Big Brothers Big Sisters' one-to-one youth mentoring has been shown to have
a significant and positive impact on the lives of children, according to the
first-ever nationwide impact study of a mentoring organization.

The Study
During 1992 and 1993, Public/Private Ventures, a Philadelphia-based national
research organization, looked at 959 boys and girls, ages 10 to 16, through
Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies in Phoenix, Ariz.; Wichita, Kan.;
Minneapolis, Minn.; Rochester, N.Y.; Columbus, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pa.; and
Houston and San Antonio, Texas. The agencies were selected for their large
size and geographic diversity.

Of the young people taking part in the study, more than 60 percent were
boys, and more than 50 percent were minorities. Most came from low-income
households, and many lived in families with histories of substance abuse
and/or domestic violence.

Approximately one-half of the children were matched with a Big Brother or
Big Sister. The others were assigned to a waiting list (control group). The
children were randomly assigned to one group or the other.

The matched children met with their Big Brothers or Big Sisters about three
times a month for an average of one year.

Researchers interviewed the Littles, the children who were not matched, and
their parents on two occasions: when they first applied for a Big Brother or
Big Sister, and again 18 months later.

The Results
Researchers found that after 18 months of spending time with their Bigs, the
Little Brothers and Little Sisters were:

46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
27% less likely to begin using alcohol
52% less likely to skip school
37% less likely to skip a class
more confident of their performance in schoolwork
one-third less likely to hit someone
getting along better with their families

Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteers had the greatest impact in the area of
alcohol and substance abuse prevention. For every 100 youth between ages 10
and 16 who start using drugs, the study found, only 54 similar youth who are
matched with a Big will start using drugs. Minority boys and girls were the
most strongly influenced; they were 70 percent less likely than their peers
to initiate drug use.

"We have known all along that Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring has a
long-lasting, positive effect on children¹s confidence, grades, and social
skills," said Judy Vredenburgh, Big Brothers Big Sisters President and CEO,
"and the results of this impact study scientifically confirm that belief."

"These dramatic findings are very good news, particularly at a time when
many people contend that Œnothing works in reaching teenagers,"
Public/Private Ventures President Gary Walker added. "This program suggests
a strategy the country can build on to make a difference, especially for
youth in single-parent families."

The Big Brothers Big Sisters Match
According to the research, these one-to-one matches are such a powerful
force for influencing children¹s behavior because of Big Brothers Big
Sisters' signature approach to mentoring.

A Big Brothers Big Sisters' match is carefully administered and supported by
rigorous standards and trained personnel. Professional agency staff strive
for matches that are not only safe and well suited to each child,s needs,
but also harmonious and built to last. That is why so much care is taken in
screening and orienting volunteers, and then in matching them with children.

However, Big Brothers Big Sisters professionals are much more than just
"matchmakers." They provide ongoing support and supervision to the Big, the
Little, and the Little's family. They offer training and advice to help
ensure that the match is satisfying and fulfilling for everyone involved.

Additionally, every Big Brothers Big Sisters agency subscribes to a uniform
set of standards and procedures. They also receive ongoing training and
consultation from the Big Brothers Big Sisters national office.

It is this web of support that helps maximize the likelihood that a Big
Brothers Big Sisters relationship will "take root" and flourish. The
research found, for example, that Big Brothers Big Sisters' matches
consistently spend more time together, and continue as a match for longer
periods, than do their peers in other mentoring programs Public/Private
Ventures has studied.

"In mentoring programs without this infrastructure, we have found that
relationships evaporate too soon for effects to be possible," said Walker.

The Impact
The research found that Big Brothers Big Sisters offers a positive,
broad-based program ³that focuses less on specific problems after they
occur, and more on meeting youths most basic developmental needs.

The matches that were observed in the study shared everyday activities:
eating out, playing sports or attending sports events, going to movies,
sightseeing, doing chores, and just hanging out together.

What mattered to the children was not the activities, but the fact that they
had a caring adult in their lives. Because they had someone to confide in
and to look up to, they were, in turn, doing better in school and at home.
The Littles were also avoiding violence and substance abuse at a pivotal
time in their lives when even small changes in behavior, or choices made,
can change the course of their future.

"The quality of the relationships Big Brothers Big Sisters has fostered for
100 years is the real strength behind our success," said Vredenburgh. "Our
volunteers are one of our most important assets. They make a tremendous
commitment to their Littles, and now, we can point to this impact study and
say, ŒSee, you are making a huge difference in the life of a child."

"When Little Brothers and Little Sisters feel good about themselves, they
positively impact their friends and families, their schools, and their
communities. And as this important study has shown, these young people
believe in themselves because a Big Brother or Big Sister believed in them."

Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters (1995) was
the culmination of a four-part series on Big Brothers Big Sisters. The first
three reports were A Study of Program Practices (1993); A Study of Volunteer
Recruitment and Screening (1994); and Building Relationships with Youth in
Program Settings (1995).

Public/Private Ventures, a national research organization with more than 20
years of experience in studying child development and social service issues,
conducted the independent research.

The study was funded by a $2 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, the
Commonwealth Fund, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and an anonymous donor.