Stories

Written by Amy Andrews  

Right Moves For Youth (RMFY) provides students in the greater Charlotte area the support and guidance they need to succeed by leveraging positive and long-lasting relationships. Using a school-based model, RMFY provides youth services and group mentoring to empower students to graduate from high school and set the stage for what comes next. 

As with so many non-profits, the current COVID climate has seriously impacted the RMFY model. According to Sabrina Gilchrist, Executive Director, RMFY, “Even though we have historically been school-based and will continue with that, we are accepting of the current environment and taking it as a challenge to be creative, to innovate and to evolve.” She added, “We continue to re-assess and re-evaluate who we are serving and how we are serving those who need us the most right now.”

Because RMFY was able to start this past school year normally, they had already identified students within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg system and were working with them each week. They simply pivoted to a virtual model in the spring, seamlessly working with those already being served. One silver lining of going virtual was the ability to “cross pollinate,” in other words, allowing students from different middle and high schools to interact with one another virtually versus working only with students from within a particular school at any given time. “We realized that our students enjoyed that and created some connection they wouldn’t necessarily have had,” said Gilchrist.

RMFY currently serves about 1600 students. They keep students motivated to participate and be accountable through the strength of the relationships created as well as incentives, such as gift cards for completing work and showing evidence of participation.

Despite having a strong technology plan in place, there was some drop off with the move to a virtual platform. "We have a keen eye on accessibility for families,” said Gilchrist. “It is not just about having a computer, tablet or smart phone but an ability to connect to the internet that is key for our students."

For the upcoming school year, RMFY plans to identify students as they always have, with the support and assistance of administrators, parents and current student participants as well as students who self-refer to the program. Students will then be able to sign up for whatever virtual group is being offered. If students are interested in becoming part of the RMFY program, the best way to do that is to reach out to them directly or to work through the support staff at their home school. 

For those looking to help, donations are the greatest need for RMFY. Funds from donations are used to support curriculum and technology needs, as well as purchasing supplies. Donations are also used towards incentives to reward participants for making positive decisions and developing attributes such as a strong work ethic. For those looking to donate in kind, gift cards are always appreciated. Before the onset of COVID, funds were also used to expose students to experiences they might not have otherwise been a part of, such as going to the theater or ice skating. RMFY is looking for ways to continue to create such opportunities using virtual pathways, such a being able to log into museums.

Volunteers are also still very much in demand at RMFY. They are seeking volunteers who would serve as mentors to assist in facilitating programs. Gilchrist shared that “Ideal candidates are those who are committed to young people. We need people who are going to continue to show up for our participants. Most importantly, we are looking for folks who enjoy young people and would like to have fun with them.”

For more information about Right Moves For Youth, visit their web site at https://www.rightmovesforyouth.org.

VOTE NOW: Right Moves for Youth is in the running to win $5K this month thanks to the Amy and Brian France Foundation who have partnered with SHARE Charlotte for this year’s Spotlight Series and YOU can help when you VOTE NOW! You can also check out the other organizations eligible to win this month’s prize, here!