Youth prevention programs are structured, evidence-based initiatives designed to help young people build strong relationships, develop life skills, and access positive opportunities during critical developmental years. These programs provide support before challenges become more serious, helping youth stay connected to school, community, and healthy support systems. By investing early in young people and families, prevention programs create stronger outcomes and long-term benefits for communities.
In Colorado, thousands of young people face barriers that can impact their well-being and future opportunities. Economic hardship, limited access to supportive adults, and inconsistent access to positive relationships can make adolescence more challenging to navigate. Research consistently shows that when young people have access to caring mentors, stable support systems, and early intervention, they are more likely to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally over the long term. At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, we have delivered prevention-focused mentoring programs since 1918. In 2025, we served 1,641 young people across the Denver Metro and Pikes Peak regions through programs designed to intervene early, build resilience, and create pathways to opportunity. This article explains how youth prevention programs work, what the research shows, how BBBSC approaches prevention through mentoring, and how you can support this work in Colorado.
Key Takeaways
- Youth prevention programs provide early support and resources that help young people navigate challenges related to school engagement, mental well-being, relationships, and decision-making before those challenges become more serious. Investing in prevention and positive youth development is not only more effective for long-term outcomes, but also more cost-efficient than responding after crises or significant barriers have already emerged.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado served 1,641 youth in 2025 through prevention-focused mentoring programs including Community-Based Mentoring, STARS Peer Mentoring, and Project AIM.
- Research shows that youth in BBBSC programs are 52% less likely to be arrested, 46% less likely to begin using drugs, and 20% more likely to enroll in college compared to peers without mentors. (Source: Big Brothers Big Sisters of America national outcome research)
- Every dollar invested in quality mentoring returns three dollars in societal benefits through reduced justice system costs, higher lifetime earnings, and stronger community outcomes. (Source: MENTOR National)
What Are Youth Prevention Programs?
Youth prevention programs are structured interventions designed to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors during childhood and adolescence before young people become involved in violence, substance use, the juvenile justice system, or school dropout. Prevention programs differ from intervention programs in that they are proactive rather than reactive: they reach young people before problems become entrenched and before the costs to individuals, families, and communities compound.
The field of youth prevention is broadly organized into three levels. Primary prevention targets entire populations to reduce overall risk, such as school-wide social-emotional learning curricula. Secondary prevention targets young people who show early risk factors, such as mentoring programs that prioritize youth from low-income households or single-parent families. Tertiary prevention works with youth who have already experienced adverse events to prevent recurrence or escalation.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado operates primarily as a primary prevention organization, focused on providing young people with consistent, caring relationships and supportive opportunities before challenges become more serious barriers to long-term success. Our programs prioritize youth who may benefit most from additional support and connection: 70% of our Littles come from single-parent households, 41% of families receive income assistance, and 15% have experienced parental incarceration. Through mentorship and positive youth development, we help young people build confidence, resilience, and a stronger foundation for the future. In 2025, BBBSC served youth across five Colorado counties, with the greatest concentration in Denver, Arapahoe, Adams, El Paso, and Jefferson counties.
Why Does Early Intervention Matter for Colorado Youth?
Early intervention matters because the window for prevention is time-limited, and the costs of waiting are substantial. Adolescence is a critical developmental period when the brain is highly responsive to both positive and negative influences. Young people who receive consistent support during this window are significantly more likely to make healthy choices, complete school, and contribute positively to their communities. Those who do not are at higher risk for outcomes that affect their entire lives and impose high costs on Colorado communities.
In Colorado, the need for prevention programming is acute. The Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program, Colorado’s primary state funding stream for community-based prevention organizations, received requests totaling approximately $36.1 million from 226 organizations during the current grant cycle. Only $10.4 million was available. That funding gap represents tens of millions of dollars in unmet demand for the kind of prevention programming that keeps Colorado youth safe and on track.
The economic case for early intervention is equally compelling. According to MENTOR National, every dollar invested in quality mentoring returns three dollars in societal benefits through reduced justice system costs, lower incarceration rates, and higher lifetime tax contributions. At BBBSC, the average cost per youth served is $1,954 per year. That is a modest investment compared to the estimated $35,000 annual cost of youth incarceration in Colorado. Prevention is not just the right thing to do. It is the smart investment for our communities.
How Do Youth Prevention Programs Reduce Violence and Delinquency?
