Over the course of 2015 and 2016, New Leaf Foundation conducted a Social Return on Investment Study (SROI) with the support of a Toronto Foundation Vital Ideas grant. SROI is a methodology for determining how much social value is created for every dollar invested in an initiative.

New Leaf investigated the social return within 2 of our 3 areas of programming: schools and drop-in programs. A broad range of stakeholders including program participants, Toronto District School Board staff (teachers, social workers, child and youth workers, and principals), participants’ families, program funders, and program facilitators/supervisors were engaged via interviews, surveys, and focus groups in order to understand the benefits that were (or were not) experienced as a result of New Leaf Foundation’s programming.

We explored results related to experiences of stress, ability to regulate emotions, level of focus, quality of sleep, occurrences of interpersonal conflict, self-regulation, as well as school attendance and academic performance.

We’re thrilled to share that the analysis revealed an SROI ratio of 1:4.63, which indicates that, for every dollar invested, New Leaf creates just over four and a half dollars in social value.

This study concluded that significant social value is created when young people are provided with opportunities to cultivate a mindfulness and yoga practice.

Based on this analysis, and the recommendation of upwards of 98% of participants and stakeholders, the SROI study makes a compelling case for continuing, and in fact expanding, mindfulness and yoga-based education for young people.

Thank you to Racquel Smith, lead researcher, and co-author, for her many hours of work on this project.