Through mentorship, partnerships, and identity & mental wellness initiatives, we seek to empower BIPOC adolescents with the tools they need to thrive in adulthood.
Mentoring
The foundation of our comprehensive youth development approach is mentoring. Adolescence (10-24) is a journey that we all go through to transition to adulthood, and we need caring adult guides to aid our decisions while learning to adult. Our mentoring program strives to encourage excellence in identity discovery, mental wellness, and decision making to guide unrepresented and marginalized BIPOC adolescents in the transition to adulthood.
- Promoting resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families
- Strengthening the behavioral health workforce
- Enhancing access to suicide prevention
Leadership
Leadership skills are abilities that need to be developed, practiced, and require reflection. Arkbuilders programming is youth-led and engaging to provide youth with soft-skills for success through education and workforce think tanks. Guiding BIPOC youth in the creation and execution of community development initiatives encourages leadership autonomy and the practice necessary for the workforce.
- Promoting resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families
- Strengthening the behavioral health workforce
- Enhancing access to suicide prevention
Internship
An essential consideration in reaching communities, with their challenges of belonging and perceived exclusion, is to build relationships that facilitate trust with the adult leadership in their communities. Our ‘success’ is a work in progress that hinges on communities trusting “outside” assistance and expertise. Internships provide a unique opportunity to build initial work skills, abilities, and practice in trusting career advisement.
- Promoting resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families
- Strengthening the behavioral health workforce
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a necessary and often skipped essential step in BIPOC workforce development. Pairing new workers with expert professionals in the community to learn relevant and in workforce skills and practice at the decided upon work trajectory.
- Strengthening the behavioral health workforce
Career
Community and capacity building development that prepares youth for the workforce. This holistic and comprehensive approach is inclusive of coaching throughout their first two years to provide the essential bridge and support necessary to achieve workforce success.
- Strengthening the behavioral health workforce
- Enhancing access to suicide prevention
