Mentoring Works, Here's the Proof:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America announced the Youth Outcomes Report during the second annual National Mentoring Summit last month.  The groundbreaking report shows statistically significant improvements nationwide for youth enrolled in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.  This evaluation targets three outcome areas: educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors and emotional competency.  Progress in the areas listed above have been linked to increased high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa has been conducting the Youth Outcomes Survey with children served locally since the report was released in 2009.  The proof is in the numbers that mentoring does work.  Both Community Based and School Based programs have demonstrated improvements in the following areas:
             

                  -  74%   are thinking about their future with plans to finish high 

                                 school and attend college

                  -  68%   have had a reduction in their unexcused absences

                  -  85%   have shown improvement in the areas of competence,
                                 confidence and levels of caring

 Big Brothers Big Sisters continues to operate under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life.  By partnering with community volunteers, parents, schools and local businesses, we are positively empowering our youth for a better tomorrow.

"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."
Franklin D. Roosevelt