Grant: Operating Grant

This study will examine the capacity of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) community mentoring relationships involving children and adult volunteers to improve the health and well-being of Canadian children. Information will come from an existing national survey of BBBS mentoring relationships. Specific aims will focus on the potential of mentoring relationships to improve children's developmental outcomes in the areas of physical health and mental well-being, social relationships, academic performance, and risky behaviors. Other aims will seek to better understand how mentoring works to foster positive change in children's lives, for whom and under what conditions positive change is most likely to occur, the key aspects of mentoring relationships (e.g., perceived quality, similarity of interests, longevity, frequency of contact, type of activities) that are critical for attaining positive developmental outcomes, and mentoring agency practices (e.g., mentor training, caseworker support) and other environmental factors (e.g., parent support) that improve the quality and functioning of mentoring relationships. The results are ultimately expected to lead to better health for children by making recommendations that would further improve the content and delivery of mentoring services and programs.