Nexus Youth Services is a fully accredited mental health agency for youth 14-24 years of age in Peel. Nexus creates opportunities for youth by providing high quality services that are inclusive and responsive to the needs and voices of youth.
At Nexus, we reach out to youth through our Community Counselling program and a variety of services offered at Nexus Youth Centre.
For our Community Counselling program you can call WhereToStart.ca at 905-451-4655 or fill out this online form and someone will call you back within 1-2 business days.
To check out the Nexus Youth Centre you can drop in anytime we are open or call 905-566-1883.
Nexus Youth Services has two locations in Peel Region.
Our head office is on the southeast corner of Hurontario St and Derry Rd (85A Aventura Court) in Mississauga.
The Nexus Youth Centre is located inside the Mississauga Central Library (301 Burnhamthorpe Rd West) on the second floor.
We have counsellors who speak Hindi, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian and Urdu. All of Nexus services are provided in a culturally informed manner, including cultural interpretation to ensure that you can receive service in your first language.
Back to topWe understand the demands of a busy life and we are able to offer services at times that do not conflict with school or employment.
You are always welcome to drop-in to the Nexus Youth Centre during its operating hours:
If you are in danger call 911. In case of medical emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital.
If you need to talk to someone right now, please call Peel Children's Centre's 24/7 Crisis Line at 416-410-8615 (if under 18), Mobile Crisis of Peel at 905-848-7754 (if over 18), or Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.
Yes, all Nexus services are free. You don’t have to pay to get the help you need.
Back to topYou have to be between the ages of 14 to 24 to get help from Nexus. If you are under the age of 14, you can contact Peel Children’s Centre.
Back to topYes. Anyone between the ages of 14 to 24, who lives in Brampton, Mississauga or Caledon, is welcome to come to Nexus.
Back to topYou can meet with counsellors privately and we will not tell your parents or anyone else what we’ve talked about. The only time we would share anything you say with someone else is if we think it may save somebody from harm. So if you tell us that somebody under the age of 16 is being hurt by somebody else or that you are thinking about hurting yourself or others, we have the right and responsibility to pass along that information without getting your permission. We are very committed to protecting your privacy, but safety comes first.
Your first appointment with us will be by phone. We’ll ask you to answer some questions to make sure Nexus is right for you.
Your second appointment will be face-to-face. We call it Step One to Success, or SOS for short. In this appointment you can talk with a counsellor who will want to learn about your strengths and your needs, and explore resources that might be helpful to you.
After an SOS session, if you decide you need counselling for a longer period of time, you may be put on a waiting list. We know that waiting can be hard so you can come back for more SOS meetings with the same counsellor, or try a different counsellor if you want. If needed, we can also help connect you to another community service.
In longer-term counselling, Nexus is all about working with you to set and work toward your personal goals. Counselling will finish once you achieve those goals, but you are always welcome to come back to Nexus if you need help in the future.
Nexus counsellors can meet you at the Nexus Youth Centre inside the Mississauga Central Library or the main office at the southeast corner of Hurontario Street and Derry Road. If you can’t make it to either of these places, let us know and we will work with you to find a place where you feel comfortable having a conversation.
Back to topInformation that you share in your counselling sessions is private. Any information we get from you, and anything that your counsellor writes down about you, is kept in a confidential file called a Clinical Record. Your record is kept secure with other Clinical Records in our Clinical Records Room. By law, you have the right to see your Clinical Record at any time. For more information about our Privacy Policy and how to access your Clinical Record, click here.
Back to topYes. At Nexus Youth Centre there is something for everyone. Here you can get help finding a job, place to live, meet new friends, network, get involved with your community or have someone to talk to. At Nexus, we are here to support you.
Back to topNexus Youth Centre offers a variety of programs that include fitness, girls’ circles, creative writing workshops and much more.
Why not try out one of our groups where you can:
Let us know! We are always open to looking at new programs.
Back to topAt Nexus Youth Centre, we offer volunteer opportunities to gain work experience, earn community service hours and learn skills to help others in our community.
You can earn volunteer hours by getting involved in our daily groups or by becoming more involved in the day-to-day life of the drop-in. If you are interested in volunteering, visit our drop-in to learn more about the important role volunteers play at Nexus.
Volunteer opportunities include:
Nexus believes in youth engagement. This means that your voice matters! At Nexus Youth Services, we believe in the value of working together with youth. We respect your opinion and we want to hear your ideas. Your energy and expertise help us to make our services right for you! Youth are what makes Nexus a safe and unique place to be.
Contact us to find out how you can be engaged at Nexus!
When you finish with our services, we will ask you to tell us how well we did. Please give us your honest opinions about our services. We are always trying to improve them.
Back to topAll of our staff are professionally trained to give you the type of support that has been proven to help youth achieve their goals. Nexus staff really care, and enjoy working with all youth and young adults.
Nexus also has young people working as summer students or Peer Youth Workers. Contact us if you are interested in finding out more about working at Nexus or visit our Careers page.
You have these rights when you use our services.
If you ever have a concern with any of the services provided by Nexus, feel free to talk to your counsellor. If your issue continues, please ask your counsellor about speaking with the Nexus supervisor. If this still doesn’t help, you can call our office at (905) 795-3518 to speak to our Director of Clinical Services. Your voice is important and we will do everything to ensure that you are heard.
You can also report your concern to the Children and Youth Unit of the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman. In response to a request, a complaint, or on its own initiative, the Ontario Ombudsman acts on behalf of concerns of individuals or groups of children or youth and can undertake reviews, make recommendations, and provide advice to governments, facilities, systems, agencies, or service providers.
To make a complaint, or for more information on the Children and Youth Unit, please visit the Ombudsman’s website at www.ombudsman.on.ca or contact the unit at 1-800-263-2841 or 416-325-5669.
Nexus Youth Services receives funding from a number of sources including the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services, United Way of Peel Region, Region of Peel, City of Mississauga, Ontario Trillium Foundation, other levels of government, foundations, corporations and businesses, employee groups and individual donors.
Donations from people, organizations, and companies help us better meet the needs of youth in our community who are facing serious challenges with relationships, feelings, or behaviour. Giving to Nexus Youth Services is a great way to show your commitment to helping youth reach their full potential.
Nexus Youth Services has made giving easy.
We accept donations through CanadaHelps.org, which processes secure, online donations for Canadian charities. Your donation will be sent directly to Nexus Youth Services and you will receive a tax receipt within minutes of making the donation. You can make a one-time donation or join our monthly giving program.