University of Virginia Library

Striving To Raise Self-Esteem

As a big brother or sister, a volunteer strives
to "raise the child's generally low level of
self-esteem and help him or her to become
capable of forming meaningful personal
relationships," according to the program's
handbook.

This may sound a bit difficult if a big brother
spends only a few hours a week with his child.
But even the mere presence of a volunteer can
boost the child's confidence in two important
ways: by providing a male or female image that a
parentless child may lack, and by giving personal
attention to a child who may be overlooked in a
large family with a working mother.

One of the most valuable contributions any
big brother can make is exposing the child to a
variety of activities, lifestyles, and places which he
would not otherwise experience.

"When I met my little brother in October,
1970, he had never seen the downtown, the
University, or Barracks Road," Mr. Granger
recalled. "I've tried to give him some knowledge
about Charlottesville and open the community
up to him."

As black second-year man Michael Hall added,
"These kids often don't ever leave their
neighborhoods until they have formed concepts
about society without ever knowing a white
world exists too. Then it is too late to change the
ideas programmed in his little neighborhood."