Youth prevention programs reduce violence and delinquency by addressing the underlying conditions that increase risk: lack of positive adult relationships, limited connection to school, underdeveloped social-emotional skills, and absence of safe structured environments during out-of-school hours. Programs that provide consistent mentorship, structured activities, and skills-based curricula show measurable reductions in violent behavior, substance use, and justice system involvement across multiple decades of research.
The evidence base for mentoring as a prevention strategy is robust. According to national Big Brothers Big Sisters outcome data, youth in mentoring programs are 52% less likely to be arrested than similar peers without mentors, 46% less likely to begin using drugs, and 37% less likely to engage in violent behavior. A four-year randomized controlled trial found that BBBS participants showed significantly lower rates of violence-related and property-related delinquency compared to a control group of similar youth not enrolled in the program.
The hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. are when juvenile crime rates spike. For the hundreds of thousands of Colorado youth who are unsupervised during this window, prevention programs provide structured, safe environments staffed by caring adults. Colorado passed the Out-of-School Time Grant Program in 2024, investing $3.5 million in after-school and summer programming statewide. However, an estimated 347,343 Colorado children whose families want them in afterschool programs still cannot access them, representing a significant unmet prevention need.
What Prevention Programs Does BBBSC Offer?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado offers multiple prevention-focused programs designed to reach youth at different ages, in different environments, and with different levels of need. Each program is professionally supported, evidence-informed, and designed to build the protective factors that research associates with long-term positive outcomes. All BBBSC programs are integrated with our Big Futures framework, which ensures that every youth in our care is preparing for life after high school, regardless of which program they enter through.
Community-Based Mentoring
Our community-based mentoring program matches youth with trained adult volunteers who meet two to four times per month for activities chosen by the match. These one-to-one relationships build trust, connection, and healthy decision-making skills over an average match length of 3.6 years. Community-Based Mentoring is a primaryprevention program that prioritizes youth facing meaningful risk factors and provides the consistent adult relationship that research identifies as one of the strongest protective factors against delinquency and disengagement.
STARS Peer Mentoring Program
The STARS school-based mentoring program (Students Teaching About Relationships and Success) pairs older students with younger mentees for a 22-week guided curriculum focused on social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, and leadership. STARS operates as a primary prevention program, reaching entire school communities and building a culture of connection, belonging, and positive peer influence. It is one of BBBSC’s fastest-growing programs because it meets youth in school during the hours when structured support matters most.
Project AIM
Project AIM (Adult Identity Mentoring) is an evidence-based curriculum for middle school youth that uses 12 sessions over six weeks to help young people explore their identities, build practical skills, and make positive decisions. Project AIM targets the middle school transition, a period when risk factors for delinquency, substance use, and academic disengagement tend to accelerate. The program is delivered in school during the day, reducing barriers related to transportation and scheduling.
Big Futures
Big Futures is a wraparound support program integrated into all BBBSC mentoring relationships for high school-aged youth. It addresses the prevention of post-secondary dropout and early workforce disengagement by providing college preparation, career exploration, financial literacy, and life skills development. Youth who graduate high school with a plan and a support network are significantly less likely to experience the economic instability that drives adult involvement in the justice system.
What Does Research Show About Prevention Program Effectiveness?
The research base for youth prevention programs, and specifically for mentoring, is among the strongest in the youth development field. Decades of longitudinal studies, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analyses consistently show that well-designed prevention programs produce significant, measurable reductions in negative outcomes and improvements in academic achievement, earnings, and civic engagement.
A 2023 study by researchers Alex Bell and Neviana Petkova, drawing on 30 years of longitudinal data, found that mentored youth are 20% more likely to enroll in college and earn 15-19% more in early-career wages than comparable peers without mentors. The study, cited in BBBSC’s 2025 Annual Report, also found that the government recoups the cost of mentoring programs through increased tax revenue within approximately seven years of program completion.
At BBBSC specifically, the 2025 program data shows that 78% of Littles maintained or improved their grades, 94% feel confident they will achieve their goals even when facing significant barriers, and youth are twice as likely to hold leadership roles and volunteer in their communities compared to peers without mentors. These outcomes reflect the cumulative effect of prevention programming that builds skills, relationships, and self-efficacy over time. They also reflect the dedication of 46,416 volunteer hours contributed by BBBSC mentors in FY2025 alone, valued at $1,798,155.
The evidence is clear: prevention works. The question is not whether to invest in youth prevention programs, but how to ensure those investments reach the young people who need them most.
BBBSC advocates for state policies that sustain and expand prevention funding, including the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program, the Colorado Child Tax Credit, and out-of-school-time programming. Learn more about our advocacy priorities on our advocacy page.
