United for Youth

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United for Youth is a multi-generational, cross-sector cradle-to-career partnership built on the principle that "Equity and Educational Excellence are Inseparable."

Our Vision: ALL children and youth learn, grow, and thrive in a vibrant, healthy, and connected community.

Our Mission: To actively identify and remove barriers to opportunity and co-create solutions that support student success.

Our Goal: By 2035, ALL Asheville City and Buncombe County students graduate from high school ready and fully prepared to pursue their goals and dreams.

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Students Graduating

 

This partnership is forged between Asheville City Schools, Buncombe County Schools, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, and representatives of local health, social service, higher education, and youth services community partners.

Together, We Envision That:

All schools and partner programs are safe, welcoming, and compassionate.

All families and neighbors have the support and tools they need for healthy and successful lives.

All students graduate high school--ready for college, career, and community.

United for Youth partners work together with youth and family leadership to ensure educational outcomes are determined by the high quality of our schools and partner organizations, the abundance and accessibility of opportunities in our community, the strength of our collaborations, and are never again predictable based on a student's race, home language, family income, or any other dimension of identity.

United for Youth Partnership Agreement

The Partnership Agreement serves as a mutual accountability tool; a way to measure if, and how, we are meeting our vision, mission, and bold community goal. It is not the end itself, but a guide helping us move toward the fulfillment of a promise.

Download the United for Youth PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT HERE

And at the bottom of this page, you can see each organization that has signed on and click through to view their commitments. 

 

Connect and Learn More

 

United for Youth Partners

We are proud to work alongside a wide range of partners and the organizations listed below have formally signed on in support of the Bold Community Goal. As new organizations sign on we will be updating this view. Profiles along with an in-depth description of each organization's commitment are added as information becomes available. 

ABTech Community College
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Asheville City
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Asheville City Schools
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Asheville City Schools Foundation
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Buncombe County
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Buncombe County Schools
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Buncombe Partnership For Children
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Children First / Communities In Schools
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Creative Peacemakers
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Helpmate
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Land of Sky P20 Council
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Partnership for Substance Free Youth
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Pisgah Legal Services
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Literacy Together
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Read To Succeed
Our Bold Goal Commitment
University of North Carolina Asheville
Our Bold Goal Commitment
United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
Our Bold Goal Commitment
Youth Matters
Our Bold Goal Commitment
YWCA
Our Bold Goal Commitment

 

United for Youth Workgroups and Additional Partners

Representatives from the partner organizations are also active members of three workgroups: 

  • Student Success Planning — utilizes asset-based and student-centered practices, partnerships, and technology to support student academic growth via:

    • Proactive referrals to in-school supports and community partner enrichment opportunities;
    • Coordinated and comprehensive approaches between school and community partners;
    • Schools' and community partners' ability to support progress and celebrate success.
    • A cross-sector workgroup meets monthly to focus on data-sharing, best practices, and technology supports.
      • For more information, including joining Student Success Planning Lunch and Learns, and getting your school or organization involved, contact Victoria Roberts.
         
  • Ongoing Professional Development — occurs throughout the year. From youth-led training to peer consultation exercises and presentations from local and national leaders, the goal is to ensure everyone has access to high quality, equity-centered and culturally responsive professional development.
    • To share upcoming learning opportunities or ideas, contact Joseph Jamison.
       
  • Results Based Accountability (RBA) — supports United for Youth partners in using reliable and community-specific data, coupled with the wisdom of students, families, and community members to guide how our school and community organizations are working together to achieve measurable results. Cross-sector working groups support the United for Youth Network with data and evaluation best practices, coaching and technical assistance. 
    • To learn more about data supports or joining the working group, contact Megan Steward.

Community Partners

The work that you see has been developed in conjunction with the following organizations over the past eight years with new partners aligning as we speak. As we always say, this work cannot be done alone. It must be done together in community. 

