By Sloane Keane – CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire
Sometimes I feel like that old Hotels.com character, Captain Obvious. Whenever I pitch a new partnership, meet a potential donor, or welcome a new volunteer, I catch myself saying the most self-evident things about creating positive social impact in our community.
“What does it take to raise a child?” – a village, of course! “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” “Teach a man to fish.” Even our own Big Brothers Big Sisters rallying cry, “every child is born with potential,” is pretty intuitive.
While as a society we may all know and share these axioms, we often relegate them to the realm of motivational cat posters (“Hang in there!”). So, call me Captain Obvious, but what if we did exactly what we already knew?
What if “the village” really did start raising our future leaders, influencers, and change-makers? What if we connected underrepresented youth with the social capital – a network of influence – they need to reach their goals? What if we invested individually, in the lives of every single young person in Orange County? What if we helped them see a greater vision of their unbridled potential AND gave them the tools they need to succeed?
And it turns out that a shared conviction to rally the community around providing mentorship for youth doesn’t just make nice slogans for motivational cat posters, it truly is an evidence-based strategy that provides transformative opportunities for youth in our community. But here’s where the Captain Obvious illustration breaks down. The proven effects and impact of mentorship are frequently far from obvious and much greater than most of us realize. Here are three areas where investing in mentorship truly pays off.
1. Financially – Investment in Mentorship Pays Off in Real Dollars
Research by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) makes a compelling case for economic upward mobility. The research evaluated the life-outcomes of 500 former mentees in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program or “Littles”. The study found that, compared to a control group of individuals from similar family and economic backgrounds who were not mentored as children, the former “Littles” will earn on average $315,000 more over their working lives than those in the control group.
Moreover, the Social Return On Investment (SROI) metric, which measures increased tax revenue, charitable giving, and consumer spending, shows that mentoring programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters, generate an average SROI of $18 – $23 for every dollar invested. With each former “Little” on track to generate an average of $32,154 in additional tax revenue; $49,819 in increased consumption, an equivalent of $5,856 in additional charitable volunteer hours, and $890 in greater charitable giving. The average investment required to provide professionally-supported mentorship for the lifetime of the match is $5,059.
2. Emotional – Investment in Mentorship Pays Off in Health and Wellness
According to the same study, adults who were mentored as children through Big Brothers Big Sisters were 62% more likely to say they were a happy person; 11% more likely to actively pursue a healthy lifestyle; and 50% more likely to say they had strong networks of family and friends.
These effects later in life are also evident throughout the mentoring relationship. According to the CDC, youth mentoring is an effective intervention for mitigating the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The Department of Justice agrees, citing research showing that mentored youth reported a 19% reduction in depressive symptoms compared to their peers.
Simply put, mentored kids are happier, healthier, and have a clear trajectory for their future.
3. Societally – Investment in Mentorship Pays Off for Everyone
Of the four categories the Life Outcomes Research examined – employment, life skills/general well-being, and philanthropy – it is perhaps the latter that surprises most everyone I talk to. The research found that mentored youth, particularly those in a structured, professionally-supported mentorship program (like ours) were significantly more likely to give to charitable causes and volunteer their time to community work.
These remarkable young men and women are “paying it forward” in inspiring ways. 66% volunteer in their community, with an average of 95 hours of community service per year. Compared to their nonmentored peers, they were 54% more likely to volunteer and, on average, volunteered 30% more hours. Many of whom, I am thrilled to report, are returning to become mentors themselves.
Not only are they giving more time, but they are also giving more financially. Eight-in-ten mentees reported charitable giving at an average of $395 per year.
So, Mentorship Works! But Where Do We Start?
In our community today, hundreds of thousands of kids in Orange County and the Inland Empire are giving up on their dreams and giving in to a limiting set of beliefs that tell them that they will never achieve their true potential. They feel the odds are stacked against them, and if not for having personally witnessed the power of mentorship, I would tend to agree.
Consider the following challenges that “Littles” in local Big Brothers Big Sisters programs are faced with:
- 65% of Littles live below the poverty line (vs. national average of 16%)
- 52% of Littles live in a single parent household (vs. national average of 34%)
- 53% of Littles have been bullied in the past year (vs. national average of 20%)
- 51% of Littles have worries that affect their daily life (vs. national average of 7%)
- 34% of Littles are housing insecure (vs. national average of 5-10%)
- 9% of Littles have an incarcerated parent (vs. national average of 2%)
These kids are not defined by the statistics, but the adversity they face is real. They are not bad kids, but they are desperate for someone to see them, to know their story. These are kids who have incredible untapped potential, and over the last 10 years with the agency, I have personally witnessed thousands of young people overcome adversity and realize their potential because of the positive influence of a mentor.
So, if we know mentoring works, how do we ensure every child in Orange County and the Inland Empire has a positive adult mentor in their life?
While no single organization or individual can do it alone, I’m encouraged by the mentorship movement, a diverse group of people and organizations promoting the idea that when each of us mentors someone just a few hours a month we can change the future of our community. I’m inspired by the leadership across every industry who have made this solution their priority, and I’m energized by the overwhelming support government, educational institutions, and other nonprofits have given to research, develop best practices, and create public policy to bolster mentoring.
Call me Captain Obvious, but our village really does matter. And our success will require each of us to invest in the lives of young people, whether by giving our time, financial support, or championing the potential inside every young person in our community. It will require YOU asking yourself: “Who am I mentoring today?”
Become a part of the mentoring movement today at OCBIGS.ORG or IEBIGS.ORG
