Next Leadership Development provides this 6-week program to facilitate knowledge, skills, and certifications that will help youth and young adults enter into careers in emergency management, healthcare/mental health, first response, and filmmaking.

We focus on Black youth in the City of Boston. Each field/career path we have integrated into the program has severe underrepresentation of Black people. 

Our program uniquely combines arts and culture, youth development, workforce development, disaster/climate resilience, and racial justice.

By the end of the six weeks, young people are equipped with:

• CPR/First Aid Certification
• FEMA Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) Basic Training Certificate
• Crisis/Disaster Psychology Certificate
• A Short Film that is featured on a big screen to celebrate their hard work
• Membership to the Boston Resilience Corps, Next Leadership Development’s FEMA-approved CERT team (18+)
• A Youth Membership to the Black Resilience Network, a national network of Black towns, community-based organizations, businesses, and partners focused on disaster and climate resilience 

 The outcomes are young people with:

• Increased confidence and leadership skills, 
• Support to further explore each pathway as a career through our partners 
• Becoming part of the Next Leadership Development community with access to other programs and resources
• Being part of a network of over 120 Boston previous participants
• Year-round support for young people and their families with wellness checks