One-Year Impact Update: CapTech and Hylaine Volunteers Advance Technology Improvements at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta
For 65 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBSMA) has transformed the lives of children in greater Atlanta communities through a proven youth development strategy: mentoring. BBBSMA works with volunteers, parents, and families to create mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
Last year, Apparo partnered with BBBSMA on a Community Impact Project to help the organization strengthen its technology infrastructure and plan for sustainable growth. Skilled volunteers from CapTech Consulting and Hylaine worked alongside the BBBSMA team to conduct a comprehensive technology assessment and develop a strategic technology roadmap. A year later, the organization is making steady progress implementing those recommendations.
Since receiving the technology roadmap, the BBBSMA team has been methodically working through the recommendations, implementing improvements where possible and planning for future changes where additional resources or timing are needed. To track progress, the organization translated the volunteer team’s recommendations into a dedicated project within Asana, organizing tasks by category and monitoring implementation over time.
Harold Mizell of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta shared that the roadmap has helped guide the organization’s technology planning and priorities, sharing, “We’ve been able to implement several of the recommendations, and even the items we haven’t tackled yet are now part of our roadmap. Having that plan has been incredibly helpful for knowing where we’re headed next.”
Strengthening Systems, Security, and Efficiency
Over the past year, BBBSMA has implemented several improvements to strengthen its technology operations. Within its Salesforce-based IT ticketing system, the team added automation requiring documentation before tickets are closed and introduced resolution categories that help identify common issues. These updates have improved reporting and visibility into recurring challenges, helping the team identify opportunities for staff training and system improvements. Today, approximately 75 percent of IT tickets are resolved within seven days.
The organization has also strengthened cybersecurity practices by incorporating short security awareness updates into biweekly staff meetings and implementing Microsoft 365 cloud-based backups for email, SharePoint, and OneDrive. The value of this system was quickly demonstrated when the team successfully restored files following an incident. To support future infrastructure improvements, BBBSMA also completed a Wi-Fi heat mapping assessment with its managed service provider to evaluate wireless coverage and identify potential equipment upgrades.
The technology roadmap also helped identify opportunities to reduce costs. After reviewing internet service contracts, BBBSMA renegotiated its agreement, reducing monthly costs from approximately $1,900 to $1,100 while maintaining the same level of service. The change generates more than $10,000 in annual savings that can be redirected toward mentoring programs. Looking ahead, the organization is preparing to launch a new website supported by grant funding and continuing to strengthen systems that support staff and volunteers. The majority of the team’s recommendations for their first year have already been completed or are actively in progress, demonstrating strong follow-through and operational ownership by the BBBSMA team.
For Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, these improvements ultimately help the organization focus more time and resources on what matters most: creating and sustaining life-changing mentoring relationships for young people across the region.