AMS Resource Team

  • MANNA
  • UNC Asheville
  • My Daddy Taught Me That
  • My Sistah Taught Me That
  • ABCCM
  • LINKS
  • Asheville Housing Authority
  • Buncombe County Community Engagement Team
  • Racial Justice Coalition
  • Bountiful Cities/FEAST Asheville
  • Appalachian Mountain Community Health Centers
  • Delta House Life Development
  • Mt. Zion Community Development
  • YWCA of Asheville
  • Our VOICE
  • College Foundation of NC
  • Asheville City Schools Foundation
  • MAHEC

Enka Resource Team

  • Francis Asbury UMC
  • Lake Hills Church
  • YMCA of WNC
  • Bank of America
  • MANNA
  • ACCESS Family Services
  • Simply Home
  • ABCCM
  • Enka High School Honors Society 
  • UNC Asheville

Erwin Resource Team

  • YMCA of WNC 
  • Buncombe County Community Engagement Team
  • RAICES
  • MANNA
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC
  • BCS Nutrition Department
  • UMOJA
  • Access
  • UNC Asheville

​Owen Resource Team

  • YMCA of WNC 
  • Warren Wilson College
  • Valley Hope Church
  • Owen Middle PTO
  • Dynamite Roasting
  • Beverly Hanks Realty
  • Black Orthodontics
  • MANNA
  • Black Mountain Savings Bank
  • Biltmore Church
  • Bounty & Soul
  • Grey Beard Realty
  • Youth OUTright
  • ACCESS Family Services
  • Big Brothers/Big Sisters of WNC
  • Ingles
  • UNC Asheville

Reynolds Resource Team

  • MANNA
  • YMCA Horizons
  • Covenant Community Church
  • Blacks Orthodontics 
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC
  • ACCESS Family Services

UWABC contracted partners for Community Schools

  • ACS and Housing Authority of City of Asheville
  • Asheville City Schools Foundation
  • ACCESS Family Services
  • Buncombe Partnership for Children
  • Coeur Consulting LLC
  • Land of the Sky UCC
  • UMOJA
  • YMCA of WNC

Results-based Accountability workgroup (data/evaluation of the network)

  • ACS
  • Asheville City Schools Foundation
  • BCS
  • City of Asheville
  • Buncombe County
  • YWCA of Asheville
  • MAHEC
  • DJJDP
  • YMCA of WNC
  • Buncombe Partnership for Children
  • NC Center for Health and Wellness

Early Warning and Response System workgroup

  • ACS
  • BCS
  • Asheville City Schools Foundation
  • Open Doors of Asheville
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC
  • YMCA of WNC
  • Delta House Life Development
  • Children First/Communities In Schools
  • Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
  • Youth Transformed for Life (YTL)

Cross Sector Leadership Team (CSLT)

  • ACS
  • BCS
  • Asheville City Schools Foundation
  • Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
  • City of Asheville
  • Buncombe County
  • Buncombe County Sheriff's Department
  • Buncombe Partnership for Children
  • Children First/Communities in Schools
  • My Daddy Taught Me That
  • UNC Asheville
  • Western Carolina Rescue Mission
  • My Future NC
  • Racial Justice Coalition

Restorative Practices

  • Asheville Middle
  • Enka Middle
  • Erwin Middle
  • Montford North Star
  • Owen High
  • Owen Middle
  • Reynolds High
  • Reynolds Middle
  • TC Roberson High
  • Asheville City Schools Foundation
  • A Caring Alternative
  • AB Tech
  • Access Family Services
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC
  • Buncombe Alternatives
  • Children First / Communities in Schools
  • Consulta Tu Compa
  • Helpmate
  • LEAF Global Arts
  • MAHEC
  • Mountain Child Advocacy Center
  • Pisgah Legal Services
  • RHA
  • UNC Asheville
  • Western Carolina University
  • YMCA of WNC
  • YWCA of Asheville

Network (additional regular participants not listed above)

  • Evolve Early Learning 
  • Youth OUTright
  • Rainbow Community School
  • NC Outward Bound School
  • Jordan Peer Recovery
  • Poder EMMA
  • Consulta Tu Compa