Partner with us
Join Kids On Track as we equip and empower the local church to provide hope and practical coping tools in the face of trauma and family disruption.
“HomeBuilders did exactly what the name suggests. It helped restore my home so that we have had a little bit more peace, understanding, and balance once again. My child and I both will leave HomeBuilders with the tools to find our way through the grief cycle together. I think that is what made the program so effective and helpful.”
Who are we?
Founded in 1992, Kids On Track is a Christian community-building organization that provides hope, direction, and ongoing support for children, youth, and their parents. Educational, social, spiritual and recreational elements are combined to deliver well-rounded programs with a purpose.
We cultivate relationships, encouraging participants in faith, character and leadership development, social skills, and a healthy lifestyle. We strive to support families experiencing limited opportunities due to various socioeconomic challenges.
HomeBuilders began as a stand-alone program at Kids On Track and has developed into a partnership model where we can equip and empower the local church to provide hope and practical coping skills in the face of trauma and family disruption.
Why partner with us?
We see HomeBuilders as an arm of the local Church, of your local church.
Thinking about what our HomeBuilders Partnership Package was going to look like, we wanted to make sure that it was clear that partnering with Kids On Track is a benefit for local churches. We know that churches are often challenged in time and resources. Our goal is to come alongside the local church and equip and train you to reach the families in your community with an easy to implement curriculum and program framework.
Partnering with Kids On Track is a win-win. Churches can extend their reach beyond traditional services and programs and make a meaningful impact in the lives of children and families. HomeBuilders becomes the entry point for families to find support and care, allowing the natural progression from an unchurched community into the local church family.
Partnering with HomeBuilders furthers God's work in your community and gives kids, youth, and their parents an opportunity to encounter Jesus.
Why HomeBuilders?
BUILDING RESILIENCY, ONE CHILD AT A TIME — When significant change or challenge happens in the life of a child, it's necessary that they are equipped with skills to increase resiliency, work through their big emotions, and process grief in a healthy manner. HomeBuilders helps prevents kids with adverse childhood experiences from making high-risk decisions and forming high-risk relationships.
KIDS LEARN BETTER WHEN THEY MOVE — HomeBuilders is not a sit/listen/learn type of program; it's a move/sing/play/explore kind of program! There are no bored kids here - we are learning and moving. Physical literacy is integrated into each lesson. We use music, art, play, and games with a purpose while facilitating the discussions needed to teach children how to implement the coping skills they are learning.
EQUIPPING PARENTS, NOT JUST THE CHILD — This is not a parenting seminar! Rather, parents participate in their own interactive group. They learn how to support their children through change, transition, or difficult times by implementing coping skills at home with simple, fun, and engaging activities.
SIMPLE TO IMPLEMENT — All curriculum and additional resources are available to partner churches through our HomeBuilders website. As we improve and add to HomeBuilders, new versions of the program are uploaded to our partner portal. HomeBuilders is easy to implement. Most churches will already have the needed supplies on hand, or they can be easily purchased at a dollar store.
OUTCOMES
Children learn to understand and express their emotions appropriately
Children gain an understanding of change and how to respond to it
Children learn coping tools to respond to the changes happening in their lives
Parents will gain a better understanding of the adjustments their children are facing
Parents will learn what supportive behaviours are helpful to their children and how to integrate the coping tools at home
“[HomeBuilders] gave us so many great strategies and simple hands-on tools to support our children through this challenging time.”
Ready to get started? Connect with us today and see how we can get HomeBuilders into your local church.
FAQs
Can I use parts of the HomeBuilders curriculum for Sunday School or Kids Church?
In short, no. The curriculum is designed intentionally in a specific order of lessons with respect to the psychology behind group stages, particularly in children and youth. Because of the sensitive nature of our lesson plans, only trained facilitators are allowed to present the material. Additionally, parents have given permission to address these topics with their children in HomeBuilders. The intense emotional themes are best addressed in the HomeBuilders environment.
Who leads the sessions? Can we use facilitators if they haven't been trained by Kids On Track?
Classes are facilitated by volunteers who have been trained in the HomeBuilders curriculum. Each facilitator must go through the manual on their own and touch base with the main HomeBuilders representative of your church or organization, or attend in-person training sessions with a HomeBuilders Trainer. While facilitators will be trained in areas like behaviour management, group stages, and the empathetic response, they should have some experience working with children. The designated HomeBuilders Coordinator should ensure each person working directly with the participants has supplied a clear Police or Background check.
Can we facilitate HomeBuilders in less than 11 weeks?
We find that 11 weeks is just long enough to get through the program. However, there is an option to host Week 11 as a stand-alone lesson week and host the HomeBuilders Party separately, extending the program to 12 weeks if preferred.
Can we run HomeBuilders with just one facilitator in each class?
For the safety of the participants and the facilitators, we strongly recommend that each class has two facilitators. Most insurance companies require two adults in a classroom setting as well. One person can certainly be the lead facilitator and the other a support role, which is a great option for volunteers who prefer not to teach.
Can siblings be in the same class?
While sometimes unavoidable, it is strongly recommended to put siblings into different classes. This allows each sibling their own space for learning and healing.
How many children are in each class? How are participants split into classes?
We recommend registering up to ten participants per class, with the understanding that a few may not complete the program. We also recommend not hosting a class with fewer than three participants, as most activities require group participation. Classes are divided into the following levels:
Level 1 — Grades 1–3
Level 2 — Grades 4–6
Level 3 — Grades 7+ (Coming Soon)
Level P — Parents
If there are both high school and junior high participants, it may be helpful to split them into two separate classes, provided there are enough registrants for each group.
What space is required?
Each class should have its own classroom space with a large, open area to facilitate the games and activities included in each lesson plan. The parent group needs enough room for a couple of round tables.
Are there religious elements to the program?
Yes. Each lesson plan includes prayer time, Christian songs, and a through-line of the basic Christian worldview.