Bridge Program

The Bridge program is one of the most successful welfare-to-work programs in New York State. Designed to help end the cycle of public assistance dependency and increase the economic self-sufficiency of unemployed, underemployed and youth recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Bridge program has been administered by The State University of New York University Center for Academic and Workforce Development (SUNY UCAWD) since 1993.

Bridge is currently housed in seven (7) SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs), one State college, six (6) community colleges, and two (2) community-based organizations. The 16 Bridge programs, operating in 35 counties, offer a range of programs and services that fall into three categories:

• pre-employment services which use a holistic approach to address the personal, educational, and employment-related needs of TANF recipients
• post-employment services which use a holistic approach to address the personal, educational, and employment-related needs of TANF recipients who are employed full- or part-time
• youth services that address the unique academic and career needs of at-risk youth

Each Bridge program is designed to meet the specific needs of the participants, the local department of social services, and the community. The array of programs and services include:

• job readiness training that helps prepare participants with the fundamental skills necessary to obtain and retain employment.
• vocational education training that prepares participants to secure employment in careers that provide high-wages and benefits as well as opportunities for pathways to career growth.
• work experience opportunities that provide participants, who have little or no employment history, with the structured and supported opportunities to learn and apply the skills necessary to obtain employment.
• training to acquire digital literacy and software application skills that are demanded for all potential employment opportunities.
• case management and counseling to enable participants to remain in and complete programs that will lead to economic self-sufficiency.

*The 8-month 2008 Bridge program ended on August 31, 2008. Normally, in a 12-month program, most job retentions are achieved during the final quarter of the program year.

For the 8-month Bridge program (January 1, 2008 through August 31, 2008):

• 4,727 participants received Bridge programs and services.
• 80 percent of all participants were female; 20 percents of all Bridge participants were male.
• 51 percent of Bridge participants were TANF Family Assistance recipients.
• 35 percent of Bridge participants, both TANF Family Assistance and TANF 200 percent, had children under 6 years of age.
• 222 participants had either a documented learning, physical, or mental disability.
• 81 percent of participants had at least one dependent child; 1,250 participants had more than 2 dependent children.
• 2,127 women and 403 men were unemployed at time of enrollment in Bridge.
• 648 women and 186 men were not in the labor force at time of enrollment.

For further information concerning the Bridge Program, please contact the following University Center for Academic and Workforce Development staff at 518-443-5793: