Becoming a Man (BAM)
Last Revised: October 22, 2025
- Issue Areas
- Justice and public safety
Program overview
Teaching social and emotional skills: Becoming a Man (BAM) is a school-based group counseling program developed by Youth Guidance for at-risk young men in grades 7-12. The program aims to reduce violence involvement and increase school engagement by improving social cognitive skills.
Using evidence based strategies: The BAM curriculum is modeled after evidence-based clinical strategies, including cognitive behavioral therapy. Sessions are facilitated by BAM counselors, who have a master’s degree in a clinical field or related professional experience. They work full time at a school and each serve approximately 50 students.
Providing individual and group support: BAM sessions take place once per week during the school day and last approximately 50 minutes. Groups consist of 10-15 students who proceed through the curriculum under the guidance of their BAM counselor over a two year period. Counselors also check in with each student individually once a week and can provide additional counseling based on student need.
Changing decision making: Each group session consists of a check-in where students share how they feel physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. Counselors then guide students through a group activity and assign homework. Sessions are based around six values: integrity, self-determination, positive anger-expression, accountability, respect for womanhood, and visionary goal-setting. These activities and principles aim to influence students' decision making, leading to better choices.
- Cost per Participant
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$115,000/year (if the program uses a full-time counselor)
- Location
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Los Angeles (CA), Boston (MA), Dallas (TX), Kansas City (KS), Washington (DC), Chicago (IL) and London (UK).
Multiple rigorously designed studies demonstrate that Becoming a Man is a well-supported strategy for decreasing violent crime arrests among students and increasing high school graduation rates.
A 2019 analysis of four randomized controlled trials (including the two from the 2016 analysis below) found that Becoming a Man participation decreased violent crime arrests by 19 to 35% and increased an index of school engagement (which includes GPA, attendance, and persistence) by 0.03-0.08 standard deviations, which translates to an increase in high school graduation rates by between 2 and 5.1%.
A 2016 analysis of two randomized controlled trials found that BAM participation reduced total arrests by 28-35% and reduced violent crime arrests by 45-50%. Additionally, the program increased students’ high school graduation rates by 12-19%.
Providing dedicated space for the program: In many schools, BAM counselors have a dedicated classroom where sessions are conducted and where students can go throughout the day should they need support. In a 2016 evaluation, BAM participants described the room as a “safe haven” and noted they could use it to avoid harassment, bullying and other conflicts that could escalate to more serious issues with their peers or school staff. Having a dedicated space for the program also creates a psychologically safe environment where students may feel more comfortable sharing.
Integrating BAM staff into the school community: BAM counselors, though stationed within schools, are employed by Youth Guidance and can report difficulty forming relationships with school personnel. As such, schools should encourage staff buy-in by educating personnel about the program and incorporating BAM counselors into school events. School personnel should include BAM counselors in discussions of their students' academic and behavioral performance to encourage collaboration.
Selecting effective counselors: BAM counselors will be most effective if they can relate to and build trust with the students, as such they undergo a rigorous selection process. For example, prospective counselors often lead mock counseling sessions as part of the interview process and generally have similar backgrounds to the youth they will be working with. Careful selection of counselors is an important step in ensuring the BAM curriculum is successfully delivered.
Leveraging implementation training: Youth Guidance, which developed BAM, provides training to new staff as the program is expanded into new schools and districts. This support helps ensure that the program is delivered as designed.