1. A Framework for Minnesota
Analyzing the Social Return On Investment in Youth Mentoring & Youth Intervention Programs
A Framework for Minnesota

2. The Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota and the Minnesota Youth Intervention Programs Association represent more than 500 proven programs delivering a comprehensive support system for 190,000 young people throughout the state each year.
Joellen
Welcome & thank you to attendees and sponsors
Long awaited day

3. Thank you to the following organizations:
Center for 4-H & Community Youth Development of the University of Minnesota Extension
The Curtis L. Carlson Family Foundation
IWCO Direct
Joellen
Today would not be possible without our sponsors and partners
Curtis L. Carlson Family Fdtn-Barbara Gae & David Nelson
IWCO Direect-Jim Andersen MBP Connections Chair & Bev Lohs
U of M partners-Dale Blyth- Associate Dean of the Extension Division of the U of M and Ann Lochner-Director of Applied Research Collaborative on Youth Development

4. Before these SROI studies, there had been no formal economic analysis of the costs and benefits of Youth Mentoring and Youth Intervention programs in the state of Minnesota.
This study puts forward a framework for quantifying the value and benefits of Mentoring and Intervention programs.
Joellen
Lay person explaination/Art Rolnick began to help the average person understand helped us understand that it’s taking social issues and putting the value into economic terms
Paul & Judy wiill provide a better explaination

5. What is Social Return On Investment (SROI)?
Generic name given to methods of policy analysis that compare public and private benefits and costs
Results may be expressed in different ways
Percentage return on investment
Benefit/cost ratio
Net present value of project
Joellen
Intent of doing companion studies
History of how this came about
Lack of pre-conceived ideas about findings
How MPM and YIPA got connected-(reference Darrell)
Serendipity of key players coming together right time/right place

6. SROI study goals
Provide Mentoring and Intervention Programs with a benefit cost analysis
Establish a framework SROI communicating the economic and social benefits to programs, investors, business, government and our communities

7. Program Implications
A useful model that has been an effective way to communicate the economic and social impacts of programs for Early Childhood Development
Provides SROI data related to comprehensive mentoring and Intervention programs
Helps to reinforce the value of quality mentoring and early intervention programs

8. A Framework for Minnesota
Analyzing the Social Return On Investment in Youth Mentoring & Youth Intervention Programs
A Framework for Minnesota

9. Social Return On Investment (SROI) studies conducted by the Wilder Research and the University of Minnesota found that the Mentoring Partnership has a $2.72 SROI for every dollar spent on programs, and comprehensive Youth Intervention Programs have a $4.89 SROI for every dollar spent.

10. Major findings:Youth Mentoring
Improved school attendance
Reduced truancy
Improved health outcomes
Reduced juvenile crime
Reduced costs of adult crime
Reduced need for social services

12. Mentoring Programs Types of Mentoring One to One School-based
Group & Team
Peer to Peer
E-mentor
Types of Programs
Community-based
School-based
Faith-based
Business

13. Implications Quality Mentoring Helps:
Kids avoid risky behavior, achieve in school and improve social skills
Increase opportunities for youth to grow into economically self-sufficient adults
Enhance corporate image, improve employee satisfaction, improve team building and leadership skills

14. Major findings: Youth Intervention
• Reduced truancy
• Improved school performance
• Reduced near-term court costs
• Reduced costs of adult crimes
• Reduced need for social services
• Improved health outcomes

15. 

16. Youth Intervention Programs
• Pre-court diversion programs
• Restorative justice programs
• Counseling services
• Education
• Prevention services

17. Implications Early Youth Intervention Helps:
Kids who are just beginning to show signs of troublesome or illegal behaviors
Keep kids out of more costly treatment options and keeps them at home in school and in their community
Kids avoid risky behavior, achieve in school and improve social skills
Increases opportunities for youth to grow into economically self-sufficient adults

18. Every effective Youth Mentoring and Youth Intervention program that reaches youth at an early age saves millions of dollars in future corrective expenditures and provides strong, prepared citizens in our communities

19. Paul Anton Dr. Judy Temple Wilder Research University of Minnesota
Analyzing the Social Return On Investment (SROI)
analysis of mentoring and youth intervention programs
Paul Anton Dr. Judy Temple Wilder Research University of Minnesota

20. Judy Temple, PhD
Associate professor with a joint appointment in the Humphrey Institute and in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota

21. What is Social Return On Investment (SROI)?
Generic name given to methods of policy analysis that compare public and private benefits and costs
Results may be expressed in different ways
Percentage return on investment
Benefit/cost ratio
Net present value of project

22. Purposes of the study Put forth a framework for SROI analysis
Provide examples that give realistic estimates of the return on mentoring programs and youth intervention programs
Recommend additional data collection and retention

23. The benefit/cost analysis (BCA) was used for both studies
What is benefit-cost analysis?
Why is BCA useful?
Discussion of costs
General principles
Ways of calculating benefits
Examples from early childhood programs

25. Return on investment studies have had a profound effect in raising awareness of the value of early childhood education
Results from studies of the Perry Preschool program and the Chicago Child-Parent Centers show a benefit-cost ratio of more than $7 to $1.
These results have led to a large increases in state-funded early education programs in the last 5 years.

