Take a deep dive into our annual and evaluation report for 2021. You can see the impact our mentoring programs made; find out about partners, schools, mentors and people that made it all possible and read all about the insights and findings from our rigorous evaluation.
Evaluation Report 2024 One action, big impact
The power of showing up raise.org.au
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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A note from our Data and Youth Insights Team
Community is the antidote to loneliness—and it starts with one conversation. It can be hard being a young person in 2024. For the first time in recent history young people are the most likely group to experience loneliness and isolation. More than 3 in 5 of the mentees in Raise school
Raise, to mentor other young people and to pay forward the difference that mentoring made to them. Year after year, thousands of people from all walks of life volunteer to mentor a young person in need in one of our 10 or 20-week in-school programs. They are motivated by a range of factors including giving back to their community, developing their own skills to work or to parent, getting to know new people – but almost universally they end the mentoring year with a greater empathy for young people, a greater understanding of the issues facing young people and a greater appreciation for what it is like to be a young person right now. This year Raise reached 2,546 young people through our in-school programs. Of those, 96% identified at least one positive impact of mentoring from improved confidence and the ability to make friends, to better mental health and feeling less lonely, and being more likely to help others. Across our four key outcomes of Help Seeking, Hope for the Future, Resilience and School Engagement we achieved statistically significant growth in all four outcomes for our 20- week program and three of the four for our 10-week programs. Four out of five parents and carers saw this impact independently - in their child’s wellbeing and in the relationship they had with their child.
programs this year cited loneliness as an issue they had personally faced. Young people are less likely to have a strong social network, less likely to seek help when they need it and less likely to feel optimistic about their future. Young people are worried about what’s happening in their communities, what is happening at school and what is happening in the wider world – as well as the existential threat of climate change and natural disasters. As adults reading about the mental health crisis, school refusal, violence and disconnection, it can feel hard to work out how to help, when the challenges feel systemic and too large for any one person to ameliorate. When Raise started back in 2008, we set out to support just one young person, taking local action in one local community. Sixteen years later we have supported more than 16,000 young people and trained more than 10,000 volunteer mentors to be changemakers in our schools and changemakers in their communities. Young people who came through our programs in early high school are coming back as adults to rejoin
“I hope you keep doing this, so you can help somebody the way you have helped me.” - Raise Mentee
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Last year we measured the impact Raise mentors have beyond mentoring and found that as well as making a difference for their mentee, they were able to support at least one additional young person and one additional adult in their lives. This year, we built on this finding to discover that mentors from their first year at Raise are using their skills to help others – four out of five new mentors use their skills to help other young people in their families and their community or help others in their workplace. Raise mentors feel more equipped to support young people because the relationship they have built with their mentee/s has broken down generational barriers – grandparents are building their confidence to relate to their grandchildren’s experiences and parents understand how to encourage their children to seek help when they need it. Evaluation has always been a cornerstone of our youth mentoring programs. The Raise Independent Evaluation, funded by the Australian Department of Health was completed and launched this year. Comparing outcomes to a matched control group of similar students, the evaluation found that Raise causes positive impact on a range of outcomes and works best for young people most in need. The benefits of prevention and intervening early also make sound economic sense. Investing in Raise Youth Mentoring for a young person at 13-15, yields benefits across their whole lifetime in better education outcomes and higher earnings, as well as avoided costs in healthcare and welfare. An independent economic evaluation of the costs and benefits of Raise Youth Mentoring found a return of $4.37 for every $1 invested. We can now complete the sentence ‘Does Raise Youth Mentoring work?’ with a resounding ‘Yes’. In 2025, in partnership with the Life Course Centre at the University of Sydney we are commencing another independent study, this time looking at the long-term sustained impacts of Raise Youth Mentoring, beyond high school and into early adulthood. Our mentoring programs are made up of thousands of individual stories of hope, resilience, help seeking and belonging. We can’t share all of them with you, but we can share a few. If you are one of the 1,938 mentors who volunteered with Raise this year you may recognise your own mentee’s journey in the impact we have made together in 2024.
