Big Impact-Proven Results

We believe every child is born with incredible potential, and we are committed to continuously evaluating and improving our programs to ensure our Bigs are equipped to defend that potential.

2025 Youth Mentorship Access Report

Findings from the BBBSA 2025 Youth Mentorship Access Report, conducted by The Harris Poll, expose a career confidence crisis among youth ages 18 to 25. One in three report constant uncertainty about their future, citing not just a lack of opportunities, but concerns about mental health, work-life balance, and being able to make ends meet. 60% of young people lack confidence in their ability to navigate today's job market, a number that grows when mentorship is missing. The report identifies a powerful solution – mentorship.

  • Mentorship Opens Doors: 84% of young people say mentorship introduces them to possibilities they never would have seen on their own.

  • Mentorship Bridges the Gap: 83% agree mentors help connect classroom learning with real-world success.

  • Mentorship Builds Confidence: 81% report feeling more confident making decisions about school, work, and life thanks to mentorship.

  • Mentorship Changes Direction: 65% have had a conversation with an adult outside their family that shifted their career path.

A Generation Searching for Guidance, Ready for Mentorship: Young people aren’t just seeking career advice – or for older adults to solve their problems for them. They are hungry for authentic, in-person connections with adults who can guide them on everything from financial planning to life skills. When asked what really matters in a mentor, it was the soft “durable” skills like honesty, communication, and empathy that topped the list – outranking even professional success or industry expertise.

Navigating Uncertainty, Seeing Guidance: Many don’t know where to turn for guidance, feel uncomfortable reaching out, or fear they’ll just be a burden to busy adults.

  • 74% of young people lack access to mentorship.

  • 3 in 4 say they wish they had more opportunities to connect with mentors who understood their background.

The Long-Term Impacts of Mentors: Evidence from Experimental and Administrative Data

At BBBS, we know that mentorship changes lives. Now, groundbreaking research shows that a caring mentor can impact a young person’s present and shape their future for years to come. Our recent economic impact study, The Long-Term Impacts of Mentors: Evidence from Experimental and Administrative Data (2024), provides rare insights using three decades of data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Harvard University. This research validates what we’ve long believed: mentorship positively influences young people’s behavior, education, and labor market trajectories.

Key Findings:

  • Increased Earnings: Participants experienced a 15% boost in earnings between the ages of 20 and 25, reflecting enhanced economic mobility. The income of mentored youth as adults was more closely aligned with the income of their mentor than their family, helping to reduce the socioeconomic gap by two-thirds.

  • Higher College Attendance: Mentored youth are 20% more likely to attend college compared to non-mentored peers.

  • Improved Behavior: Within 18 months, mentored youth reported lower absenteeism and fewer school suspensions.

  • Healthier Social Outcomes: Mentored youth exhibit improved behaviors and stronger social bonds, leading to a reduced dependency on social services and long-term societal improvements.

Youth Relationship Study

The Youth Relationship Study (YRS), a four-year randomized control trial study funded by Arnold Ventures, found that BBBS’ mentoring model reduces risky behaviors in youth and improves mental health.

The Problem: Youth, especially those from underserved communities, face increased risks of engaging in harmful behaviors, which can derail their future: substance abuse to cope with stress, violence and delinquency, skipping school, and social disconnection.

The Solution: BBBS community-based mentoring offers an easy to implement and cost efficient solution that is proven effective.

Mentorship Builds Resilience

Increases Positive Choices & Behaviors

  • Reduced Delinquency: Youth in the BBBS program were 30% less likely to engage in violence-related delinquent behaviors.

  • Decreased Substance Use: Mentored youth were 42% less likely to engage in recurring substance use.

Greater Connection & Belonging

  • Improved School Engagement: Youth involved in mentoring show increased school attendance and improved attitudes towards education.

  • High School Dropout: BBBS mentored youth were 57% less likely to drop out of high school.

Stronger Mental Health

  • BBBS mentored youth reported higher self-esteem, life satisfaction, and positive affect.

  • BBBS mentored youth experienced fewer depressive symptoms and were 41% less likely to have suicidal thoughts.