aha! Process - Bridges Community Programs - Tools, Resources, Solutions

Bridges Out of Poverty/Community Programs

"As County Commissioner, it's my job to make sure that people in poverty have access to the resources they need and our policies aren't holding anyone back. By implementing Bridges Out of Poverty, we've given our front-line staff the knowledge and the empathy to work with people in poverty effectively. With over 200 Getting Ahead graduates, we've shown that people in poverty are ready to take control of their lives as long as the community is there to support them. I'm proud that Lucas County is working everyday to end poverty in every part of our community."

Pete Gerken
County Commissioner
Lucas County, OH

If you are looking to counter poverty or its impact on people and businesses in your community, explore the innovative concepts and training found in Bridges Out of Poverty solutions.

Bridges Out of Poverty is a book and an approach that helps employers, community organizations, social-service agencies, and individuals address poverty in a comprehensive way. Under our Bridges Model, we offer the ideas, structures, and concrete tools a community needs to prevent, alleviate, and reduce poverty. People from all economic classes come together to improve job retention rates, build resources, improve outcomes, and support those who are moving out of poverty.

Read more about the Bridges Out of Poverty Model, steps to develop a Bridges community, and the costs of developing a Bridges Community.

Bridges helps a community:

Understand poverty's impact on people and communities
Reduce poverty rates
Improve retention rates
Reduce staff burnout, cynicism, and absenteeism
Create employment opportunities

Improve economic development and community sustainability
Improve front-line services
Reduce homelessness
Start a Circles™ Initiative

How to get started

Attend a Bridges workshop provided by a Bridges Consultant or a local Certified Bridges Trainer. If you think Bridges could help, please call us at (800) 424-9484 or e-mail us at communities@ahaprocess.com. We are happy to help you build a plan. Here are some next steps:

	Community organizations: (hospital, court, workforce development agency, social service agency, counseling agency, nonprofit office, faith-based organization, college, law enforcement) Read books the Bridges workshop is based on: Bridges Out of Poverty, Bridges to Sustainable Communities, Tactical Communication, Understand and Engaging Under-Resourced College Students, and Until it's Gone. Conduct study groups View the Bridges DVD series Apply the information at the individual level Enhance your self-awareness Improve your relationships at home, work, and in your community Attend an Applying Bridges Concepts workshop by a Bridges Consultant or a Certified Bridges Trainer Use the information at the organizational level Provide a Bridges Out of Poverty workshop for all members of the organization: CEO, board of directors, mangers, and front-line staff Sustain staff training by developing a team of Certified Bridges Trainers Improve outcomes by making changes in procedures and programming
	Businesses: (healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, construction, entertainment) Improve retention, advancement, and attendance rates using core Bridges ideas and strategies Bridges Out of Poverty, Bridges to Sustainable Communities, Tactical Communication, Understand and Engaging Under-Resourced College Students, and Until it's Gone. Attend a Bridges Out of Poverty Overview provided by a Bridges Consultant or a licensed Bridges site Contact us to schedule a program. Read The Hidden Rules of Class at Work, Bridges Out of Poverty, or other Bridges-related publications. Read about the businesses using the Bridges Model for success: Cascade Engineering, Stanford Social Innovations Review Cincinnati Works, written up in Harvard Business Review West Michigan TEAM. Vermont Works, winners of the SHRM Pinnacle Award Integrate concepts and strategies into the organization by conducting a Bridges Out of Poverty workshop for human resources, managers, and supervisors Improve recruitment, training, and retention by joining an existing Bridges Steering Committee in your community or begin to build one in your community.
	Individuals or families in poverty: Learn the core concepts Adults can participate in a Getting Ahead group. Getting Ahead looks into the impact of poverty on individuals and the community and is provided by local organizations Young people can participate in R Rules classes provided by local agencies or schools. If you are interested in starting a Getting Ahead or R Rules group, please contact us at communities@ahaprocess.com or call (800) 424-9484 Get involved by: Serving on the Bridges Steering Committee Helping to provide Getting Ahead for others by becoming a co-facilitator Join or help create a Circles™ Initiative by becoming a Circle Leader or an Ally
	Community members: Read Bridges Out of Poverty, Bridges to Sustainable Communities, What Every Church Member Should Know About Poverty, and Until It's Gone. Help form or join an existing Bridges Steering Committee Help provide Getting Ahead workshops Help start a Circles™ Initiative