JCPC monitoring finds youth programs largely on track; members praise hands-on vocational and diversion efforts

The Buncombe County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) heard monitoring reports on February 19 showing that several county-funded youth programs are meeting most performance benchmarks and maintaining steady finances.

Monitoring committee members described a recent site visit to Aspire at UNC Asheville, where the Connection program (a music and film vocational track) is designed to teach entrepreneurial and technical skills and is projected to serve 12 youth this year. The monitoring report noted the program has admitted eight youth in the review period and is meeting most measurable objectives, though it was slightly below benchmark on the metric for participants having no new adjudications after admission. The monitors also described a culinary program, Kids at Work, which offers 16 weeks of instruction and ServSafe food-safety certification opportunities.

"It was really neat to see the areas within the UNC Asheville campus," a monitoring committee member said, noting the space, participant videos, and mentorship opportunities that allow graduates to return as graduate assistants.

Earn and Learn — Buncombe County’s community service and restitution program — was described as meeting measurable objectives and remaining on track financially, with monitoring notes praising steady staffing, transportation supports and positive court counselor reviews. Team Court, the youth diversion program that uses a peer jury model, exceeded a no-new-adjudication goal (83.3% actual vs. 80% target) and was recommended for continued funding.

Pivot Point reported near-capacity enrollments in its after-school and Saturday cohorts, expansion into AC Reynolds and Owens High School, and work to build referral pipelines with school counselors and some SROs. Staff and monitoring members emphasized that intake limitations and program "step" classifications in the state reporting system can underrepresent the program’s actual activities.

Providers also flagged outreach challenges among Hispanic families, particularly hesitancy to engage with court-affiliated programs. Monitors and provider staff urged improved bilingual communications, use of community channels such as WhatsApp, and short video materials to build trust.

The monitoring reports included a financial note that the two Aspire programs reviewed were spending from a combined allocation of $153,345; members flagged other transcripted financial figures (one line listing a program’s funding as "$101,100,000") as unclear and for staff to verify the correct amounts before formal reporting.

Members praised the programs’ work with youth. "What y'all are doing is amazing," JCPC Chair George Redmond said during the meeting. Monitors and providers emphasized retention, staff development, and the potential for alumni or graduate-assistant roles to sustain participant engagement.

Next steps: monitors recommended continued funding for the programs reviewed and asked providers to follow up on the sub-benchmarks identified (for example, the adjudication metric for one Aspire component). JCPC staff said the executive and monitoring committees will continue oversight and that program-level updates will appear on future agendas.