Abstract
BackgroundThe Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program matches vulnerable young people with a trained, supervised adult volunteer as mentor. The young people are typically seriously disadvantaged, with multiple psychosocial problems.MethodsThreshold analysis was undertaken to determine whether investment in the program was a worthwhile use of limited public funds. The potential cost savings were based on US estimates of life-time costs associated with high-risk youth who drop out-of-school and become adult criminals. The intervention was modelled for children aged 10–14 years residing in Melbourne in 2004.ResultsIf the program serviced 2,208 of the most vulnerable young people, it would cost AUD 39.5 M. Assuming 50% were high-risk, the associated costs of their adult criminality would be AUD 3.3 billion. To break even, the program would need to avert high-risk behaviours in only 1.3% (14/1,104) of participants.ConclusionThis indicative evaluation suggests that the BBBS program represents excellent 'value for money'.
Highlights
The Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program matches vulnerable young people with a trained, supervised adult volunteer as mentor
The total cost of providing the BBBS-M mentoring service to currently matched youth in 2004 was AUD689,093, which equates to an annual cost of AUD 6,264 per each of the 110 young people currently in an active match
As at June 2000, there were an estimated 220,755 children aged 10–14 years resident in the Melbourne Statistical Division [32], which is the catchment for the BBBS-M program
Summary
The Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program matches vulnerable young people with a trained, supervised adult volunteer as mentor. Mentoring involves the commitment of time and specific efforts by a more experienced person to the development of a mutually beneficial, supportive and nurturing relationship with a less experienced person. Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) is a world wide organisation which has operated in Melbourne (BBBS-M), Australia since 1980. Its program matches vulnerable young people (termed "Littles"), who are aged between 7 and 17 years, living in complex social predicaments, are isolated and in need of additional support and friendship, with adult volunteers (termed "Big Brothers" or " Big Sisters" or "Bigs"). The program aims to reduce marginalisation and/or selfdestructive behaviours in young people and to foster optimal development and the establishment of confident adult identities. There were more than twice as many girls than boys (page number not for citation purposes)
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