If not a Raise mentor, I hope you are inspired by the difference that building connection in local communities and across generations can make. The actions of just one person can lead to change makers everywhere. “The program has been great. My mentor has been so helpful, and she is the best. Before Raise I was insecure and didn’t know what to do and thanks to Raise it has been so helpful. I would love to do it as a mentor myself in the future.” – Raise Mentee
Data and Youth Insights Team
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Youth Advisory Collective reflections
The Raise Foundation Youth Advisory Collective (YAC) is made up of a diverse group of passionate young people (18-25yrs) across Australia who share their perspective to make a difference to the work we do at Raise. Through ongoing consultation, our YAC ensures we incorporate the youth voice and reflect the needs
of young people across all our decision making. After reading the 2024 outcomes, I am not surprised by these statistics in the slightest. While there are always going to be some young people that are not in a place to receive help, the Raise program clearly has positive impacts on high school students. I particularly love the results on resilience and other factors before and after the program. Raise is so great because of its ability to cater for specific mentee needs and the freedom provided by the program allows the mentor and mentee to conduct sessions in the way that feels right. This serves as a benchmark for school based mental health practices which many services struggle to meet for various monetary and staffing reasons. As this data shows, the problems students today are facing are so individual, and the Raise program has enough flexibility to never pigeon-hole a student. I believe the success of this evaluation are the result of balance between a greatly structured and researched program and the flexibility to adequately help students and make them feel like their problems are heard. Raise continues to improve and evolve, matching the ever-changing landscape of high school that social media is creating. Raise will need to continue to innovate and change to engage the increasingly isolated and confused youth. Dillon YAC Member
The 2024 Evaluation Report is a wonderful testament both to the courage and vulnerability of this year’s mentees and the commitment and generosity of our mentors. To have 96% of mentees feel that Raise mentoring has helped them in at least one area is an overwhelmingly positive outcome which affirms the impact that one-on-one connection can have on a young person’s life. As a young person who had a number of key mentors during my time at school, I really resonated with the comment made by one of this year’s mentee’s about how helpful it is to have someone to talk to who is not related to you. At a time when loneliness is increasingly an experience that many young people can relate to (62% of mentees), there is immense power in having a mentor choose to get to know you for no reason other than being genuinely interested in your life and the challenges you are facing. It is heartening to see that, after mentoring, many mentees felt both more hopeful towards school (37%) and their future (45%). The fact that there was mentee growth in the four key outcomes – resilience, school belonging, hope for the future and asking for help – by the end of the program foregrounds how impactful it can be to have a mentor recognise your inherent worth and walk alongside you in helping you navigate the difficult situations, experiences and emotions associated with high school, mental health and growing up more generally. I truly believe that giving students the opportunity to experience relational safety with their mentors and feel seen, heard and supported is invaluable, especially considering the consistently high stress and mental health challenges that young people are facing. Zali YAC Member
“This program has taught me how to be me.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
“I feel relieved and safer at school. I can share my positive and negative emotions well with loved ones and friends. More people should be a part of this mentoring program and get the help they need with Raise.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
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Impact summary Raise mentoring programs achieved statistically significant impact for the whole cohort in all 4 key outcome areas - help seeking, resilience, hope for the future and school belonging. Highlights of 2024
85% of mentees improved in at least one of our four key outcome areas
80% of parents/carers saw improvement in their child due to mentoring
100% of schools saw improvement in their cohort
74% said mentoring helped them with mental health or personal issues
97% of mentees felt safe talking to their mentor
97% of mentees enjoyed the program
98% of mentors felt a sense of contribution to their community
98% of student mentors feel more equipped to gain employment
93% of corporate mentors feel more confident to support wellbeing of others at work
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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As heard directly from Raise mentees, mentoring is… a place where you can speak your mind, grow mentally and enjoy communication with people around you a safe space to chat and gain advice on life from trusted adults a life changing experience super amazingly awesome guiding others to a successful future helping young people get heard a place to be yourself and talk about your whole week, and talking helps you feel better fun, great to talk to someone with lots of life experience learning life lessons and talking to mentor about daily things that happened
listening, understanding without judgement and just being there for people a worthwhile experience
a great program for building confidence
Data collected during end of program focus groups with 2024 mentees
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Our year in numbers
189 programs across 173 schools
157 x 20 week 32 x 10 week
2,546 mentees
1,938 mentors
2,546 mentee families
173 School communities
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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How is data collected? Each year we conduct a rigorous evaluation via robust surveys, interviews, and focus groups with: Rigorous evaluation proves and improves our impact
Parents/ carers
Raise graduates
Mentees
Schools
Mentors
How will the data be used? The data we’ve collected gives us a clear understanding of how successful our program was in 2024. We use our learnings as a roadmap to improve our program not just for mentees, but volunteer mentors and school partners as well.
