Data Reporting:Building Meaningful Bridges Between Your 

Goals, Stakeholders, and Data 

Start Something….TODAY using data to communicate your successes. 

It might be the start of something BIG.

Stephanie Bradley & Brittany RhoadesBig Brothers Big Sisters State Association of PA Training

September 13, 2011

Setting the Stage Introductions Why data? Why me?

Big Brothers Big Sisters Works! Research on youth outcomes Economic benefits Logic of BBBS

Building the Bridge Your goals, stakeholders, & resources Crafting meaningful data messages

Today’s Roadmap

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Setting the Stage1

Who are we?

Resource Center for Evidence‐based Prevention and Intervention Programs and Practices

The EPISCenter is a project of the Prevention Research Center, College of Health and Human Development, Penn State University,and is funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare

as a component of the Resource Center for Evidence‐Based Prevention and Intervention Programs and Practices.

A unique partnership between Pennsylvania policymakers, researchers, and communities to bring science to bear on issues of 

public health and public safety

Multi-Agency Steering Committee(Justice, Welfare, Education, Health)

What do we do?Resource Center 

for Evidence‐based and Promising Prevention and Intervention Programs and Practices

Support to Community PreventionCoalitions

Improve Quality ofLocal Innovative Programs and Practices

Support to Evidence-based

Programs

Multi-Agency Steering Committee(Justice, Welfare, Education, Health)

The EPISCenter is a project of the Prevention Research Center, College of Health and Human Development, Penn State University,and is funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare

as a component of the Resource Center for Evidence‐Based Prevention and Intervention Programs and Practices.

A unique partnership between Pennsylvania policymakers, researchers, and communities to bring science to bear on issues of 

public health and public safety

What role do you play in BBBS?

How do you use data in your work? 

What type of data do you use?

Do you use AIM?

Are you a past or present PCCD grantee?

Tell us about you!

Why data? Why me?

Grant requirements Reporting to funders Monitoring & quality management

Demonstrate need & outcomes

Raise community awareness & support

Enhance marketing messages

Promote respect for program

Cultivate investment & sustainability

Recruitment strategies

Other data uses?

Difficult Cumbersome Time consuming Annoying Bureaucratic Boring NOT fun! 

Data Collection & Reporting is…

Informative Useful Valuable Helpful VERY meaningful!

Data Collection & Reporting can be…

Numbers are Powerful!

Big Brothers Big Sisters Works!2

Big Brothers Big Sisters Works!

Recognized as a Blueprint Program

Based on 4 Public/Private Ventures studies

Mentoring as a generic idea is not effective

No other mentoring program has demonstrated strong outcomes

After 18 mos. of being matched, Littles were: 46% less likely to begin using illegal 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

Big Brothers Big Sisters Works!

Making a Difference: An impact study of Big Brothers Big Sisters: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/111_publication.pdf

Economic research by Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) established BBBS as a good investment

Cost‐savings related to:  Reductions in crime Increases in educational test scores Reductions in age of initiation for alcohol & illicit drug use

Benefits to: Littles Society/tax‐payers Crime victims

BBBS is cost‐effective!

Benefits and Costs of Prevention & Early Intervention Programs for Youth: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/111_publication.pdf

The Economic Return on PCCD’s Investment in Research‐based Programs: http://prevention.psu.edu/pubs/docs/PCCD_Report2.pdf

The Economic Return on PCCD’s Investment in Research‐based Programs: http://prevention.psu.edu/pubs/docs/PCCD_Report2.pdf

The dollars & cents…WSIPP 2004 Report*

$benefits ‐ $costs =  $ saved per youth

Adjust for Inflation**to get 2011$

2011$ X # of youth you are serving

Total Estimated Cost Savings for your program!

Benefits: $4058• Non‐crime = 

$3079• Crime =  

$979

Costs: $4010

Benefits‐Costs: $4058‐$4010 = $48 per youth

Benefits: $4982.56• Non‐crime = 

$3780.51• Crime = 

$1202.05

Costs: $4923.62

Benefits‐Costs: $4982.56‐$4923.62 = $58.94 per youth

*WSIPP 2004 Report: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/pub.asp?docid=04‐07‐3901**Inflation calculator: http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

If you are serving 150 youth….

$58.94 X 150

The total estimated cost 

savings from your BBBS program is 

$8841!

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Placement or Prevention: Which is more cost effective?

