WHY ARK?

KIDS WHO FEEL LOVED DO BETTER!

“One of the most essential factors in nurturing the social-emotional development of children is the presence in their lives of caring, empathic, supportive adults who express unconditional love.  I believe that the Adults Relating to Kids (ARK) program, which emphasizes these qualities in adults, offers very impressive, realistic strategies for helping children to be more compassionate, hopeful, and resilient.”

– Dr. Robert Brooks, Psychologist and Leading Expert on Child Resilience
Harvard Medical School Part-Time Faculty

A recent Harvard research study shows that the unconditional love and support of just one adult can completely change the trajectory of a child’s life. At The ARKGroup, our mission is to empower adults to empower kids with our award-winning ARK (Adults Relating to Kids) training program. The ARK program is based on ground-breaking research conducted in partnership with the University of Texas School of Public Health that discovered a new paradigm for building the self-concept of a child. Rather than focusing on a child’s performance, true self-esteem comes from a child experiencing a relationship of unconditional love and care from an adult who is primary in that child’s life – whether that is a parent, grandparent, teacher, counselor, coach or other caring adult.

At ARK, we understand that building impactful relationships with children is an intentional process.  Placing priority on the relational component of a child’s development and education can transform their social-emotional identity, creating a healthy environment where he or she can learn and perform to their full potential.

The ARK curriculum includes specialized training for a variety of groups and family structures, providing tools that can be applied at home, in the classroom, at the workplace and beyond.  As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, ARK’s goal is to build stronger families, schools, and communities – starting with the most important adults in every child’s life.