Return on Mentoring Investment

SNAPSHOT: Youth Mentoring Research and Outcomes

Mentoring is a youth development strategy that is a proven foundational asset for a young person’s

successful path to adulthood. It is also effectively used as an intervention strategy to redirect a

young person’s life toward a healthy and productive future. In both cases, the results save taxpayer

dollars and fuel the economy. In fact, recent research demonstrates that

for every dollar invested in effective

mentoring programs, there is a return of $2.72.

This positive return on investment reflects projected increases in lifetime earnings gained by 

leading at‐risk youth down the path to becoming productive adult citizens, as well as dollars saved 

through evidence‐based mentoring‐related outcomes, such as reduced juvenile delinquency and 

crime, improved school attendance, higher graduation rates, and lowered risk of youth involvement 

in costly behaviors such as drug, alcohol and tobacco use.

In addition, effective mentoring programs also report significant increases among youth served in

self-confidence, self-efficacy and a positive attitude about their futures. 1

1

Anton, P.,Wilder Research & Temple, Judy, Univ. of Minnesota, “Social Return on Investment in Youth Mentoring Programs,” March 2007

An excerpt from
http://www.mentoring.org/images/uploads/Snapshot%20on%20Mentoring%20FINAL_April%202013.pdf