Our evaluation process enables us to:
Measure the impact of the program
Improve the impact of the program
by using the experiences of participants to inform our continuous improvement
on the outcome areas identified in our Theory of Change
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How we deliver our programs Every Raise program is supervised by a degree qualified Program Counsellor to facilitate programs and provide professional supervision and support to mentees and mentors.
20 week program
10 week program
• W eekly face to face sessions on site at the school or online • 2 0 weekly sessions in term time • 1:1 or 1:2 mentoring matches • S ession topics are tailored to the program cohort, with four compulsory* sessions Curriculum sessions Student/ mentee/ mentor information sessions Jitters workshop* Meet – getting to know each other* †
• W eekly face to face sessions on site at the school • 10 weekly sessions in term time • S mall group mentoring (up to 1:4)
• No optional sessions Curriculum sessions Jitters Meet and match Me Flip Help Support and courage Risk Ask Hope and review Graduate Support Practice Building you Fill your bucket I am amazing Future Launch
Match Challenges and barriers to help-seeking Overcoming barriers
Match – matching* † Identity – who am I? Me – my strengths Self-talk – my thoughts Help – where, who and how to get there
Support – my support map Courage – building resilience Connect – catching up Friend – relationship skills
Making friends – relationship skills Stand up – assertive rights, my skills Risk – my choices Flip – my turn Managing stress - looking after myself Community – my place School – my learning Ask – reaching out Future – looking ahead Reflect – my progress Hope – my future Review – how far I’ve come* Graduate – celebrate and party* Gift of Goodbye – final farewell
Asking for help Resilience
Hope for the future School belonging Match relationship Program set up/ close
† Either Meet or Match session is compulsory, not both
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Our outcomes framework
Participants
Outcomes
Impact
• Asking for help • Finding trusted adults who can help • Knowledge of resources Mental health support
Social & emotional wellbeing
• Resilience • Confidence
• Coping strategies • Hope for the future • Awareness of capabilities • Ability to set goals • Ability to achieve goals
Mentees
Young people are able to thrive through adolescence, believe in themselves and others, and are
School engagement
• School belonging • Better relationships • Academic confidence • Improved attendance
equipped with tools for life
• Transferable skills • Empathy with young people • Understanding of youth issues • Increase sense of purpose • More confident mentors in society • More connected generations Mentor outcomes
Mentors
• Increased capacity for School Wellbeing Teams • Wellbeing needs of students are met • Schools able to meet key Australian Wellbeing Framework objectives School outcomes
Schools
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Equipping young people with the right tools
We can’t remove the barriers and challenges that young people face – what we can do is equip, inspire and empower. Equip them with skills and resources to support their own mental health and wellbeing.
Inspire and foster engagement with school and learning. Empower them, giving them hope for the future. Mentees can use and further develop these skills and tools long after the program finishes – equipped to tackle whatever life throws at them.
