Durham Mayor Leo Williams talks delayed mentorship programs for at-risk youth

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Durham Mayor Leo Williams announced a mentorship program in January that he said would connect at-risk youth with jobs, but eight months into his term it hasn't launched. It was supposed to be an effort to curb gun violence. He said support is needed for young Black men and boys.

Asked what's taking so long, Williams replied: "It takes a while when you have to build working relationships."

In an interview with ABC11, Williams admitted he underestimated the time it would take to implement the program.

"Oh yeah. Oh yeah. If it were up to me, it would have been done months ago," Williams said. "I'm not doing this by myself, and I shouldn't do it by myself."

Williams told ABC11 that this will be a partnership between United Way of the Greater Triangle and the Mayor's Office. He said it would be funded by grants with support from the city.

"The whole philosophy behind this is gun violence, poverty, hunger. All those things are way too accessible in this community, but being able to help make the community safer and better by investing into our youth is too inaccessible," he said.

Some community organizations that are already doing the work are critical of the new effort because they say they believe the city should partner with them and help pay for it.

"We're here. Why not utilize the resources? We're a trusted place in the community," said Destiny Alexander with POOF, a community organization for at-risk east Durham youth.

She is paying for the program out of pocket. It is something that could force her to shut down next year because she said it's gotten too expensive.

"Sixty seven thousand dollars a year I pay to be in this place," she said. "I do it with my photobooth company. I do it DoorDash and most people don't know."

The space was being used by YouthBuild, a program that helps teens earn their GED.

"We do want to be in the community where our students live," said Martha McCluskey, of Youth Build. "We want to make it as easy as possible to get to us."

According to Williams, the official announcement for his program will happen in the next two weeks. It's officially been eight months into his term as mayor. ABC11 asked how he'd grade himself.

"I would say a B-plus," said Williams. "We've done probably about two to three years' worth of work in eight months."