How Asheville Parks & Recreation is building a mentorship program that works for its community
Parks and recreation professionals often see their roles as providing spaces and opportunities for people of all ages to stay connected, discover new things, and reach their highest potential. However, one age group is notoriously hard to reach: teens and tweens. As young people straddle the time between childhood and adulthood, fostering the people and leaders they will become is essential to community health.
Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) set out to create a fostering environment throughout the city with the Go! Guiding Others mentorship program. Born from a grant provided by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), this initiative is a powerful example of how parks and recreation departments can become critical partners in youth development and address some of the most pressing challenges in communities.
“Mentoring, at its core, guarantees our community’s young people that there is someone who cares about them and that they’re not alone,” says APR Director D. Tyrell McGirt. “This program is full of love and care—and its commitment to fostering positive relationships and empowering youth is truly making a difference in our community.”
Go! Guiding Others was initially conceived as an alternative to school suspension, a way to use restorative practices to help young people heal and grow after making mistakes. The program focuses on building self-confidence, improving academics, and teaching essential life skills. What started as a targeted intervention has since expanded, seamlessly integrating into APR’s afterschool programs and other local schools, demonstrating its adaptability and effectiveness.
One of the schools that the program led to is the alternative learning high school, William Randolph Campus. Students who face behavioral and attendance challenges benefit from additional support and mentorship, including partnerships with mental-health programs like Project ALERT. Principal Carrie Buchanan says, “Our students love meeting with Go! Guiding Others mentors each Monday morning. They appreciate them and their sincere, direct work with them … they are cultivating resilience, confidence, and a sense of community.”
The Program: From Concept To Community Impact
The program’s success is rooted in its thoughtful design and the dedication of its team. Asheville was one of just 20 communities nationwide to receive a grant for the Mentoring for Youth Impacted by Substance Misuse program, an initiative funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the U.S. Department of Justice. This funding was a crucial catalyst, allowing APR to formalize existing efforts to serve youth in a more intentional way.
Angel Redmond, Go! Guiding Others Mentoring Program Coordinator and a community-center facility supervisor, highlights the timely nature of the program. “One of the biggest challenges facing our youth is the increased abuse and misuse of substances on and off school campuses,” she says. “This mentoring program comes right on time, combining our continued efforts to serve the community while creating safe spaces for our most vulnerable and high-risk youth.”
Beyond substance misuse, the program also addresses the mental-health crisis affecting many young people. By using restorative practices—a social science that focuses on repairing relationships—in combination with mentorship, the program helps students increase self-awareness and empathy, thereby reducing isolation. The program’s success has been recognized by NRPA, which conducted a site visit and gave the team high marks for its outstanding work.
An unexpected (but inspiring) outcome has been the creation of a youth advisory group, TEENS: Teens Encouraging Each Other’s Needs & Strengths. This group allows young people to shape the programs they participate in, giving them a voice and a sense of ownership. This youth-led initiative is a great example of the program’s commitment to empowering its participants.
A "How-To" Guide For Implementing A Mentorship Program
For other parks and recreation departments considering similar initiatives, the APR team has learned invaluable lessons. The following are helpful tips and pitfalls to avoid:
- Relationship Building Is Paramount: “Relationship building is a slow process that must happen first,” Redmond says. “Don't rush into curriculum or activities. The foundation of any successful mentorship program is trust. Take the time to genuinely connect with the youth you serve. This means being present, listening actively, and showing you care—not just about their grades or behavior, but about them as people.”
- Start With Existing Resources: You don't need to build a new program from scratch. APR successfully integrated Go! Guiding Others into its existing afterschool and youth services, which allowed the team to leverage its current staff and facilities. Look at what the department already has and assess how leaders can add a mentoring component. Staff members may already be mentors to the kids they work with; the program can simply formalize and support those relationships.
- Patience And Flexibility Are Key: The path to building trust and a successful program isn’t always linear. APR faced challenges, including Tropical Storm Helene in 2024, but the team remained flexible and patient. Be prepared to adapt to unforeseen circumstances and understand that some youth may take longer to open up.
- Establish Strong Administrative Policies: NRPA’s report highlighted APR’s robust administrative practices. Be sure to have strong policies in place for child safety, thorough screening processes for mentors, and excellent record-keeping. This not only protects youth participants but also demonstrates the professionalism and seriousness of a program.
- Collect Data To Improve: APR’s commitment to collecting program data has been essential for continuous improvement. By tracking key metrics such as participant engagement, academic performance, and feedback from youth and their families, leaders can identify what’s working and what needs to be adjusted.
- Engage With School Systems: APR’s partnership with local schools has been crucial. By working directly with principals and teachers, staff members have been able to reach students who need the most support and demonstrate the program’s value in a new setting. This can also help with funding opportunities.
The Path Forward: Continuing To Guide
Go! Guiding Others is a powerful testament to the impact that parks and recreation departments can have beyond traditional programming. It shows that investing in youth’s emotional and social well-being not only creates better individuals but also builds stronger, healthier communities for everyone.
“We are incredibly proud of this program,” says McGirt. “This is more than just a professional accomplishment for us. I can’t wait to see the continued impact as the program grows through the Go! Guiding Others team’s coordination, partnerships, and work with young people. It is a reminder that a simple conversation, a listening ear, and a consistent presence can truly change lives.”
