Big Unc / Auntie

In our communities, some titles are earned.

Unc. Auntie. Big Homie. OG.

They don't necessarily mean you're related by blood.

They mean respect.

They describe the people who have lived enough life to teach you something.

The people who pull you aside when you're heading in the wrong direction.

The people who tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it.

The people who celebrate when you're doing well, check you when you're doing wrong, and refuse to give up on you when you're struggling.

They are the people who can say:

“I've been there.”

“Listen, let me tell you what I learned.”

“Don't make the same mistake I made.”

“You can do better than this.”

“I know what you're capable of.”

That's the idea behind Thrivival Academy's Big Unc / Auntie Program.

We surround young people with trusted adults who can provide the mentorship, wisdom, accountability, advocacy, encouragement, and practical support they need to navigate life and build a better future.

Built Like Community, Not a Program

The Big Unc / Auntie Program is built around a kind of relationship that already exists naturally in our communities.

A Big Unc, Auntie, Big Homie, or OG isn't simply someone assigned to a young person. They're someone who earns trust, becomes part of their circle, and takes a genuine interest in what happens to them.

That might mean showing up to an important event, helping work through a difficult situation, teaching something useful, making a connection that opens a door, or giving the kind of advice that only comes from experience.

The relationship should feel less like “I'm working with you because you're in a program” and more like:

“I care about you, I expect something from you, and I'm going to help you get there.”

Passing Down Game

There are lessons about life that aren't always taught in school. How do you handle conflict without making the situation worse? What do you do with your first paycheck? How do you prepare for a job interview? How do you recognize when somebody isn't really your friend? How do you recover after making a bad decision?

Sometimes the best person to teach those lessons is someone who has already traveled that road.

We call it passing down game.

Not game for manipulating people. Game for navigating life.

It's knowledge, skills, perspective, connections, opportunities, and wisdom passed from one generation to the next. If someone had to learn something the hard way, maybe the next generation shouldn't have to.

What We Help With

Every young person and family is different, so support is based on their individual needs and goals. Big Uncs and Aunties may help youth set goals, think through decisions, develop life skills, prepare for employment, understand money, improve communication, work through conflict, navigate school, find community resources, and discover new educational or career opportunities.

Support doesn't always happen sitting across a desk. It might happen over a meal, while working on a project, attending a community event, visiting a workplace, helping with school, or simply having a conversation with an adult who consistently shows up.

Sometimes the most important lessons happen during ordinary moments.

Supporting Families, Not Replacing Them

The Big Unc / Auntie Program is not designed to replace parents or guardians. It's designed to give families backup.

Sometimes a parent needs another trusted adult reinforcing the same message. Sometimes a young person needs someone outside the immediate household they feel comfortable talking to. Sometimes a family needs help locating resources, navigating schools or community systems, or connecting with an opportunity they didn't know existed.

Thrivival Academy works alongside families, not above them. We want to strengthen the support system already surrounding the young person and help fill gaps where additional support is needed.

Accountability With Care

Supporting a young person doesn't mean pretending every decision they make is okay.

Sometimes caring sounds like, “Nah, you were wrong.”

Sometimes it's, “How are you going to fix this?”

And sometimes it's, “I'm proud of you. Keep going.”

Young people need adults who can hold them accountable without giving up on them. We don't want mistakes to become identities.

Instead of only asking, “What did you do wrong?” we also ask, “What did you learn, what are you going to do differently, and who do you want to become?”

Connections Create Opportunities

Sometimes opportunity really does come down to who you know.

A Big Unc, Auntie, Big Homie, or OG may know a business owner willing to give a young person their first job, a tradesperson willing to teach them something, a college or training program they didn't know existed, or someone working in a career they've always wondered about.

Part of passing down game is passing down access.

We want young people to inherit more than advice. We want them to inherit relationships, knowledge, exposure, and opportunities that help them move forward.

Who Can Participate?

The Big Unc / Auntie Program is for young people and families who could benefit from another positive adult relationship and additional support.

Some young people may be dealing with school difficulties, family conflict, negative peer influences, probation or court involvement, limited opportunities, or a lack of positive adult role models. Others may simply need guidance while figuring out who they are, where they're going, and what they want their future to look like.

A young person does not have to be in trouble to need someone in their corner, and a family does not have to wait until they're in crisis before asking for support.

Become a Big Unc or Auntie

You don't have to be wealthy, famous, or have a perfect past to positively influence a young person's life. You just need something worth passing down.

That could be knowledge from your profession or trade, business or parenting experience, skills you've developed, connections you've made, or lessons you learned through your own mistakes and victories.

Sometimes the most valuable thing you can give a young person is the wisdom you wish somebody had given you at their age.

Whether you see yourself as an Unc, Auntie, Big Homie, or OG, your experience can become someone else's roadmap.

Get Involved

You can support the Big Unc / Auntie Program by volunteering your time and experience, connecting young people with opportunities, partnering with Thrivival Academy, referring a family who could benefit, or donating to help us provide family support, transportation, activities, training, and other resources.

Schools, churches, businesses, nonprofits, employers, tradespeople, professionals, and community organizations can also partner with us to expose young people to new careers, teach practical skills, provide resources, create employment opportunities, or simply help open a door.

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