Mission
neXus Boston is a learning community of youth workers. We seek to improve the lives of urban youth and their communities by encouraging, supporting and training Christian youth workers to serve urban and high-risk youth and their families more effectively. To that end our purpose is working with and for youth workers. We believe that we are serving the youth most effectively by serving those who work with youth. There are four areas that neXus Boston focuses on to fulfill our mission: support, training, networking and research.
Support
neXus Boston believes that youth workers ought to lead healthy lives. This means that their lives are balanced and focused on continually developing their spiritual character. We believe that youth workers ought to be leading productive, healthy lives not just within their ministry, but in their every day lives. In order to fulfill this we seek to provide mentoring opportunities, self-care groups, personal and professional counseling, a drop-in center and various workshops that focus on the well-being of the youth worker.
Training
Christian youth workers ought to be leading the field in urban youth work. Thus, neXus Boston seeks to provide the best practices for all youth workers through a variety of trainings. We offer one of the only graduate-level certificate in youth work on the East Coast. Together with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary we offer the Urban Youth Worker Certificate. neXus Boston also offers both single-session and multiple-session workshops regarding the best practices of urban youth ministry.
Networking
Ecumenical and racial/cultural diversity are vital elements to any ministry, especially to ministries set in diverse urban settings. neXus Boston seeks to be a transparent part of the Body of Christ that connects its many members together. Through our diverse advisory committee, as well as several networking events, we try and provide youth workers with both friends and mentors who will encourage them in their ministry.
Research
Youth culture as well as the issues concerning youth are constantly changing. In order for youth workers to be effective ministers they need to be aware of both the issues effecting youth and the best practices used to combat these issues. neXus Boston, therefore, seeks to research the systemic issues facing youth as well as local neighborhood knowledge. It is our goal to provide this research, along with the best practices, to both local youth workers and to the greater society. The city is continually a place where problems first arise and ought to be the place where they are first solved. neXus Boston seeks to provide research to the global Body of Christ that will aid in solving complex urban issues.