Our Impact
We have always known that Big Brothers Big Sisters’ carefully built relationships and teams are powerful and have a lasting impact on children. Now, we have the research and results to prove it!
Each time we surround a Little with caring adults, we foster an environment that encourages and supports our Littles' success. This success has a long-lasting impact.
A study conducted by Harris Interactive in 2009 examined the long term outcomes of Little Brothers and Little Sisters in a relationship for one or more years and found:
- 75% were more likely to have received a four-year college degree
- 39% were more likely to have a current household income of $75,000 or higher
- 62% perceived themselves to have achieved a higher level of success than their peers who were not involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters
Whether it’s going out to eat, playing sports, going to the movies or just hanging out, it’s not the activity that matters – it’s the fact that they have a caring adult in their life. The power of that trusting relationship is transformative!
Two pivotal studies conducted by Public/Private Ventures, a national research organization, during the 1990’s further demonstrate the power of these relationships. The first study concluded that, compared to similar youth, Littles who were teamed up with a Big Brother or Big Sister were:
- 46% less likely to begin using drugs
- 27% less likely to begin using alcohol
- 52% less likely to skip school
- 37% less likely to skip a class
- 33% less likely to hit someone
Additionally, a Big Brother or Big Sister was especially helpful in the case of minority children, who were found to be 70% less likely to begin using narcotics, compared to the 46% for children in the general population. Read the full study
In the second study, teachers reported the following improvements in students who were teamed up with a Big Brother or Big Sister:
- 64% of the students developed a more positive attitude toward school;
- 58% achieved higher grades;
- 55% were better able to express their feelings;
- 64% had higher levels of self-confidence;
- 62% were more likely to trust their teachers
ABCToday!sm
We've spent the past five years developing the ABCToday!sm to analyze school data and impact our Littles academic success. Learn more about our most recent innovation and the results we are achieving with ABCToday!.