Hope for the future
Asking for help
Awareness of capabilities
Trusting adults who can help
Ability to set goals
Knowledge of resources
Ability to achieve goals
Resilience
School belonging
Confidence
Better relationships
Coping strategies
Academic confidence
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Meet the 2024 Raise mentees
Raise mentees come from a range of backgrounds and experiences, and we work hard to make our mentoring program inclusive and suitable for all young people. In 2024 we…
7 8 9 10 11 12
Average age 14
Mentored 2,546 young people
Majority were in years 8 and 9 at high school
51% female 42% male 7% another option including non-binary
speak a language other than English at home
27%
9%
10%
11%
are people with disability
born outside of Australia
identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people
39% of mentees look after a family or friend due to disability or mental health issue
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Listening to our mentees
What mentees wanted from mentoring:
72% A space to be able to talk openly and be listened to 59% Advice and guidance from their mentor 56% Help to get through school 49% Help with their future 46% Help with friendships/other relationships 46% Help with their mental health
Skills:
Confidence 59% Social skills 50%
Communication 55%
Coping with challenges/ stress 54%
Self-care 44%
Getting a job 43%
Help seeking 43%
Current Issues of most concern to mentees:
Mental health 49%
Safety and crime 40%
Animal welfare 29%
Environment 34%
Discrimination 32%
Economy / cost of living 28%
Housing / Homelessness 27%
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Meet our 2024 Raise volunteer mentors Raise mentors come from a wide range of backgrounds, bringing a depth of expertise and experiences to the role. 1,938 volunteers signed up to mentor a young person
Ranged from 20 to 80+ years old 60 30 70 80 + 40 10 50 20
35%
Average age 47
born outside of Australia
73% female 26% male 1% another option including non-binary
speak a language other than English at home
21%
Mentor through Community 79% Place of study 12% Place of work 9%
8% identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community
3% are people with disability
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Reasons for mentoring
85% to give back to the community 92% to make a difference in a young person's life Mentors volunteer with Raise for a variety of reasons 63% to feel a sense of purpose And for mentors who volunteer through their place of study
77% to learn skills to help them in the workforce 59% to improve their mental health knowledge 57% to improve their listening and communication skills
“I would like to mentor a young person because I think young people are so full of potential! It is so rewarding to see a young person be true to themselves and their values when they are faced with so many external pressures. I would also like to be someone that they can count on. Who shows up. Who listens and respects them and empathises with their challenges. Who shows them unconditional positive regard, no matter what they may be expressing." - 2024 Raise Mentor
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Self-reported mental health or personal issues: Mentees came with a range of challenges
Anxiety 70%
Loneliness 62%
Bullying 54%
Depression 43%
Financial hardship 33%
Disordered eating 25%
Discrimination 32%
84% of mentees had experienced at least one of these issues
Baseline figures:
Asking for help
Hope for the future
School belonging
Resilience
Starting average score (self-rated, 1 to 5) 3.02
Starting average score (self-rated, 1 to 5) 3.06
Starting average score (self-rated, 1 to 5) 3.1
Starting average score (self-rated, 1 to 5) 3.52
Anxiety 70% % that start low (<3/5) 43%
Anxiety 70% % that start low (<3/5) 46%
Anxiety 70% % that start low (<3/5) 39%
Anxiety 70% % that start low (<3/5) 24%
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“I loved just being able to talk to someone outside of my family or friends, and being able to talk about anything.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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“I think my connection with my mentor is excellent because it feels normal when we talk each week and we usually talk about our week with each other. When I first met my mentor it felt weird and awkward but now It doesn’t." - 2024 Raise Mentee
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Creating safe and engaging spaces for young people
97% of mentees felt supported by their Raise Program Counsellor
97% of mentees felt safe talking to their mentor
90% of mentees rated their connection with their mentor as favourable (excellent or very good)
84% of mentees felt safe in their mentoring group
84% of mentors rated their connection with their mentee as favourable (excellent or very good)
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Focusing on our four key outcome areas
Hope for future
Asking for help
Mental Health Support Young people are the least likely of any age group to seek help. Through mentoring, young people have more capability to ask for help and a stronger likelihood of accepting it. They develop trust in adults, improve communication skills, and can find support and resources.
Social and Emotional Wellbeing With higher levels of hope, young people improve socially and academically. They are able to set and achieve goals, and develop a growth mindset with mentor support. Hope is a buffer against stress, anxiety and suicide ideation.
School belonging
Resilience
Social and Emotional Wellbeing Mentoring improves a young person’s ability to bounce back after stress and enhances recovery. Mentors help young people to increase confidence, adapt to new situations, develop coping skills to deal with adversity, and overcome challenges.
School Engagement Through mentoring, young people improve their relationship with peers and teachers. Mentees attend school more, resulting in increased grades, higher school completion rates, stronger academic confidence and better economic outcomes.
