Using Mixed-Methods to Evaluate the Impact of a Mentoring Program for Gang Involved Youth

Background and Purpose: The growing presence of gangs in school districts is a critical area of concern. Nationally, over one million adolescents ages 5 to 17 are emerged in the gang culture, which research shows leads to academic disengagement and disregard for rules, laws, and respect towards authority figures (Pyrooz, 2014; Pyrooz & Sweeten, 2015). Many youth flee toward gangs to address their immediate social, emotional, and economic needs (Estrada et al., 2014; Huerta, 2015; Vigil, 1999). The existence of gangs and gang culture impacts the quality of social relationships and long-term educational outcomes for students, and also causes tension with parents, schools, and the larger community (Pyrooz, 2014; Vigil, 1999). The negative impact on local youth involved or embedded in gangs cannot be underestimated, and problems demonstrated with school attendance, behavior, and grades is only the beginning of a long-term individual and communal concern for all citizens.

The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to explore a regional mentoring programs’ impact on gang involved students’ behavior, attendance, and academic performance. The students are enrolled in four distinct urban, suburban, and rural school districts in a western state that primarily serves Black and Latino youth.

Methods: We used a sequential explanatory design model to understand the impact of the mentoring program on students (Cresswell & Plano, 2011). We collected over 700 student surveys. We also used multiple qualitative methods, such as, field notes, document analysis, and facilitated 14 focus groups with over 75 students to gain a “thick and rich” narrative of their experiences in the mentoring program and their relationships with their mentors and educators at their schools (Bryman, 2006; Cresswell & Plano, 2011).

Findings:  We found the mentoring program has immediate positive impacts on the students’ attendance, academics, and behavior. The students valued the presence of a caring adult, who processed and validated healthy relationships with the students. The benefit of the mentoring program is that students are supported through their transition from elementary to middle school or middle to high school, which are both crucial developmental periods for the students. The students receive support and direction from the mentors to consider alternative positive life pathways over gang involvement and other negative school and community behaviors.

Conclusion and Implications: Our findings highlight the importance of students social relationships with adults in schools as it provides an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, emotional support, receive tangible assistance and information, guidance and role modeling, and constructive feedback. Therefore, this study highlights the school context, but also discusses associations to larger challenges for students in the educational pipeline and their communities. Lastly, this study has implications for social workers, school and community counselors, community partners and school districts on how to build connections between theory, practice, and policy to ensure all youth have a healthy development and positive relationships with adults in schools and communities.