Sometimes they’ll talk about Minecraft, movies or lunch at school that day. Other times they’ll play video games and dream up plans to bike around or play basketball when the weather warms up.

One Friday after school, Richard Welp listened with steady eye contact while 12-year-old Carter Overholser explained what it was like being the big brother of the house while his dad was away for work.

Sitting in a booth at Mouse’s Chocolates & Coffee, Carter described the extra responsibility of helping his mom out with his four little sisters on top of his weekly duties caring for the family’s dogs and chickens.

“I tried my best, and Dad was proud of me,” Carter said as Richard nodded along.

Twelve-year-old Carter Overholser smiles for a selfie with Richard Welp, who volunteers as Carter’s mentor through Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray, a nonprofit that matches youth with trustworthy adults. The program provides adult role models for kids from ages 6 to 17 and is looking for more mentor volunteers in Ouray County. Photo courtesy Richard Welp

Carter and Richard usually get together once a week and spend a few hours hanging out. Carter had waited for a mentor like Richard for nearly two years after his school counselor referred him to Partners of Delta, Montrose & Ouray, a nonprofit that matches youth with trustworthy adult mentors. She thought Carter could benefit from the relationship as his dad is often away taking care of things for his work, according to Carter’s mom, Hillary.

Leda Stinson Ebert, Partners’ Ouray County case manager, said it’s common for referrals to come from school counselors, librarians and teachers, but anyone who works with children can do so.

The program serves youth between 6 and 17 years old, with the aim of providing adult role models who can help boost a kid’s self-esteem, relationship- building abilities and academic performance.

Once a kid like Carter is referred, they become part of the Partners’ Nexus Program, which offers monthly group programming until they are matched with a mentor.

Nexus is built into the program so case managers can get to know kids’ personalities and make a strong match, Stinson Ebert said. Ideally, it’s a careful and considered process — which can take a few months — rather than matching any youth with any adult.

But in Ouray County, kids like Carter tend to remain in the Nexus Program for longer than that because it’s challenging to find mentors willing to make the time commitment, Stinson Ebert said.

As soon as Richard became a certified mentor in November, Stinson Ebert paired the outdoors and video game enthusiasts, thinking it would be a great fit.

Right now there are three kids in the Nexus Program waiting to be paired with adult mentors and three active partner pairs in Ouray County, including Carter and Richard. One of those pairs are Art Partners, meaning their relationship is centered around creative work. Stinson Ebert said she sees a lot of potential for this type of mentorship in Ouray County, which is home to many artists and craftspeople.

Since becoming Ouray County’s case manager last spring, Stinson Ebert has worked to spread the word about the program and identify mentors in different pockets of the county. *** Stinson Ebert met Richard just after he moved to the area for a summer ranger post at the Ridgway State Park. The 38-year-old began chatting with her about the program while on the job at a Friends of Youth and Nature event.

He landed the Ridgway position in the midst of a monthslong road trip starting in New Mexico, when he was thinking of making the San Juan Mountains home for awhile. He hit the road last spring after 13 years owning a pizza parlor in Ferdinand, Indiana. Before that he served with the Indiana National Guard and held jobs in computer networking, a career he hopes to pick up again soon.

He doesn’t have children of his own, but he’s spent time with his nephews and the teenagers he employed at his restaurant in Indiana. Once he settles down somewhere, he’s hoping to adopt and start his own family.

But for now, he’s appreciative of the chance to connect with and support youth in his new community.

“I didn’t really have a bad childhood or anything like that, but I know there’s plenty of times I wished I had somebody that I could have spent more time with,” Richard said.

Knowing there’s a lot of kids in need of mentorship motivated him to go through the rigorous vetting process.

Prospective mentors must submit four references and then go through two rounds of interviews. The second interview can last up to three hours, Stinson Ebert said. She dives into questions about childhood history, hobbies and passions.

There’s also a home visit and federal and state criminal background checks, including an applicant’s driving history, so mentors can take their mentee places like Culver’s in Montrose, where Richard and Carter had their first outing. *** The first time they met for dinner, Richard was struck by how Carter held open the door for everyone entering the restaurant.

Richard said he’s surprised by how comfortable they’ve become with each other in just a few months. He’s taken things he’s learned about Carter — like his favorite food, ribs — and made plans around them. He is going to try and learn how to cook them together.

Carter appreciates the questions Richard asks him. He likes that they can plan to do the types of things his parents don’t have time for.

Carter’s parents know Richard — his mom said Carter compares Richard to his dad — and helped coordinate their meetups at first. But for the most part, the program allows Carter and Richard to have an independent relationship.

Carter enjoys having another trusted adult in his life, one that he can hang out with on his own and feel special.

“I spent my whole life hanging out with my parents and so it’s nice going out and meeting new people and spending time with someone else for a while,” Carter said.

And Carter wants to fold Richard into his school and home life as well, hoping to have him over again and introduce him to his friend.

“Everyone should know Richard and be friends with him because he’s a really nice guy,” Carter said. *** Richard and Carter’s relationship — grown through shared meals, conversations and games during the quieter winter months — demonstrates Partners mentors don’t have to provide high-cost or exhaustive experiences to develop a meaningful connection.

“It’s really about providing safe, stable and supportive mentorships to kids in the community, so that they have an additional person in their life who’s just their listening ear,” Stinson Ebert said.

The hope is the relationship between a strong pair will extend past the yearlong commitment, with some connections lasting much later into life.

And oftentimes the mentors find themselves gaining as much from the relationship as they give, Sinson Ebert said.

“I was looking for something fulfilling in my life and this is definitely leading me down this path,” Richard said.

Prospective mentors must be able to commit to one year of mentoring for three hours per week. For more information visit partners-west.org.

Lia Salvatierra is a journalist with Report for America, a service program that helps boost underserved areas with more reporting resources.