This document summarizes a project between Barnardo's, a charity supporting sexually exploited youth, and Pro Bono Economics, which matches economists with charities. The project analyzed outcome data from 539 youth to assign monetary values to risk factors like going missing or substance abuse. It found Barnardo's interventions significantly reduced lifetime costs associated with risks, with potential savings of six times the intervention costs compared to youth without intervention. The project provided learning around free projects having costs to charities in terms of scope and data collection. It's important methodology and assumptions are conservative and transparent so everyone understands what the report can conclude.

1. Measuring impact:
Barnardo’s interventions for sexually
exploited young people
Sue Holloway, Pro Bono Economics
Laura Blazey, Barnardo’s
Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos.
216250 and SC037605

2. Pro Bono Economics
Aims to match volunteer economists with
charities – usually looking at impact and
value for money
Set up in March 2009 - since then:
180 economist volunteers
Proposals from over 90 charities
12 projects completed, 32 being worked on

3. Barnardo’s
Barnardo’s runs 20 specialist sexual
exploitation services across the UK
Supporting young people to exit and
recover from exploitative situations
Working to increase the range of protective
factors in their lives.

4. The Project
2006 publication of two year research study
demonstrated quantitatively positive
impact on the lives of young people
Wider impact on society?
Team from Bank of England

5. The project
Outcome data from 539 service users
Monetary value assigned to four additional
risk factors
• Going missing
• Substance abuse
• Disengagement from education, training or
employment
• Accommodation need

6. What would have happened
anyway?
Before and after:
Data on risk levels before and after
intervention
No intervention:
Data on ‘synthetic’ control group

7. What we found
Significant reduction in lifetime costs
associated with the risks
Potential saving of six times cost - before
and after
Potential saving of twelve times cost -
without intervention and after

8. The learning
Free but not without cost to the charity
• Agreeing the scope of the project
• Data gathering
Getting the tone right
• Methodology & assumptions - conservative,
and transparent
• Everyone needs to be clear about what report
does and doesn’t say

9. Questions and discussion