At Big Brothers Big Sisters, we see firsthand that a positive mentor can make a world of difference in a youth’s life in the present as well as in the years to come. When you contribute generous donations in Utah to our program, you are contributing to a better future for the youth and communities in our state.

They did a recent study on BBBS and the impact of its mentors and its supporters like the local donors that contribute donations in Utah. The study compared the performance of Littles with local youth not already participating in our program.

The research showed that Littles were:

-33% less likely to engage in violent behavior.
-27% less likely to start using alcohol.
-46% less likely to try using illegal drugs.
-37% less likely to skip class.
-52% less likely to skip school.

Additional benefits included better relationships with their family members and peers. Littles also demonstrated increased confidence in their school work.
According to the study, the mentoring relationships built in the BBBS program continued much longer than other programs, which is why we are always grateful for the donations in Utah that make BBBS services available in our state. At BBBS, our focus is less on the problem and more on the person. The idea is for Bigs and Littles to simply hang out together and spend quality time doing activities they both enjoy, such as sightseeing or biking.

Because believe it or not, it’s that little bit of time that children regularly spend with their mentors that makes all the difference, according to the research. The activity itself often didn’t matter as much to many Littles, so long as they knew they had a caring adult in their lives that was invested and interested.

This time of life is critical for youth. They are making decisions that could impact the rest of their life. Many children and youth in our society face opportunity gaps and may not always have the resources they need to cope with their immense challenges. There is an urgent need for adults to stand up and defend their potential.

Want to get involved? Look at our different options for making donations in Utah or for becoming a Big. We provide continual training and support for all of our mentors. Visit our website today to learn more.

Sources: https://www.bbbs.org/research/