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Delivering key outcomes in 2024
85% improved in at least 1
64% improved in at least 2
outcome area Compared to 89% in 2023
outcome areas Compared to 67% in 2023
43% improved in at least 3
19% improved in all 4 outcome areas Compared to 17% in 2023
outcome areas Compared to 43% in 2023
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Statistically significant impact on mentee outcomes
20 week program
10 week program
Mentee outcomes
Ability to ask for help Ability to trust adults who can help Knowledge of where to seek help Number of supports they can turn to for help Communication skills Having someone to go to if feeling lonely
Hope for the future Ability to set goals Ability to achieve your goals Belief that they are useful Resilience Confidence Belief in their ability to cope Perseverance (Growth mindset) School belonging Belief in their ability finish school
“The best thing about the program is, coming every week and having a good time with my mentor. I always look forward to coming because it's a safe place, I feel like I belong, and I always enjoy it.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
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Areas of improvement for mentees
96% identified improvement due to the program, which might look like…
53%feel more confident 54%communication skills improved
1 in 2
45%feel better about the future 43%feel better about myself 42%feel able to make better choices 37% feel better about school 36% feel less lonely 34% mental health has improved 32% are more likely to help others
2 in 5
1 in 3
74% of mentees said the program helped with their personal issues
“This program has helped me develop and build up confidence skills, social skills and other aspects that will help me later in life. This program has been much better than expected and I am glad that I chose
57%
96%
to do this program.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
set a goal
partly or fully achieved that goal
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Improvements for mentees who need it most Percentage of mentees who started the program reporting a low score in each outcome and improved in that outcome by the end of the program
Hope for future 68%
Asking for help 68%
School belonging 71%
Resilience 74%
76% of mentees starting with a low score in school belonging improved in at least one school outcome including:
Ability to get a job in the future 46% Getting along with friends 46% Attendance at school 36% Getting along with other students at school 33% School Grades 32% Getting along with teachers 30%
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“Getting more confident, being more respectful and being more understanding of other people around me and yeah thanks for helping me and thanks to everyone for being there and treating me well and treating me the same as you do to others. My communication skills have improved I feel better at school and I feel less lonely
and can love myself.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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The changes others see
Asking for help
Hope for the future
School belonging
Resilience
80% of parents saw an improvement in their child – including:
confidence 47% better relationship with others 42%
96% of mentors saw an improvement – including:
communication 79% hope for the future 79%
100% of schools identified improvement in the cohort – including:
student attendance 70% student behaviour 65%
“I talked a lot with my mentor about these issues I had, in our conversations she doesn't only listen but also found out my potential issues that I did not realise. And gave me emotional support
at the same time.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
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Mentors noticed "Nervous and very reserved at the start of the 2024 program. As the weekly mentoring sessions progressed, my mentee’s level of confidence and communication skills started to improve significantly. His graduation speech reflected self confidence and his appreciation of the program."
Schools noticed "I have noticed an improvement in the students' confidence overall, as well as peer connections. As a side note, our school is hoping to run a peer mentoring program this term and has asked for students to complete a sign up sheet. Two-thirds of our Raise Students volunteered, with most making reference to Raise Mentoring and how it helped improve their confidence."
Parents noticed "More confident and seems
to understand the value of attending and participating in school. Also got a more thorough understanding that life isn't a straight path and it's okay to explore other directions and try new things. I feel that he's more resilient,
more open and better able to communicate what he's feeling and struggling with."
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Graduation and mentee perspectives
One of the key milestones of the Raise mentoring program is Graduation, a significant event where our mentees get to celebrate their journey and achievements. During Graduation, mentees and mentors are invited to reflect on their personal experience. It serves not only as an acknowledgment of their commitment and hard work but also as a springboard to future success, providing mentees with confidence and mentors with connection. This year we held our first Raise REimagined
Submissions showcased their creativity, courage, and individuality, highlighting the transformative power of connection and guidance. The competition not only empowered young participants but also gave our community a glimpse into the meaningful relationships built through Raise. By reimagining their mentoring journey, these young individuals reminded us of the profound impact mentorship can have in shaping brighter futures. Below, top row: Thank you messages from mentees. And bottom row: Raise REimagined entries.
competition, inviting young people in our mentoring programs to creatively express their personal journey with Raise. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences through a drawing, artwork, poem, or any creative piece that captured the impact of mentorship in their lives. This competition celebrated the unique voices and perspectives of the young people we serve, giving them an opportunity to reflect on how mentorship has helped them grow, overcome challenges, and thrive.
