Nurturing Leaders

When the village grows, the young person at its center does too.

Black and white photo of a diverse group of young women posing together indoors, smiling and making peace signs, with some hugging and leaning on each other.

About Nurturing Leaders

Behind every young person striving to thrive is a village. Parents. Grandparents. Foster families. Guardians. The adults who wake up every day doing the hardest, most undervalued work there is — raising young people through adversity.

Nurturing Leaders was built for them. Because the advancement of resilience and knowledge doesn’t stop at the youth — it has to extend to the entire ecosystem shaping their world. When the adults around a young person are equipped, connected, and confident, the young person doesn’t just survive — they have somewhere safe to grow.

This is the program that strengthens the village. And when the village is strong, young people thrive.

  • Crossed hammer and wrench tools on a white background.

    Practical Tools

    Evidence-informed strategies for communication, co-parenting, conflict resolution, and building structure — tools that work in real life, not just in theory.

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    Community

    A peer network of caregivers walking similar paths. Connection, support, and the knowledge that you are not doing this alone.

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    Confidence

    The belief that your role matters — and the skills to live it out. Participants leave with greater confidence in their ability to show up for the young people in their care.

Become A Facilitator
Make A Donation

Why it Matters

Research consistently shows that the quality of adult relationships in a young person’s life is one of the strongest predictors of their outcomes. When caregivers are unsupported, overwhelmed, or isolated, young people feel it. Nurturing Leaders addresses root causes — not just symptoms.

girls in a group mentorship

70%

of youth outcomes tied to adult support

Trauma doesn’t live in isolation. It moves through families, communities, and generations. Nurturing Leaders interrupts that transmission — giving caregivers the tools to break cycles and build something new for the young people they love.

Five young girls standing in a classroom, holding certificates of achievement, smiling, and posing for a photo.

1 in 3

children in the U.S. experiences adverse childhood events

A group of nine women posing together inside a dark, modern room with a black marble wall and a large TV screen in the background. Some women are smiling, and they are dressed casually. There are bottles and papers on the table in front of them, and a pink jacket is draped over a chair in the foreground.

Who is this for?

+ Parents, grandparents, foster parents, and guardians of youth in ARK programs

+ Caregivers supporting young people impacted by foster care, incarceration, or housing instability

+ Adults who want to show up better for the young people in their lives

+ Community members invested in the health of the next generation

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Program Details

WHERE: DC community sites and partner locations

SCHEDULE: frequency and session length

FORMAT: Workshop cohorts, peer dialogue, and skill-building sessions

COST: Free to all participants

PARTNERS: List all partners

OUTCOMES: List all outcomes

Partner with Us ꕀ

Creating Pathways to Opportunity

  • “Nurturing Leaders has been amazing ! I’ve met so many people. With different activities and proactive supports I felt encouraged, empowered most of all I felt like I belonged. This was a space that I learned a lot about myself, what I love what I want to improve and most importantly how to be kind to myself.”

  • "I am extremely grateful for this partnership and everything ARK has done for my community, both at Johnson Middle School and now at Dunbar High School. I look forward to another 10 years of this amazing partnership."

  • "Program was really, really, really positive and comforting for me. It truly made me feel, like, safe and very supported. And I felt really understood because I was, like, surrounded by people who had gone through the same thing that I've gone through. So it kind of helped me realize that I don't have to keep holding on to, like, bad memories about myself. I appreciate this program so much because it really creates such a welcoming space."

Invest in the Next Generation of  Leaders

Volunteer

Facilitate a Nurturing Leaders cohort. If you work with families and caregivers, your skills belong in this room.

Become a Facilitator ꕀ

Partner

Help us reach more families. Partner with ARK to co-host Nurturing Leaders in your community or bring it to your network.

Contact Us ꕀ

Donate

Every dollar you give strengthens the adults who strengthen our youth. Fund the village.

Make a Donation ꕀ