In partnership with Big Brother Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit, every year we host the Beyond School Walls workplace mentoring program. Twenty-nine Comcast employees are matched with and mentor 29 Southfield McIntyre Elementary students during the school year. The Comcast “Bigs” and student “Littles” meet twice per month at a different Comcast office location. They share lunch, conversation and work on a mentoring activity provided by the BBBS staff.
This innovative mentoring program, which supports our company’s philanthropic mission to inspire future leaders in our community, introduces the “Littles” to careers at an early age. It allows them to see what it means to be in the workforce and the education and experience needed to achieve professional success. These one-on-one mentoring opportunities also gives “Littles” an extra sense of support.
“The kids are very enthusiastic about the program,” said Kimberly Beckwith, McIntyre Elementary School principal. “I think the program is great because it gives the students another adult in their lives to talk about life situations with, and they do come back and make changes in their lives at school.”
Comcast “Big” Mike Johnson, an in-studio/remote video production senior specialist, and “Little” Brandon are entering their second year as a match in the Beyond School Walls program. Mike has been a “Big” since the program’s inception more than seven years ago.
“I feel it is extremely important as an adult African-American male to serve as a mentor and a role model to younger boys of color,” said Johnson. “I’ve shared a great connection with each “Little” I’ve been matched with and Brandon is no exception.”
According to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Survey, one year after being enrolled in the BBBS Beyond School Walls partnership with Comcast, students demonstrated statistically significant gains in social acceptance and academics.
