Big Homies Foundation Programming
Mentorship
Big Homies are mentors who are able to connect with our youth – our Little Homies. Our Big Homies share hard-earned wisdom with our Little Homies to help them develop the necessary skills and habits they will need to become successful young adults. Our programs are designed as building blocks for individual mentorship relationships between Big Homies and Little Homies.
Enrollment in our programs are just a first step, and our Big Homies continue to mentor our Little Homies even after our programs conclude. Many of our first Little Homies are now thriving adults, giving us confidence our mentorship programs matter.
Film Curriculum
Our Film Curriculum is for local high school students. Over the years, a growing number of our youth have expressed interest in not just movies and television, but in content creation, digital storytelling, video editing and many other film-adjacent pursuits. In response to these interests, Big Homies Foundation runs a film curriculum. Our curriculum uses our students’ interests in film to help them develop key habits and skills they will need in whatever career they ultimately choose – teamwork, conflict resolution, attention to detail, just to name a few.
Our students collectively write their own script during Friday and Saturday evenings. At the end of the curriculum, we shoot the students’ script, bringing their ideas to life. During exit interviews, our students have consistently discussed how participation in our curriculum has helped them feel more prepared for future educational and workforce pursuits, even outside of the film industry.
Reading and Science Program
Over recent years, we have noticed many of the younger youth in our community are using screens too frequently. Many of our youth are also growing up in challenging living situations, and learning in difficult school environments. As a result, many of our youth are falling behind in developing core academic skills, especially reading. We help our youth develop these skills to complement what they are learning in school.
Over the summer, we run a dedicated reading and science camp where students practice reading alongside our mentors and volunteers, and attend hands-on field trips designed to foster interest in the sciences.
