Evaluating the Value of Youth Mentoring Programs
Author Information
Author(s): Marjory L Moodie, Jane Fisher
Primary Institution: Deakin University
Hypothesis
Does the Big Brothers Big Sisters Melbourne Program provide good value for money?
Conclusion
The BBBS program represents excellent 'value for money' by potentially saving society significant costs associated with youth criminality.
Supporting Evidence
- The program could avert high-risk behaviors in only 1.3% of participants to break even.
- The total cost of the program over three years is AUD 39.5 million.
- Assuming half of the participants are high-risk, the potential costs of their criminality could reach AUD 3.3 billion.
Takeaway
The Big Brothers Big Sisters program helps kids who need support, and it can save a lot of money by preventing them from getting into trouble later in life.
Methodology
Threshold analysis was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the program based on potential cost savings from reduced criminality.
Potential Biases
The study may be biased due to the lack of a control group and reliance on published evidence for effectiveness.
Limitations
The evaluation relies on assumptions due to a lack of consistent outcome data from the BBBS-M program.
Participant Demographics
Participants are vulnerable young people aged 10-14 years, primarily from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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