Research
Here are some links to recently completed research projects and reports on befriending, community mentoring, educational mentoring in school and college settings.
Search our Resources directory for more research in these areas
Recent research published:
May 2008
Youth homelessness in the UK: A decade of progress?
This Joseph Rowntree Foundation report evaluates the progress being made to address youth homelessness and highlights that mentoring and befriending can improve social networks.
April 2008
Mental health, volunteering and social inclusion
This report from CSV underlines how volunteering can help improve the health of people living with mental illness. It draws on the findings of two independent research studies into schemes based in London and Nottinghamshire. The schemes featured in the report use befriending and mentoring as part of their programmes and their volunteers reveal the beneficial impact these roles are having.
November 2007
Successful Ageing and Social Interaction - A Policy Brief
This policy brief draws on research from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, exploring what factors are associated with successful ageing among the oldest old in the UK. Social interaction is identified as particularly important in those older people experiencing good mental health and that improving social interaction is potentially a far less costly challenge for policymakers than providing health services.
October 2007
A synthesis of published research on mentoring and befriending
Dr Kate Philip; commissioned by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation
This review of published research on mentoring and befriending brings together evidence about research and practice in youth mentoring and befriending in the UK. It explores findings from academic literature and includes evidence from reports and summaries of projects.
Download a copy of the full report or the Executive Summary or order a copy priced at just £6 members, £10 non members.
July 2007
Changing Lives: A Longitudinal Study into the Impact of Time Together Mentoring on Refugee Integration
Time Together, July 2007
Findings from this independent evaluation demonstrate that the Time Together mentoring nationwide scheme is highly successful in facilitating the integration of refugee mentors.
June 2007
Making a Difference in Schools: the Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring Impact Study
Public Private Ventures, USA
First large-scale, national, random assignment evaluation of school-based mentoring in the United States of America following more than 1,100 children over 15 months. The Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program uses volunteer adult mentors in one-to-one mentoring with children in more than 6,000 schools. Two positive outcomes at the end of the second year were reduced skipping of school and greater expectation to attend college.
May 2007
Lean on me - Mentoring for young people at risk. A guide for funders and donors
New Philanthropy Capital, May 2007
Funding support for mentoring schemes is recommended in this new report which explores the evidence that exists to support traditional mentoring, peer mentoring and e-mentoring and in particular their effect on education, behaviour and relationships. Discusses what makes schemes successful and what funders might look for in a good mentoring project.
Youth homelessness in the UK: A decade of progress?
This Joseph Rowntree Foundation report evaluates the progress being made to address youth homelessness and highlights that mentoring and befriending can improve social networks.
April 2008
Mental health, volunteering and social inclusion
This report from CSV underlines how volunteering can help improve the health of people living with mental illness. It draws on the findings of two independent research studies into schemes based in London and Nottinghamshire. The schemes featured in the report use befriending and mentoring as part of their programmes and their volunteers reveal the beneficial impact these roles are having.
November 2007
Successful Ageing and Social Interaction - A Policy Brief
This policy brief draws on research from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, exploring what factors are associated with successful ageing among the oldest old in the UK. Social interaction is identified as particularly important in those older people experiencing good mental health and that improving social interaction is potentially a far less costly challenge for policymakers than providing health services.
October 2007
A synthesis of published research on mentoring and befriending
Dr Kate Philip; commissioned by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation
This review of published research on mentoring and befriending brings together evidence about research and practice in youth mentoring and befriending in the UK. It explores findings from academic literature and includes evidence from reports and summaries of projects.
Download a copy of the full report or the Executive Summary or order a copy priced at just £6 members, £10 non members.
July 2007
Changing Lives: A Longitudinal Study into the Impact of Time Together Mentoring on Refugee Integration
Time Together, July 2007
Findings from this independent evaluation demonstrate that the Time Together mentoring nationwide scheme is highly successful in facilitating the integration of refugee mentors.
June 2007
Making a Difference in Schools: the Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring Impact Study
Public Private Ventures, USA
First large-scale, national, random assignment evaluation of school-based mentoring in the United States of America following more than 1,100 children over 15 months. The Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program uses volunteer adult mentors in one-to-one mentoring with children in more than 6,000 schools. Two positive outcomes at the end of the second year were reduced skipping of school and greater expectation to attend college.
May 2007
Lean on me - Mentoring for young people at risk. A guide for funders and donors
New Philanthropy Capital, May 2007
Funding support for mentoring schemes is recommended in this new report which explores the evidence that exists to support traditional mentoring, peer mentoring and e-mentoring and in particular their effect on education, behaviour and relationships. Discusses what makes schemes successful and what funders might look for in a good mentoring project.