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86% Match retention rate
98% of mentors enjoyed the program and would recommend to a friend
99% Schools were satisfied with the program
91% of mentees liked the group activities
97% of mentees enjoyed the program
94% of mentees would recommend to a friend
82% of mentees liked the handbook activities
90% of parents were happy their child participated
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Our industry leading training delivers high quality mentors
93% of mentors felt their Program Counsellor provided them with useful advice
98% of mentors rated training as excellent or very good
94% of mentors said training had prepared them for their role
97% confidence to mentor significantly increased 97% felt knowledge and skills had increased Training provides mentors with additional skills 95% learnt skills they could apply in personal relationships
97% of placement students said training complemented their studies
“I found the training very helpful, it delved deeper into a lot of the concepts that I was not clear about. I felt as if it incorporated a good balance of theory and practical elements.” - 2024 Raise Mentor
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The impact for mentors
New mentors saw statistically significant improvements in their:
Confidence in their ability to mentor a young person outside of Raise
Understanding of youth issues
Empathy for young people
Outcomes for all mentors
98% Felt a sense of contribution to their community
97% Felt a sense of purpose
96% Felt they made a difference in young person’s life
95% Are more likely to volunteer
94% Have improved their listening and communication skills
90% Felt more connected to their community
90% Have more empathy for others
81% of new mentors have had the opportunity to use their new skills
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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How Raise equips Australia's workforce of the future
Almost 12% of mentors volunteer with Raise as part of a student placement for their university course and some outcomes they experience include:
100%
99%
99%
Gained confidence supporting young people
Learnt skills relevant to degree
Applied studies in the real world
98%
97%
Feel more equipped to gain employment in their field
Have more motivation to continue studies
“I feel like I have a much better understanding of some of the challenges the youth of today are facing. I also feel more confident in my mentoring abilities and I also feel inspired by my mentee who is an incredible young person.” - 2024 Raise Mentor
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The ripple effect on corporate partners…
94% feel a sense of pride in their employer for partnering with Raise Organisations who partner with Raise benefit from a decrease in employee turnover and an increase in employee engagement and commitment. Benefits that Raise corporate mentors experience include 9% of mentors volunteer with Raise through their workplaces, who partner with Raise as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) or community involvement strategy.
93% able to confidently support wellbeing in the workplace
92% more confident in creating safe and inclusive environment
90% are able to apply mentoring skills in their workplace 87% have improved their leadership skills 79% are more likely to stay with current employer 69% have increased networks in their organisation
“It has 're-opened' my eyes to how I have changed from a young adult to now. Understanding the different stress levels or triggers other can have can take a great toll on someone. Putting that into perspective at work and with friends, I am more empathetic, understanding and wanting to see the full picture to give advice as there may not always be one end solution.” - 2024 Corporate Mentor
“Schneider Electric is proud to partner with Raise Foundation and offer these volunteering opportunities to our team. Our mentors love the opportunity to make a difference in their local communities and develop skills to support young people and others. We value the professionalism all the way through from training to delivering programs – as well as the commitment to purpose from the whole team. " - Schneider Electric
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Collaborating with schools across Australia
This year, we partnered with 173 schools across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
66%
100%
Our reach
identified much improved
identified improvement in the cohort
94% of schools would recommend the program to another school
99% of schools were satisfied with the program
“It was a great space for students to feel a sense of
belonging and knowing that there was a dedicated time each week that they would be heard. Students were able to see their ability to make meaningful relationships and what they have to offer in their interactions.” - School contact
86% of schools rated the Raise Program Counsellors as 5 stars!
