Big Brother is helping you - mentoring research in American schools

Recent mentoring research in American schools shows that students with a “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” have better academic performance, attitudes and behaviours over the course of a school year than students who did not.

The study, “Making a Difference in Schools: The Big Brothers Big Sisters School Based Mentoring Impact Study”, looked at over 1,100 children in 70 schools for a year and a half, focusing on the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), the largest youth mentoring organisation in America. Strong improvements in science, written and oral skills were observed in students with mentors, as was an increase in the quality and frequency of class work. There was a consequent decrease in truancy, serious infractions and visits to the principal’s office.

However, most of the improvements recorded in the first year were not sustained into the third semester, largely because many of the relationships were not sustained, with many students graduating, moving away, or otherwise losing contact with their mentors. A decrease in truancy and higher expectations of going to college were the main benefits at this stage for those who had been mentored.

The study was carried out by the Public/Private Ventures (P/PV) research firm; their report commented that “the positive impacts on school-related outcomes at the end of the first school year, combined with the fact that the program is reaching many needy students, make this intervention particularly valuable for schools,” but cautioned that one year of mentoring was not enough to permanently improve a students academic performance.

Judy Vredenburgh, President of Big Brothers Big Sisters, said that her organisation was going to respond and improve in light of the study’s findings – BBBS plans to increase the length of the mentoring relationship and support summer activities to maintain continuity between the mentor and student. “Positive short-term results are a starting point,” stated Vredenburgh, “but we expect lasting benefits for the youth we serve. We’re committed to making a good program even better.”
http://www.mentoring-uk.org.uk/community121/communityarticles/view_article.asp?id=174