About Us
Born in 1979, New Directions Youth Ministry is a grassroots youth-serving agency in North Minneapolis, which works with other community organizations to help children and youth in North Minneapolis overcome the obstacles to their development presented by the inner city environment. Youth from outside North Minneapolis are welcomed as long as they provide their own transportation.
The goal of New Directions Youth Ministry is the healthy and holistic development of North Minneapolis children and youth in the following areas:
High School Graduation
Employment and Self-Sufficiency
Emotional Stability and Mental Health
Ability to Make and Sustain Nourishing Relationships
Participation in Community Life
Absence of Criminal Behavior
A holistic approach toward youth development includes the activities of the entire community.
The Programs of New Directions are designed to be:
Essential to the development of children and youth in the inner city
Supplementary and/or complementary to existing activities and opportunities of the community
Not duplicative of existing activities and opportunities
Four programs will combine holistically to accomplish the goal of New Directions:
A note regarding “Ministry:”
The word “Ministry” refers to the care of individuals. New Directions Youth Ministry is registered with the federal government as a non-religious 501 (c) 3 organization. As such, there are no religious requirements for participation and there are no proselytizing activities. All religions and the freedom of children and youth to explore and discover religion for themselves are respected. That said, NDYM grew out of religious sentiments of its founders and religion is an integral aspect of community life and youth development, so religious opportunities are available to the children, youth, and families of New Directions through its affiliated church, St. Olaf Lutheran (ELCA) of North Minneapolis and its space-sharing church, Great Is Thy Faithfulness (COGIC).