BBSVC actively affirms and celebrates the backgrounds and experiences of all stakeholders - youth, families, donors, community partners, volunteers, and staff. We ensure that all voices and perspectives are welcomed, heard, and honored. We commit to safe environments where all individuals feel respected and valued equally, and to fostering a Community of Belonging.

Every member of our BBSVC village has a voice, influence, and impact - on others and the wider agency. Opportunity for leadership can and should occur in all capacities; this includes spaces for youth, interns, parents/guardians, and volunteers who are encouraged to take opportunities for deeper learning and bring their own findings to the table. Life experiences are uplifted as valuable contribution towards greater learning and agency evolution. Constructive criticism is welcome, and recognizing and celebrating success is valued.

Honesty, directness, receptiveness, and respect are valued in our communication styles. We also recognize that communication happens with words as well as in non-verbal ways. We always strive to communicate effectively, demonstrating patience, understanding, and empathy. Active listening means we not only listen, but hear, engage, connect, inspire and guide.

BBSVC delivers our mentoring mission through a lens of Youth-Led Focus, Active Listening & Ethical Storytelling. Our vision statement works in alignment with our mission statement: not only supporting and uplifting one-to-one mentoring matches, but working with young people in a youth-led capacity to allow them the space and time to carve out an individual pathway towards a one-to-one mentoring experience that is specific to their identified goals and needs. BBSVC is also conscientious to apply active listening in our determinations of how youth are guiding us to interact best, and to always make decisions around youth (and family) information as they pertain to the ethos of ethical storytelling.

BBSVC prioritizes mental and emotional health. When we work in spaces where adversity is present, we must recognize personal trauma, as well as understand the impacts of secondary and tertiary trauma. We seek to create spaces where everyone is comfortable communicating their needs, sharing their boundaries, and respect the boundaries of others. We strive to identify and make accessible active tools for all BBSVC also applies the “Bucket Rule”: recognize when external needs impact our ability to bring our best selves to work! Our understanding of self-care and well-being translates into the understandings we apply with all our participants and stakeholders: that intersectional experiences must be understood, supported through a health-based lens, and contribute to building healthier communities.