Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) is a mentoring programme for children and young people between the ages of 10 and 18. It is delivered in the community and aims to improve social, emotional, behavioural and educational outcomes.
Big Brothers Big Sisters was developed based on the core assumption that a supportive and enduring friendship will develop and reinforce the positive development of a young person. This programme is aimed at young people aged 10-18 years who have experienced social or economic disadvantage, such as having poor social skills, being shy or withdrawn, having low self-esteem or living in poverty.
Young people are matched to an adult volunteer, and the young person and ‘big brother or sister’ meet weekly to engage in social and recreational activities. The initial commitment is a minimum of twelve months. Once this relationship has been established, the programme works to address the identified needs and goals of the young person. Goals may relate to learning a new skill or hobby, school attendance or academic performance or developing social relationships. Activities are tailored to the young persons desired goals, but may include: sport, cooking, board games, eating out or going to an event.
EIF Programme Assessment
Child outcomes
This programme can affect outcomes for children in Active and healthy, physical and mental wellbeing.
According to the best available evidence for this programme's impact, it can achieve the following positive outcomes for children:
Supporting children's mental health and wellbeing
Decreased emotional symptoms
based on study 2
Decreased peer problems
based on study 2
Improved social skills
based on study 3
Improved relationships and social support
based on study 4
based on study 3
Improved parental trust
based on study 3
Improved emotional wellbeing
based on study 4
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour
Decreased conduct problems
based on study 2
Decreased arrest
based on study 1
Preventing substance abuse
Decreased substance use
based on study 1
based on study 3
Enhancing school achievement & employment
Improved school attendance
based on study 3
This programme also has evidence of supporting positive outcomes for couples, parents or families that may be relevant to a commissioning decision. Please see About the evidence for more detail.
Who is it for?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to the following age-groups:
Primary school Preadolescents Adolescents
How is it delivered?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to implementation through these delivery models:
- Individual
Where is it delivered?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to its implementation in these settings:
How is it targeted?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to its implementation as:
- Targeted selective
Where has it been implemented?
- Ireland
- England
- United States
- Canada
Ireland provision
Ireland evaluation
About the programme
What happens during the delivery?
How is it delivered?
- Big Brothers Big Sisters is delivered in weekly sessions where mentors are expected to meet with the child or young people on a one-to-one basis for 1-2 hours duration per week for a period of 12 months or longer.
What happens during the intervention?
- BBBS staff match an adult volunteer to a child or adolescent. Once this relationship has been established, goals are identified through the programme and activities are then delivered, tailored towards addressing the identified needs and goals of the young person.
- The foremost goal of the programme is the establishment of a mentor-mentee relationship, and other goals may relate to learning a new skill or hobby, school attendance or academic performance or developing social relationships.
- Goals are updated regularly by BBBS staff as progression occurs and circumstances change, and BBBS provide monitoring support to mentees to support the maintenance of the mentoring relationship.
What are the implementation requirements?
Who can deliver it?
- The practitioner who delivers this programme is a Volunteer Mentor with QCF-2 level qualifications, supported by a Mentoring Programme Officer with QCF-6 level qualifications.
What are the training requirements?
- The volunteer mentors have 10 hours of programme training. Booster training for volunteer mentors is offered but not compulsory.
- The mentoring programme officers have 24 hours of programme training. Booster training of 43.5 hours for mentoring programme officers is recommended.
How are the practitioners supervised?
Practitioner supervision is provided through the following processes:
- It is recommended that volunteer mentors are supervised by a clinical supervisor (qualified to QCF-6 level), with 67.5 hours of programme training.
- It is recommended that mentoring programme officers are supervised by a case management supervisor (qualified to QCF-6 level) with 67.5 hours of programme training.
What are the systems for maintaining fidelity?
Programme fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
- Training manual
- Other printed material
- Other online material
- Face-to-face training
- Fidelity monitoring
Is there a licensing requirement?
There is no licence required to run this programme.
How does it work? (Theory of Change)
How does it work?
- Children and young people who experience social or economic disadvantage may benefit from a consistent and enduring relationship with a trusted adult to support them to fulfil their full potential.
- The mentor-mentee relationship is central component to the intervention, and success is mediated by the development of a strong, trusting relationship between the mentor and mentee.
- In the short-term, children and young people will develop a positive relationship with a supportive and caring model, which will provide the basis for opportunities to develop new skills and confidence.
- In the long-term, children and young people are expected to experience improved social, emotional and educational outcomes and reductions in antisocial behaviour including substance misuse.
Intended outcomes
- Connected, respected and contributing
- Achieving in all areas of learning and development
- Active and healthy, physical and mental wellbeing
Contact details
Clare McPhillips
Foróige
clare.mcphillips@foroige.ie
https://www.foroige.ie/our-work/foroige-youth-mentoring-big-brother-big-sister
About the evidence
Big Brothers Big Sisters most rigorous evidence comes from four RCTs which were conducted in the United States and Ireland.
This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child outcomes.
A programme receives the same rating as its most robust studies, which in this case is DuBois et al (2022), Herrera et al (2023), Grossman and Tierney (1998) and Dolan et al (2010) so the programme receives a Level 3 + rating overall.