92% rated the program favourably (excellent or very good)
Shaping communities, far and wide School staff, parents and carers of the mentees also reported experiencing positive outcomes – the widespread ripple effect of mentoring. Outcomes experienced at the wider school level include: 94% helping build individual and collective wellbeing at the school 71% supporting the wellbeing team at the school 89% encouraging student engagement with school
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“I have the opportunity to see first hand, the impact of the program on the students who get to participate. Often starting the program not knowing one another. They develop a level of respect and support for one another. Their ability to access support when they are upset and the skills to talk through their issues with support staff within the school. I have seen students who would previously 'blow up' in a classroom, remove themselves and access the Wellbeing Team to talk thorough their concern. Often coming to a happy resolution, developing the confidence to manage their feelings with the knowledge that there is a trusted community of people to assist.” - 2024 School contact
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Independent evaluation In 2024, the University of Melbourne and the Social Outcomes Lab finalised the independent evaluations of the impact of Raise Youth Mentoring.
Access the report by scanning the QR code
The evaluations were funded by the Australian Government. The Independent Outcome evaluation compared the outcomes for young people in the Raise Youth Mentoring program to a matched control group of other young people. The evaluation found that Raise Youth Mentoring caused positive outcomes across the domains of help seeking, resilience, hope for the future and school engagement. This means that young people have better outcomes than other similar young people after six months of Raise Youth Mentoring (see opposite page, top).
The Independent Economic evaluation calculated a Social Return on Investment (SROI) of Raise Youth Mentoring. The SROI was calculated by measuring the program costs and the expected benefits to our community. The evaluation found that Raise Youth Mentoring returns $4.37 in social benefits for every $1 invested (see opposite page, below). We are grateful for the support from the Evaluation Advisory Group members who provided advice and review for the evaluations from design through to completion.
Raise Evaluation Advisory Group members
Alyssa Milton, University of Sydney
Amara Bains, ARACY
Ariella Meltzer, Centre for Social Impact
Azhar Potia, University of Queensland
Marisa Coppinger, Australian Government
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Raise Mentoring Program Findings
The outcomes evaluation of the Raise Mentoring Program was conducted by the University of Melbourne, Australia’s highest ranked university. This marks the first time an independent body has evaluated the program.
Large benefit
Large benefit
Medium benefit
Medium benefit
Small benefit
Small benefit
Minimal benefit
Minimal benefit
Comparison Student
Raise Mentee
Comparison Student
Raise Mentee
Comparison Student
Raise Mentee
Comparison Student
Raise Mentee
Comparison Student
Raise Mentee
Comparison Student
Raise Mentee
Comparison Student
Raise Mentee
Help Seeking Behaviour
Peer learning support
School belonging
Connectedness
Engagement
Optimism
Resilience
Confirmed student outcomes
Promising student outcomes
Asking for help
Hope for future
Monetary investment $1 invested in Raise
Social impact return $4.37 returned
School belonging
Resilience
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
40
The Raise impact over time
Outcome
Measure
2024 2023 2022 2021
2020
Enjoyed the program Things are different
Proportion Proportion
97% 97% 99% 97% 98%
75%
77% 77% 78% 79%
Yes ~ 0.3~
Asking for help
Statistically significant impact
Yes
Yes 0.47 Yes 0.16 Yes
Yes
N/A N/A
Effect size
0.39
0.36
Yes ~ 0.32 ~
Resilience
Statistically significant impact
Yes
Yes
Yes
Effect size
0.34
0.24
0.1
Yes ~
Hope for the future
Statistically significant impact
Yes
Yes
Yes 0.18 N/A N/A
0.26 0.39 0.38 0.8 ~
Effect size
Yes ~ 0.81 ~
Yes ~ 0.2 ~
School belonging
Statistically significant impact
Yes 0.19
Yes 0.27
Effect size
Rated their connection with their mentor as favourable (excellent or very good)
90
90
94
Said mentoring helped them with mental health or personal issues
74%
78% 77% 74%
Note 1: ~ For mentees who started with a low score at the start of the program
A note about the statistical methodology we use We use a repeated-sample t-test (or paired t-test) methodology to determine whether any changes in outcomes between the pre-program measure and the post-program measure are statistically significant. We test at a 5 per cent level of significance.
To determine the threshold for the ‘low starting score’ cohorts for each outcome we use, where possible, accepted or recommended cutoff points. Where there are no recommended cutoff points (for example for Raise-designed measures) we have set cutoff points based on data characteristics and tested these using sensitivity analysis.
