EMPATHY. RESILIENCE. TRANSFORMATION.
ERT Development Programs™
A Development System for Every Stage of Life.
Powered by the E.R.T. Framework™ (Empathy, Resilience, Transformation), our programs develop identity, discipline, leadership, and legacy across youth, adults, families, and communities.
The Gap
Most programs offer support. Few offer structure.
Across communities, people are expected to navigate identity, pressure, trauma, expectations, and life transitions without structured development.
Youth are guided by reaction.
Adults are shaped by survival.
Communities are left without systems that build people intentionally.
What's missing is not motivation.
What's missing is development.
The Framework
We don't offer random programs. We deliver structured development systems.
ERT Development Programs™ are designed to build people—not just support them. Each program is rooted in the E.R.T. Framework™:
E
Empathy
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
R
Resilience
Discipline, coping, and decision-making
T
Transformation
Leadership, purpose, and legacy
Every program is tailored to a specific population and stage of life.
Our Programs
Choose the program that aligns with your life stage or mission.
You Deserve More™
Helping young girls and women stop settling and start choosing themselves.
Who We Serve
Built for individuals. Designed for systems.
Individuals & Families
- Youth development
- Identity support
- Emotional growth
- Life direction
Schools & Organizations
- Group coaching
- Student development
- Leadership programs
- Staff training
Institutions & Partners
- Government programs
- Community initiatives
- Workforce development
- Grant-funded pilots
How It Works
A clear pathway to transformation.
Choose Your Program
Select the program aligned with your identity or audience.
Engage in Structured Coaching
Participate in guided, cohort-based or group experiences.
Experience Measurable Growth
Develop identity, discipline, leadership, and purpose.
Outcomes
What transformation looks like.
- Stronger identity and self-awareness
- Improved emotional regulation
- Increased discipline and accountability
- Greater confidence and belonging
- Clearer direction and purpose
- Leadership development
- Long-term personal growth
Partnerships
Looking to bring structured development to your organization?
ERT Development Programs™ partner with schools, community organizations, government agencies, and institutions seeking more than short-term interventions.
We deliver scalable, structured coaching systems that produce measurable outcomes.
Facilitators
Interested in Becoming an ERT Program Facilitator?
We are developing a pathway for professionals, educators, and community leaders interested in facilitating ERT Development Programs™.
Before enrollment opens, we will publish the required qualifications, program-specific training, competency assessment, and written authorization or licensing requirements.
Completion of a Buckingham Coaching Academy coaching certification alone does not authorize delivery of ERT Development Programs™.
This is more than coaching. This is development.
Whether you are seeking growth for yourself, your child, your organization, or your community, ERT Development Programs™ provide a structured path forward.
OUR STORY
Founded on a Powerful Belief
The ERT Institute was founded by Dr. Dwayne L. Buckingham on a simple but powerful belief: when people are equipped with empathy, strengthened by resilience, and guided toward transformation, change becomes sustainable.
In today’s world, professionals are expected to navigate increasing complexity emotionally, culturally, and systemically. Yet many training programs focus only on skills, leaving the human dimension behind. The ERT Institute was created to close that gap.
We exist to support those who support others. Born from decades of experience in coaching, clinical practice, leadership development, and systems-level work, the Institute emerged as a place where professional development meets human understanding. We saw firsthand that meaningful change happens when learning moves beyond information and into awareness, application, and embodied practice.
Equip individuals with Empathy
Build Resilience as a strength
Guide individuals towards lasting Transformation
What Drives Us
Mission, Promise & Value
Our Mission
To advance human thriving by developing practitioners, coaches, leaders, and organizations skilled in applying ERT™ for resilient, empathetic, effective transformation.
Our Promise
When organizations integrate ERT™, outcomes improve—culture strengthens, clients thrive, and leaders transform.
Our Value
We do not just teach concepts—we cultivate capacity. Our learning experiences help participants translate insight into action and lead change in ways that are ethical, sustainable, and people-centered.
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