Programs
Boston Education Collaborative
Working with churches and schools, our mission is to empower underserved urban youth with the education they need for transformation—in their lives and in their communities
Overview • Opportunities to Get Involved • Staff • Donate
Overview
The Boston Education Collaborative (BEC) strategically engages churches, schools, colleges, and educators to motivate and support underserved urban youth in gaining the skills they need to become successful, responsible individuals who have a positive impact on the city and future generations of students. Building upon educational research and needs assessments, we provide resources, develop programs and build partnerships for meeting the educational needs of urban youth, especially as they seek to complete high school, pursue and complete post-secondary education, and return to serve in the city after graduation. We seek to support churches as they serve the youth in their communities through strengthening their existing programs, starting new initiatives, evaluating the short- and long-term impact of the programs, and hosting networking, learning and reflection sessions.
BEC began to address the lack of opportunities in post-secondary education for students of color through the creation of the Higher Education Resource Centers and College Success Initiative programs. We are continuing to build upon those successes by expanding our work to engage churches and schools on a broader scale while fostering the ability of students at all stages to see the city as an asset to nurture, not flee. From 1999-2001, the BEC pioneered five HERCs in Boston's South End, Dorchester, Brockton, Lawrence, and Worcester. These centers provide programs such as SAT preparation, tutoring, and mentoring to help and inspire students in their academic performance. They also provide college and career information and guidance to inner-city students and their families. In addition, the College Success Initiative (CSI) program helped urban students succeed in college. Specifically, CSI partnered with Gordon College from 2002-2008 to create the New City Scholars program, now known as the Clarendon Scholars program. New City Scholars was based on a peer support strategy where 8 to 10 students from diverse ethnic backgrounds attend the same college and hold each other accountable for the success of all team members.
2009-2010 Update
The BEC is embarking on a season of reflection and learning. In particular, the BEC is returning to its research roots and conducting a wide-scale research of Greater Boston area churches, educators, youth and families to understand better the current involvement of churches in education as well as the potential leverage points for urban churches to serve the children, youth, and adults in their communities through education. In addition to this, the BEC is also hosting quarterly reflection and learning sessions for Greater Boston churches and Christian non-profits to reflect on their work and learn from one another.
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Opportunities to Get Involved
BEC Opportunities
Volunteer Research Assistant
Help with collecting and synthesizing information from online surveys and interviews for the 2009-2010 BEC research project (5-20 hours per week).
Church Survey
If you are a pastor or youth worker in the Greater Boston area, who can represent the interest of your church, please help to fill out this survey on the church’s engagement in education at www.egc.org/becsurvey. The survey should only take 5 minutes.
Reflection and Learning Sessions
Convene with other churches and Christian non-profits in Greater Boston for a time of networking, reflection, and learning. Contact Ruth to be notified of the next session.
BEC Financial Supporter
Support the important work of the BEC to build the capacity of churches to do transformative work in the lives of individuals through education. Your financial support provides funding for staff and programmatic expenses incurred as we host and work with churches.
- Individual Donations: Our goal is to add 30 new individual supporters for the 2009-2010 year to give $10-$100 monthly.
- Church Support: Our goal is to add 10 new church supporters for the 2009-2010 year.
BEC Prayer Supporter
Receive updates about the BEC so you can lift us up in prayer. We covet your prayers more than anything. Sign up for our Email Newsletter here.
Volunteer Opportunities with Churches
Mentors, Math and Science Tutors, or GED Tutors needed at churches in Boston and Cambridge.
Please contact Ruth at rwong[at]egc.org or 617-262-4567 for more information.
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It's easy to make an online donation to the Boston Education Collaborative! Just click on the button below to donate
through PayPal (it's safe and you don't need an account).
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