Alpha chapters Engage community leaders to become involved with BBBS by creating a local task force Build partnership with local chapters of the four other African-American fraternities, congregations, and business/ professional associations

34. Poll question: What Kind Support Do You Get from the African-American Community?

35. African-American Male Mentoring Assessment Tool What is it and what does it do? –Tool to aid for your own planning –Follows the recommendations of the research –Show you how to: Evaluate Set your goal Make a plan We look forward to your feedback on the tool

36. African-American Mentoring Principles To help us see the Big picture of what we can be a part of achieving Follows the recommendations of the research Please share your feedback on the African-American mentoring principles

37. Next Steps African-American Male Volunteer Research Suggestions How to Use to allow the research to have an impact on your agency Send the Agency Follow-Up Action Form to Mark Scott mark.scott@bbbs.orgmark.scott@bbbs.org

38. Almost Done… Please take this time to type in any additional questions

39. Thank You