Monday Match: How You Can Be a Mentor

There's a match for everyone. Maybe even two.

Making a connection with a kid isn’t always easy: some kids are shy, some are quiet, some find it difficult to open up to strangers.

But all it takes is being there, if you’re Brandon Conkins, and sooner or later, you’ll find you’ve made a big difference in a little brother’s life. Maybe even two of them.

Conkins has been volunteering for almost a decade now as a Community-based Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters here in the Fargo area, and he’s been matched with two different Littles during that time.

He and his first little were paired up for two years until the boy, now in his early 20s, moved away from the area.

He started working with his second little, Casey, about five years ago, and now, Conkins said, Casey’s about to turn 18.

In the meantime, he and his first Little have also kept in touch, Conkins said.

While it can take some time for the shyer kids to open up and share more about what’s going on their world, it’s worth the investment of time and effort to see the connection pay off in the long run, Conkins said.

And it’s especially rewarding to see reflected in his Little’s lives the effect their time together has had, Conkins said.

Conkins stopped by the Morning Show to sit down live in studio with Emily Welker to talk about why he chose the Big Brothers program, what keeps him coming back, and why it could be the right place for you to get involved, too.