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Intrepid Young Adults

Intrepid Celebrates Two Years of Empowering Young Adults

Milestones, Achievements, and Unforgettable Memories

Intrepid Young Adults is excited to celebrate 2 years of guiding and empowering neurodivergent young adults as they launch into adulthood. Since its inception, our team has committed to fostering independence, community engagement, and personal growth for the young adults we partner with every day. As we celebrate, our team reflects on a remarkable two years of measurable success, life-changing milestones, and a vibrant community culture.

Over 2 years, Intrepid’s individualized approach to life-skills coaching, social support, as well as college and career support has yielded incredible results for its participants:

  • Educational Triumphs: Intrepid is incredibly proud to celebrate 7 high school graduates who successfully walked across the stage to receive their diplomas—a monumental milestone witnessed and cheered on by the dedicated Intrepid staff.  Nearly two-thirds (63%) of our young adults have completed at least one course at the local community college. In most cases, our young adults have completed multiple college courses with one earning a certificate in electrical trades after successfully completing the required coursework.

  • Employment Success: An impressive 75% have successfully secured and maintained meaningful employment. Our young adults are contributing to the community in a wide range of roles, including positions at Lowe’s, Taco Bell, Texas Roadhouse, Panera, Ingles Grocery, Home Depot, Little Caesars, Zip’s Car Wash, and through a competitive electrical apprenticeship program. In addition, two program graduates are now living independently and working in Asheville, demonstrating the lasting impact of the skills and support they received at Intrepid. 

  • Essential Life Skills: True independence requires practical knowledge and interdependence within a supportive community. Over the last two years, our young adults have mastered critical adult skills, including obtaining their driver’s licenses, managing and paying their own cell phone bills, and learning the financial discipline of saving to contribute to their future success.

  • Giving Back to the Community: Intrepid staff and participants are deeply committed to service, actively engaging with the community every single week. We continue to contribute to various local community service sites in ways that directly impact our community providing connections and a sense of purpose for our young adults. One rewarding opportunity is partnering with Meals on Wheels each week to deliver freshly prepared meals throughout our community, fostering meaningful social connections for both our young adults and local neighbors.

  • Strengthened Family Partnerships: Recognizing that a strong support system is vital, Intrepid continues to invest in parent support providing weekly coaching and parent support groups centered on a model emphasizing partnership. Our parent partnering program aims to join caregivers on their own parenting journey while offering guidance to help effectively support their young adult children to thrive as emerging young adults.

  • Weekly Core Team Meetings: A foundational pillar of Intrepid, these weekly sessions provide a structured space for each young adult to reflect on their personal goals, measure their progress, and make adjustments. Members of our leadership team provide coaching aimed at supportive and consistent accountability that ensures every young adult stays on a clear path of identifying, reflecting upon, and achieving their goals.

Beyond the metrics, the heart of Intrepid lies in its community culture. Over the last two years, we have shared unforgettable experiences that have forged lifelong memories with our young adults. Some of our best memories include:

  • Experiencing the wonders of the Atlanta Aquarium.

  • Standing strong together and supporting one another through the challenges of Hurricane Helene in the Fall of 2024

  • Gathering for weekly family style-dinners, movie nights, birthday parties, crafts, Nerf wars, and a fun-and-spicy Hot Ones wing challenge.

  • Cooking with young adults as they introduce us to their favorite recipes

  • Game Nights where laughter and friendship emerge with simple fun

  • Guitar jams (Briefly having an Intrepid jam band called “Rickle Suess”)

  • Winter Ski trips

  • Local College Tours

  • Video Game tournaments 

  • Singing along at a Weird Al Yankovic concert.

  • High-energy trips to Activate in Charlotte on several occasions. 

  • Putt Putt Golf, Go-Carting, and Escape Rooms 

  • Alien festival, Hobbit festival, and the North Carolina Mountain State Fair

  • Axe throwing leagues and bowling nights

  • A 100-mile biking challenge, daily yoga challenge, and plenty of disc golf.

  • Spending time outdoors embracing all the beauty of western NC through adventures such as whitewater rafting, hiking and fishing

Watching our young adults walk across the graduation stage for their high school diploma, secure their first jobs, and take charge of their financial futures is exactly why Intrepid Young Adults exists. Over the past two years, we have seen firsthand what is possible when young adults are surrounded by supportive relationships, meaningful accountability, practical life-skills education, and a strong sense of community. Their achievements have exceeded expectations, and we are incredibly proud of the growth, resilience, and independence they have demonstrated. As we celebrate these milestones, we are even more excited about the opportunities and successes that lie ahead.