Average 90‐day placement cost for ONEadjudicated youth is 

$38,533 *

Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring to nearly 

(cost per youth at your agency /$38,533) youth

=*90‐day placement at a daily cost reflecting the average of all Department of Public Welfare facilities in Pennsylvania for 2011‐12

A LOGIC MODEL

MENTORING MAGIC:THE MECHANISM OF CHANGE

What is it?  Describes how andwhy the program produces changes 

in the targeted outcomes

Why is it important? Provides theoretical backbone Guides quality implementation Guides quality evaluation

Logic Model Basics

Leverage infrastructure and expertise of nation’s premier

mentoring organization

BBBS helps children facing adversity achieve measurable outcomes leading to lifelong success

Agency works within community and with

partners to engage with

families, volunteers, and donors

to serve children facing

adversity

Create and professionally support safe, strong and

enduring 1:1 matches with

BBBS volunteer mentors

What we do:mentoring at scale

Why it matters:impact

What we achieve:measurable outcomes

DRAFT

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Strength of Relationship SurveyLength of Match

? ?

Strength of Relationship (SoR)

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Centeredness on Youth’s 

Needs

Lack of Conflict

Competence (Safety)

Centrality

Closeness

Centeredness on Youth’s 

Needs

Compatibility

Competence (Safety)

Confidence

Closeness

Youth Survey Mentor Survey

Leverage infrastructure and expertise of nation’s premier

mentoring organization

BBBS helps children facing adversity achieve measurable outcomes leading to lifelong success

Agency works within community and with

partners to engage with

families, volunteers, and donors

to serve children facing

adversity

Create and professionally support safe, strong and

enduring 1:1 matches with

BBBS volunteer mentors

What we do:mentoring at scale

Why it matters:impact

What we achieve:measurable outcomes

DRAFT

24

Youth Outcome Survey

? ?Little has higher aspirations, gains

confidence to overcome challenges, and improves relationships with family

and community

Little stays in school, performs better and is more

likely to graduate

Risky behavior avoidance

Attitudes and competencies

Little avoids risky behaviors, delinquency and juvenile

justice system

Educational success

Youth Outcome Survey (YOS)

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Scholastic Competence

Educational Expectations

Grades

Social Acceptance

Parental Trust

YOS: Short‐term Outcomes Long‐term Outcomes

Attitudes Toward Risk

Academic Achievement

Delinquency Avoidance

Leverage infrastructure and expertise of nation’s premier

mentoring organization

BBBS helps children facing adversity achieve measurable outcomes leading to lifelong success

Agency works within community and with

partners to engage with

families, volunteers, and donors

to serve children facing

adversity

Create and professionally support safe, strong and

enduring 1:1 matches with

BBBS volunteer mentors

What we do:mentoring at scale

Why it matters:impact

What we achieve:measurable outcomes

DRAFT

26

?Little has higher aspirations, gains

confidence to overcome challenges, and improves relationships with family

and community

Little stays in school, performs better and is more

likely to graduate

Risky behavior avoidance

Attitudes and competencies

Little avoids risky behaviors, delinquency and juvenile

justice system

Educational success

• Children facing adversity become responsible, productive citizens able to achieve lifelong success

• Communities are safer

• Businesses benefit from better preparedworkforce

Length + Strength = Outcomes

Building Bridges3

What are your agency’s goals?

Who are your key stakeholders?

What data resources & tools do you have?

A note on stakeholders…

A person, group, or organization that has direct or 

indirect stake in an organization because it can affect or 

be affected by the organization's actions, objectives, 

and policies. 

Source:  http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/stakeholder.html

A note on stakeholders…

Source:  http://www.memoireonline.com/07/06/196/m_stakeholders‐football‐club‐strategy4.html

What are your agency’s goals?

Who are your key stakeholders?

What data resources & tools do you have?

BBBS Data ToolkitPPV Research 

Findings

WSIPP Economic Research

National YOS Results

External Local, State & National Data 

Sources

Agency YOS Data

Agency SoR Data

Secure funding

A Few Bridges

Funding agency Cost‐benefit

Recruit Bigs

Raise awareness

Potential Bigs

Community

SoR

YOS

Goals Stakeholders Data resources

Thank You!Stephanie Bradley: sbradley@episcenter.org

Brittany L. Rhoades: brhoades@episcenter.org

Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Support Center (EPISCenter)

Prevention Research CenterPenn State University

206 Towers Bldg.University Park, PA 16802

(814) 863-2568