III. Industry Analysis
[Organization Name]operates in the U.S. youth mentorship market.
Industry Statistics & Trends
The following industry size facts and statistics define the U.S. youth mentorship market.
The US Census showed that the United States has over 35 million young people between the ages of 10 and 18.
While all youth can benefit from youth mentoring, it is obvious that some young people, as a result of life circumstances, could benefit more than others from quality mentorship.
In order to determine the number of young people who need mentors the most, we can assess the work of youth expert and researcher Joy Dryfoos.
Dryfoos, who authored the book, Adolescence at Risk, identified a number of factors that put youth particularly at risk of not becoming successful adults. Those factors include:
- performing poorly in school and dropping out
- engaging in substance abuse
- having sex at an early age
- engaging in delinquent behavior
Dryfoos then categorized youth by risk status:
- Very high risk (10 percent of young people) – young people with multiple problem behaviors who commit serious offenses, drop out of school; use heavy drugs and have sex without contraception, etc.
- High risk (15 percent) – youth who participate in two or three problem behaviors but at a slightly lower frequency and with less deleterious consequences;
- Moderate risk (25 percent) – youth who tend to experiment in committing minor delinquent offenses, using substances occasionally but not hard drugs, have sexual intercourse with contraception, etc.; and
- Low risk (50 percent) – young people who do not commit any serious delinquent acts, do not abuse substances and are not yet sexually active.
Based on recent US population estimate, the number of high and moderate risk youth exceeds 15 million.
Within our surrounding areas, based on similar statistical reasoning, we believe there are 115,000 at-risk youths currently and the number is growing each year.
