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JCPC programs report rising referrals, local partnerships and community events
Summary
Council members received detailed program updates covering Team Court, Earn and Learn, prevention and diversion programming, PivotPoint, Aspire (Kids at Work), Umoja/Mojo, and Unite; several programs reported increased referrals and community partnerships following recent disruptions.
Buncombe County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council members heard program-by-program updates at their Oct. 16 meeting, with several providers reporting rising referrals, partnership activity and upcoming public events.
Team Court and TeamSport reported new intakes and recent successful terminations. Staff emphasized that early, direct referrals from schools or families can keep youth in community-based programming rather than formal juvenile justice processing. Earn and Learn and other restorative programs said referrals have increased; one provider reported serving about 48 youth and using translation services weekly.
Prevention programs launched community high school and AC Reynolds sites in September with near-capacity participation (program leads said both started with roughly 9–10 students and were “going strong”). PivotPoint and diversion programming said they have fewer DJJ referrals so far but are building Saturday diversion groups (designed as a 10-week course); organizers made the Saturday group coed to expand capacity. Programs noted coordination with school resource officers (SROs), counselors and teachers to streamline referrals.
Aspire’s “Kids at Work” and the Connection program reported post-hurricane recovery and resumed services at UNC Asheville facilities; Kids at Work described catering and public events where students showcased culinary work (program announced a pre-Thanksgiving fundraiser of pies and desserts). Mojo/Umoja and Unite gave updates: Unite said it serves about 130 students across five middle schools and runs a Manos program with 32 high-school-age participants who receive dinner and tutoring.
Programs asked JCPC staff to publicize community events; staff agreed to share flyers and links. Providers also raised outreach ideas including youth-centered award events and resource tables to increase youth engagement and reduce stigma about participation in JCPC-funded programs.
Council members took no formal funding actions during the reports but directed staff to circulate referral forms and contact lists so community partners can reach program staff more easily.
