For nearly four years, Keilan Miller and his mentor, Matt, have built a strong connection through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham.
Their time together has included business tours, career-focused events and opportunities to explore future possibilities through Big Futures, a program designed to help young people prepare for life after high school.
Now 14, Keilan has participated in experiences ranging from a tour of the Birmingham Police Department to a behind-the-scenes visit with meteorologist James Spann.
He has also attended a gaming career exploration event, interview preparation workshops at Starbucks and a career-focused experience at Barber Motorsports Park.
For Keilan’s mother, Lakitta Johnson, those experiences have expanded her son’s understanding of future possibilities.
“They promote future growth for the kids,” Johnson said. “They’ll take them places such as Barber Motorsports so they can see what happens behind the scenes. It’s things you don’t necessarily think about, and it gives them exposure to opportunities they might not otherwise see.”
Guidance for the Road Ahead
The program focuses on helping participants pursue one of three pathways after high school: enrollment, enlistment or employment. Beginning at age 14, participants receive individualized support. This includes career exploration, resume building, scholarship searches, summer employment and post-high school planning.
Unlike traditional mentoring programs that end when a student graduates, Big Futures allows mentoring matches to remain open through age 25.
“That’s a big transition time of life,” said Katie Prince, Vice President of Programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham. “It gives us the ability to support that young person and support the match for longer during that time.”
Building Confidence and Future Goals
For Keilan, Big Brothers Big Sisters has helped strengthen an interest in architecture. Conversations with Matt have encouraged him to learn more about the profession and consider future career options.
Johnson has also seen growth in her son’s confidence.
“He’s mild-mannered and reserved,” she said. “When we go to different outings, he does come out of his shell more than he used to.”
Big Futures pairs one-on-one mentorship with hands-on career exploration. Corporate and community partners host worksite tours, participate in career panels and give students opportunities to learn directly from professionals across a variety of industries. Partners such as Brasfield & Gorrie, WVTM 13 and Starbucks help connect young people to real-world experiences and career pathways.
Support from United Way of Central Alabama helps make those opportunities possible.
“United Way support is absolutely essential,” Prince said. “It gives us the flexibility to grow these unique programs and make sure we’re creating the greatest impact possible for our littles.”
When asked what he would tell another student about Big Futures, Keilan’s answer was simple:
“It’s really fun, inclusive and just a really good program.”
To learn more about how United Way and its partners support Central Alabama youth, click here.