How Is BBBSC Funded and Who Supports Prevention Work in Colorado?
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado’s prevention programs are funded through a combination of government grants, foundation support, corporate partnerships, and individual donations. In fiscal year 2025, government funding represented 31% of total revenue, with the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program listed among BBBSC’s largest state funders at the $75,000 or above level. Foundation grants represented 13.2% of revenue, corporate contributions 7.1%, and individual donations 8.7%.
BBBSC is committed to financial transparency. In FY2025, 66.9% of total expenses directly supported program services, with administration representing 15.6% and fundraising 17.5%. The average cost per youth served was $1,954. Our most recent annual report and audited financial statements are publicly available. We encourage donors and community partners to review our financials and hold us accountable to the outcomes we report.
Individual donations are a critical component of BBBSC’s prevention funding. Your gift directly supports the recruitment, screening, training, and professional match support that makes mentoring relationships possible. Donations to BBBSC qualify for the Colorado Child Care Contribution Tax Credit, meaning you can claim 50% of your gift back in state tax credits, up to $100,000.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. EIN: 23-7161796. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Donations of $250 or more may qualify for the Colorado Child Care Contribution Tax Credit, allowing eligible donors to receive a state tax credit equal to 50% of their donation at tax time. . Please consult your tax advisor for specific guidance on deductibility. No goods or services were provided in exchange for donations unless otherwise noted.
How Can I Support Youth Prevention Programs in Colorado?
Supporting youth prevention in Colorado does not require a major financial commitment. It requires showing up consistently, in whatever way fits your life and capacity.
Become a Mentor
Nearly 300 Colorado youth are currently waiting for a Big Brother or Big Sister, most of them boys who have been waiting for months. Your commitment of four to eight hours per month, sustained over at least one year, can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. BBBSC provides comprehensive training, ongoing professional support, and flexible scheduling to make mentoring accessible for volunteers from all backgrounds.
BBBSC prioritizes youth safety through a comprehensive volunteer screening process. All mentors complete a detailed application and in-person interview, multi-level background checks including national criminal database and sex offender registry checks, and reference verification. Volunteers complete evidence-based training on youth development, boundaries, cultural responsiveness, and mandatory reporting before being matched. Professional match support staff conduct regular check-ins with youth, families, and mentors throughout the relationship. Individuals with certain criminal convictions, a history of child abuse or neglect, or other disqualifying factors identified during screening may not be eligible to volunteer. The screening process typically takes four to six weeks.
Donate
Your tax-deductible donation funds the professional match support, training, and program infrastructure that makes prevention work possible. A gift of $1,954 supports one full year of mentoring for a Colorado youth. A monthly gift of $163 sustains that support year-round.
Advocate
BBBSC advocates for state policies that fund and sustain youth prevention programs, including the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program, the Colorado Child Tax Credit, and the expansion of out-of-school-time programming. Your voice matters to Colorado legislators. Visit leg.colorado.gov to find your state representative and share why prevention funding matters to your community.
Together, We Can Reach Every Young Person Who Is Waiting
Youth prevention is not a theory. It is a proven, cost-effective strategy for building safer communities, stronger families, and more opportunities for Colorado’s young people. When we invest in young people before problems escalate, we reduce downstream costs to the justice system, schools, and families, and we create the conditions where every child can reach their full potential.
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, we have been doing this work for over a century. We know what works. We know who needs it. And we know that the need is greater than our current capacity to serve. Nearly 300 young Coloradans are waiting for a mentor right now. The Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program is underfunded by tens of millions of dollars. An estimated 347,343 Colorado children cannot access the out-of-school-time programs their families want for them.
The gap between what is needed and what is available is real. But so is the solution. Your time, your voice, and your support make prevention work possible.
Get Involved: Become a Mentor | Donate | Enroll a Child
Learn More: Our Programs | Annual Report | Stories and Impact | Board and Leadership | Contact Us
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. EIN: 23-7161796. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Please consult your tax advisor for specific guidance on deductibility.
Related Programs: Community-Based Mentoring | School-Based Mentoring | Big Futures | View All Programs
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes and reflects Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado’s mission, programs, and impact as of May 2026. Program availability, eligibility criteria, and services may vary by location and are subject to funding and capacity. For the most current information, please contact us at (303) 433-6002 or visit biglittlecolorado.org. The views expressed represent BBBSC’s organizational perspective based on research, program experience, and mission alignment, and do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff, board members, volunteers, funders, or community partners.