26. Benefit/cost analysis is useful for:
Informing policymakers
Generating support from taxpayers
Generating support from the business community

27. Illustrative Example: Representative mentoring program
A high-quality one-to-one mentoring program
Youth are matched with volunteer mentors who are rigorously screened and trained
Mentors commit for a period of a year and meet four times a month with their mentees
Youth are helped across a wide spectrum of issues that include social skills, study skills, and work habits
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Mentoring Programs,
Wilder Research, February, 2007

28. SROI of a representative mentoring program: costs
Administrative and operating costs $ 1,300
Estimated value of volunteers’ time 2,262
Total resource cost (per student) $ 3,562
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Mentoring Programs,
Wilder Research, February, 2007

29. Program Benefits Reduced juvenile crime $ 371 Reduced truancy
Reduced school costs
Increased graduation rate ,826
Enhanced school achievement ,129
Reduced probability of tobacco initiation
Reduced probability of illegal drug initiation
Mentor satisfaction ,262
Total benefits (per student) $9,688
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Mentoring Programs,
Wilder Research, February, 2007

30. SROI of a representative mentoring program: total return
Benefits and costs (per student)
Total benefits $ 9,688
Total resource cost $ 3,562
Benefit/cost ratio $ 2.72
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Mentoring Programs, Wilder Research, February, 2007

31. SROI of a mentoring program: total return (excluding mentor satisfaction)
Benefits and costs (per student)
Total benefits (excl. mentor effects) $ 7,426
Total resource cost $ 3,562
Benefit/cost ratio $ 2.08
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Mentoring Programs,
Wilder Research, February, 2007

32. Mentoring SROI Summary
Our representative program returns benefits of $2.72 for every dollar of resources used. Returns $2.08 for every dollar of cost if the value of mentors’ time is excluded from the estimated benefits Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Mentoring Programs, Wilder Research, February, 2007

33. Paul Anton Chief Economist for Wilder Research

34. Illustrative Example: A comprehensive intervention program
An extensive program of mentoring and other programmatic help
Half of participants are referred for truancy; half are diverted from court for property crimes
Teaching and reinforcement of healthy behaviors; reduction in risky, counterproductive behavior
Cost per participant: $2,000
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Intervention Programs,
Wilder Research, February, 2007

35. SROI of a comprehensive intervention program: total return
Reduced initial court costs $675
Reduced juvenile crime
Reduction cost of treatment
Improved high school graduation ,310
Reduced school expenses $300
Enhanced school achievement ,064
Total benefits (per student) $9,786
Cost of program (per student) $2,000
Benefit-cost ratio $ 4.89
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Intervention Programs, Wilder Research, February, 2007

36. SROI of a comprehensive intervention program: return to State of Minnesota
Reduced initial court costs $ 675
Reduced juvenile crime
Reduction cost of treatment
Improved high school graduation (lifetime earnings) 7,310
Reduced school expenses
Enhanced school achievement ,064
Total benefits (per student) $ 9,786
State share of cost of program (per student) $ 667
Note: total benefits/state costs $14.68
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Intervention Program,
Wilder Research, February, 2007

37. SROI of a comprehensive intervention program: public return
Reduced initial court costs $ 675
Reduced juvenile crime
Reduction cost of treatment
Reduced school expenses
Increased future taxes ,368
Total benefits (per student) $ 3,105
State share of cost of program (per student) $ 667
Note: public benefits/state costs $ 4.66
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Intervention
Programs, Wilder Research, February, 2007

38. Youth Intervention SROI Summary
An effective comprehensive program costing around $2,000 per participant returns benefits of $4.89 for every dollar of cost
Moreover, the program returns $14.68 for every State dollar invested, assuming a 2 to 1 match of other funding
Source: Analyzing the Social Return on Investment in Youth Intervention Programs,
Wilder Research, February, 2007

39. Short-term data collection
Intake and exit data questionnaire related to outcomes
Criminal justice data
Survey of participants after graduation for program (for example, one year later) undertaken by individual programs

40. Long-term data collection
Fund and conduct a long-term longitudinal study:
Across a number of programs (mentoring and intervention)
Identify participants and a comparable control group
Track and survey both groups for a number of years (perhaps 10 years) with regard to outcomes

41. Associate Dean of Extension Division of the University of Minnesota
Our Moderator
Dale A. Blyth
Associate Dean of Extension Division of the University of Minnesota