Study 1
| Citation: | DuBois et al (2022) |
| Design: | RCT |
| Country: | United States |
| Sample: | 1353 families, with children between 10 and older where families experience a form of social or economic disadvantage. |
| Timing: | Post-intervention (18 months) |
| Child outcomes: |
|
| Other outcomes: | |
| Study rating: | 3 |
Dubois, D., Herrera, C., Rivera, J., Brechling, V., & Root, S. (2022). Randomized controlled trial of the effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program on crime and delinquency: Interim report of findings. [online]. Available at: https://indigo.uic.edu/articles/report/Randomized_Controlled_Trial_of_the_Effects_of_the_Big_Brothers_Big_Sisters_Community-Based_Mentoring_Program_on_Crime_and_Delinquency_Interim_Report_of_Findings/20767438/1
Study design and sample
The first study is an RCT. This study involved random assignment of children to a mentoring treatment group and a wait-list control group.
This study was conducted in the United States of America with a sample of children aged 10 years and older and who have experienced some form of social or economic disadvantage. A large proportion of children were from a Black or Latino/a background.
Measures
Arrest was measured using a single item measure adapted from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health child self-report and parent report.
Substance use was measured using a single item measure adapted from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (child self-report).
Findings
This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child outcomes.
This includes arrest and substance use.
Study 2
| Citation: | Herrera et al (2023) |
| Design: | RCT |
| Country: | United States |
| Sample: | 764 families, with children between 9 and 14 where families experience a form of social or economic disadvantage. A large proportion of children were from an African American or Latino/a background. |
| Timing: | Baseline Post-intervention (13-months) |
| Child outcomes: |
|
| Other outcomes: | |
| Study rating: | 3 |
Herrera, C., DuBois, D. L., Heubach, J., & Grossman, J. B. (2023). Effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Community-Based Mentoring Program on social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes of participating youth: A randomized controlled trial. Children and Youth Services Review, 144.
Study design and sample
The second study is an RCT.
This study involved random assignment of children to a mentoring treatment group and a wait-list control group.
This study was conducted in the United States of America with a sample of children aged 9 to 14 years old and who have experienced some form of social or economic disadvantage.
Measures
Emotional symptoms were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) emotional symptoms subscale (parent report).
Peer problems were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) peer problems subscale (parent report).
Conduct problems were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) conduct problems subscale (parent report).
Total difficulties were measured using all scales of the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) excluding the prosocial scale (parent report).
Findings
This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child outcomes.
This includes emotional symptoms, peer problems and conduct problems.
Study 3
| Citation: | Grossman and Tierney (1998) |
| Design: | RCT |
| Country: | United States |
| Sample: | 1,138 families, with children between 10 and 16 where families experience a form of social or economic disadvantage. Over half of the sample (57%) were from an African American or Latino/a background. |
| Timing: | Baseline Post-intervention (18 months) |
| Child outcomes: |
|
| Other outcomes: | |
| Study rating: | 3 |
Grossman, J. B., & Tierney, J. P. (1998). Does mentoring work? An impact study of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Evaluation Review, 22(3), 403–426.
Study design and sample
The third study is an RCT.
This study involved random assignment of children to a mentoring treatment group and a wait-list control group.
This study was conducted in the United States of America with a sample of children aged 10 to 16 years old
Measures
Youth-peer relationship was measured using the Features of Children’s Friendship BatteryParent-child relationship was measured using the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment
Anti-social behaviour was measured through two single-item self reports on initiation of drug use and number of times hit someone.
Academic outcomes were measured using administrative data.
Findings
This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child outcomes.This includes improved peer and family relationships, reduced substance use, reduced antisocial behaviour and improved school attendance.
Study 4
| Citation: | Dolan et al (2010) |
| Design: | RCT |
| Country: | Ireland |
| Sample: | 164 young people aged between 10 and 14 who have experienced some form of social or economic disadvantage |
| Timing: | Post-intervention (12 month follow-up) 18 month follow-up 24 month follow-up |
| Child outcomes: |
|
| Other outcomes: | |
| Study rating: | 2 |
Dolan, P., Brady, B., O’Regan, C., Brumovska, T., Canavan, J. and Forkan, C. (2011) Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Ireland: Evaluation Study. Report 1: Randomised Control Trial and Implementation Report. Galway: UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, National University of Ireland Galway.
Study design and sample
The fourth study is an RCT.This study involved random assignment of children to a mentoring treatment group plus regular youth activities and a control group with regular youth activities alone.
This study was conducted in Ireland with a sample of children aged 10 – 14 years (mean age 12 years) and who have experienced some form of social or economic disadvantage. Participants were predominant Irish-born youth (87%), with 7% of the sample from a Traveller background. 46% of youth lived in a one-parent household.
Measures
Emotional wellbeing was measured using the Children’s Hope Scale (youth self-report)Relationships and social support was measured using the Social Provisions Scale (youth self-report)
Findings
This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child outcomes.This includes emotional wellbeing and relationships and social support.