““My mentor was very understanding and reassured, my mentor also helped me understand how I can move on. My mentor also helped me realise that I had all the skills I needed I just didn't realise I had them.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
The power of showing up | raise.org.au
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Fostering a great place to work
100% of staff feel good about the ways in which Raise contributes to the community 98% feel their work has special meaning 90% say Raise is a great place to work 53% currently mentor another person
In 2024 Raise participated in the Great Place to Work survey. Raise is proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work for 2024-25.
Purpose 92% engaged with vision and purpose 99% proud of the work I do for Raise
Management 90% are honest and ethical 86% executives fully embody the best characteristics of Raise
Impact 95% feel they make a difference
Wellbeing 84% encouraged to balance their work and personal life 84% believe Raise is an emotionally healthy place to work
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
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Thank you to our Raise Research Advisory Council The Raise Research Advisory Council provides independent advice and guidance to support our research and evaluation strategy. We are grateful for the support of the RAC and for their commitment to Raise.
Professor Lucas Walsh
Penny Dakin
Rachel Christie
As director of the Monash Centre for Youth Policy and Education Practice, Lucas is passionate about supporting young people to have the best opportunities to thrive. Mentoring is a powerful way of supporting young people – especially those in need.
Penny is the Executive Director, Communities for Minderoo Foundation. She is a change maker and systems thinker. Penny’s primary focus is on child & youth wellbeing; she supports Raise because of its understanding that all aspects of a young person’s experience are interconnected and can potentially impact on individual mental health outcomes.
Rachel is driven to inspire curiosity for evidence leading to actions that improve outcomes for people and communities in need. She supports Raise on the Research Advisory Council to contribute to the increased resilience and wellbeing of young people in Australia.
Suzie Riddell
Carolyn Curtis
Anne Hampshire
Suzie Riddell is the CEO of Social Ventures Australia. Suzie supports Raise because she believes that every young person in Australia deserves the opportunity to thrive, and the evidence shows that supportive mentoring relationships can help make that happen.
Carolyn is an experienced CEO and Non-Executive Director, with 25 years of social policy and innovation experience. She is supporting Raise because of the need to move beyond professional service systems alone towards leveraging the wisdom, knowledge and infrastructure of our communities as a way of building more sustainable responses to our most pressing social issues.
Anne Hampshire is Head of Research and Advocacy at
The Smith Family. She’s passionate about working across organisations and sectors to create the conditions where all young people especially those in need, can flourish. Raise’s early intervention approach resonates, as high quality mentoring can support young people’s wellbeing, sense of belonging and confidence in a positive future.
The power of showing up | raise.org.au
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Getting involved 2 easy ways to donate now
In response to supporting the vital services outlined in this Evaluation Report, you can make a donation online by scanning the QR code below or via EFT. Via EFT Account: Westpac Bank BSB: 032 097 Account number: 278 223 Payment reference: Your full name To receive a receipt for donations via bank transfer, please email donations@raise.org.au with your contact details and quote the payment reference. By scanning the QR code
Stay in touch Raise Foundation Pty Ltd Level 3/131 Clarence Street Sydney NSW 2000 ACN 134 207 275 • ABN 49 306 288 644 PO Box 3912, Mosman NSW 2088 Phone 02 7208 8337 Enquiries General hello@raise.org.au
Connect with us raise.org.au
facebook.com/raisefoundation raise.org.au/podcast linkedin.com/company/raise-foundation/
instagram.com/raisefoundation/ youtube.com/user/RaiseMentoring Mentor with us raise.org.au/mentor
Information on results evaluation@raise.org.au To partner with us partnerships@raise.org.au To run our program at your school schools@raise.org.au For marketing and media marketing@raise.org.au
Disclaimer: Some mentee and match names throughout this document have been changed for privacy reasons. The quotes and names used on the images are not related to the person(s) pictured. Thanks to St Augustine’s College Sydney for hosting our annual photo shoot and to the talented individuals who made it a success.
I went to Raise a connection made. A new confidence in me was laid. Every week we talked and shared so special knowing someone cared. Each week we had a special treat a new friend and mentor to meet. Time in the sun working through the book hiding away in a sunny nook. This opportunity so special for me, my future is bright I now can see. – 2024 Raise REimagined Entry
The power of showing up raise.org.au
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