Assessing for Impact: Key Elements to Successful Group Mentoring at the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta, Georgia, 2018-2019

This project, a research partnership between Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) at Georgia State University and the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA), sought to advance understanding of the effectiveness of an enhanced youth mentoring program implemented by a network of Boys and Girls Clubs in the Atlanta area. This study aims to build evidence for group mentoring models for youth that may have a positive impact on delinquency, academics and social-emotional well-being. The study includes a retrospective analysis of secondary data from Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta, as well as qualitative research components that involved individual interviews with staff and focus groups with youth. Quantitative data sets include de-identified youth level data on club attendance, enhanced mentoring participation, and National Youth Outcomes Initiative (NYOI) survey responses. Qualitative data includes key informant interviews with a selected group of club level staff to provide a deeper understanding of structure, programming and delivery of mentoring. Youth focus group interviews were also conducted to gather youth perspectives.