The power of being there: how mentoring can change a young person’s path

Image © Oak Foundation

For many young people facing challenges as they grow up, sometimes timely and compassionate support at the right time is all that’s needed to make a big difference in the trajectory of their lives.

In Carrboro, Chapel Hill, the team at Reintegration Support Network (RSN) knows this. That’s why they work with young people to help them overcome mental health challenges or substance use, or to support them through a first contact with the justice system. One of the ways that RSN empowers youth is through peer support, by pairing young people with an older person who can mentor them. “If we can catch people early, we can prevent some of the issues down the line,” says Earl Callair, RSN’s programme manager.

Mentors help participants set and achieve personalised goals related to self-care practices and help them cultivate a sense of belonging. They also support them to build the skills and capacities they need to build healthy relationships with others, and foster positive engagement in the community. “Being a mentor to a young person allows them to give back, and we find that all of our mentors are really motivated by wanting to help someone who is currently facing challenges similar to those they faced,” says Jamie Jacobs, director of RSN’s operations. “It makes our programme really unique.”

Recognising that youth wellness is closely tied to family stability, RSN also provides resources for parents and caregivers. RSN invites them to participate in mentor training focused on crisis response, and to attend events designed to support the goals of our youth participants. In addition, many of RSN’s mentors are certified by the state of North Carolina as peer support specialists and all of their mentors are paid for their work. Before being matched to their mentee, they receive extensive training on youth mental health first aid, trauma-informed care, compassionate listening, harm reduction, and other topics. In this way, the role also directly benefits mentors, offering a sense of purpose alongside paid employment and opportunities for professional development and skill-building.

Between 2024 and 2025, RSN supported 20 participants through a 16-week mentorship programme, with great results. As many as 92 per cent have not had an additional criminal justice charge since they were admitted into the programme.^[1]

“My hope for the future is to make more opportunities available for youth, to centre it on building community, and on showing us how we can make a difference,” says Terence Johnson, executive director of RSN.

To this end, RSN is expanding its partnerships with other organisations in the community to offer participants more opportunities for enriching activities. For example, a recent partnership with a local restaurant allowed nine RSN participants to complete a five-week culinary programme and cooking classes.

Oak Foundation supports the Reintegration Support Network through our Special Interest Programme. Watch the video to meet the RSN team, and to find out more about what they do.
 

[1] RSN 2024–2025 Impact Report (2025) <https://www.rsnnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/RSN-2024_2025-Impact-Report.pdf> accessed 3 February 2026. 24/25 Impact Report