Bridges to Employment

Take action to reach your employment goals. Bridges to Employment is an 11-week program that combines work exploration and career planning in a classroom setting.

Broken into three components, explained in detail below, Bridges to Employment can be customized to address specific group needs. Individualized assistance is also provided through coaching sessions and mutually agreed upon tasks. This will assist participants in creating their final action plan that will bring them closer to their employment goals. Post-program support is offered for six months following the completion of the program.

Component 1: Team Building, Self-Assessments and Addressing Barriers

Learn about yourself to create a better future.

Assessment tools will help you:

• Gain a better understanding of yourself and your areas for improvement
• Communicate more effectively with group members
• Identify your interests, values, competencies and personality traits
• Create your action plan and set goals
• Develop improved self-management skills

Component 2: Employability, Essential Skills and Introduction to Action Planning

Identify how to improve your employability skills and how they apply to the labour market and job requirements.

Resources will address:

• Employment barriers
• Communication skills
• Life skills to manage time, finances, health and life
• Personal action planning
• Individual employability skill levels
• Skills improvement

Component 3: Labour Market Research and Job Search Skills

Learn how to connect your strengths and weaknesses to the world of work.

In this module, you will:

• Conduct extensive research on potential occupations
• Identify suitable employment opportunities that match your interests
• Consider alternative work options
• Determine your employment goals

Bridges to Employment Action Plan

Make yourself accountable by measuring your success.

As a Bridges to Employment participant, you are required to complete a final action plan before program completion. This action plan will consolidate learnings and skills acquired from the program. Through individual consultations as well as group workshops, the action plan will be reviewed and modified with alternative actions should initial plans prove to be unsuccessful. The action plan will identify steps taken to date, results and future activities required for you to achieve your employment objectives.

Follow-up

We aim to assist you in following your path to achieving your career goal.

Every participant will have a vision and plan put in place before graduating from the program. Post-program support is offered for six months after the program is completed. To get more individual support and guidance, follow-up appointments can be booked over the phone or by email.

Contact Wendolyne Vazquez for more information at wvazquez@achev.ca

• Must live in Toronto (Postal code must start with an M), and be in receipt of Ontario Works; a caseworker referral is required
• 18 years of age or older
• Able to read, write and speak English (Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 5) to complete program activities
• Able to function in a group setting and be able to complete individual assignments
• In need of assistance to develop career goals and the skills necessary to enter the labour market
• Legally entitled to work, and/or attend educational/training programs or proof they have applied for a work permit
• Able to commit to a full-time 11-week program, Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm