Cleveland Center For Arts And Technology

NEW BRIDGE IS A TRAUMA INFORMED SEL LEARNING CENTER ASSISTING OUR STUDENTS TO IDENTIFY AND PURSUE EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER PATHWAYS THAT LEAD TO FULFILLED LIVES AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE. THESE EXPLORATIONS AND JOURNEYS LEAD TO PERSONAL WELLBEING, HEALTH EQUITY AND FAMILY SUSTAINING WAGES.

YOUTH PROGRAMS:NEW BRIDGE STRIVES TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE NORTHEAST OHIO COMMUNITY. THROUGH ALL ITS PROGRAMS, NEW BRIDGE PRIMARILY SERVES BLACK YOUTH AND ADULTS IN CLEVELAND WHO FACE DEEPLY ENTRENCHED ECONOMIC DISPARITY AND HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY A LACK OF RESOURCES, INEQUITABLE EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE, AND SYSTEMIC RACISM. NEW BRIDGE'S YOUTH PROGRAMS SERVE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT (CMSD), WHERE THERE IS GREAT NEED FOR QUALITY EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES. MOST OF NEW BRIDGE'S YOUTH PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF TRAUMA AND CHRONIC TOXIC STRESS, OR ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACE). ACES INCLUDE PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL ABUSE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY, NEGLECT, AND UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND CAN HAVE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON CHILDREN'S LEARNING, BEHAVIOR, HEALTH, AND LIFE SUCCESS. A LANDMARK STUDY FOUND THAT STUDENTS WITH THREE OR MORE ACES ARE 2.5 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO FAIL A GRADE, UP TO 32 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE LEARNING OR BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUSPENDED OR EXPELLED. FURTHER, THIS STUDY CONCLUDED THAT CHILDREN WITH MORE ACES ARE AT A GREATER RISK OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS. LOCALLY IN CLEVELAND, 4 IN 10 CHILDREN HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO OR MORE ACES. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS NEW BRIDGE'S YOUTH PROGRAMMING, HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO HELP STUDENTS OVERCOME THE IMPACTS OF ACES, LEADING TO SIGNIFICANT ACADEMIC OUTCOMES, GREATER SELF-AWARENESS, SOCIAL AWARENESS, AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. NEW BRIDGE'S YOUTH PROGRAMMING PLACES SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) FRONT AND CENTER BY PROVIDING ARTS-INFUSED YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CLEVELAND YOUTH. DUE TO THE SUCCESS OF ITS YOUTH PROGRAMMING, NEW BRIDGE IS A LEAD PARTNER AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL-TIME COORDINATOR IN THE SAY YES TO EDUCATION PROGRAM OPERATING IN 11 SCHOOLS WITHIN CMSD, WHICH SERVES 800 YOUTH DAILY. THESE PROGRAMS GIVE STUDENTS A SAFE PLACE TO GO AFTER SCHOOL AND OFFER EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. NEW BRIDGE WORKS CLOSELY WITH CMSD TO RECRUIT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN MYLENS, THE ORGANIZATION'S CORE YOUTH PROGRAM. MYLENS IS AN ARTS-INFUSED SEL OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMMING FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL CMSD STUDENTS. THROUGH MYLENS, STUDENTS LEARN TO CHALLENGE THEIR PERSONAL STEREOTYPES AND BIASES TO FEEL UNITED IN A GREATER IDENTITY, AND TO STRENGTHEN THEIR EMPATHY, UNDERSTANDING, AND SOCIAL AWARENESS. NEW BRIDGE COLLABORATES WITH ARTS AND CULTURAL PROFESSIONALS TO CREATE EFFECTIVE, ARTISTIC, VIBRANT PROJECTS THAT INSPIRE THE COMMUNITY AND ELEVATE ITS ASSETS. THE PROGRAM IS DELIVERED IN A 12-WEEK OR 24-WEEK FORMAT, AND THE IMAGES STUDENTS CAPTURE BECOME NARRATIVES ABOUT EACH STUDENT AND HOW THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR COMMUNITY. LAST YEAR, 100% OF CMSD HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MYLENS PROGRAM REPORTED GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. NEW BRIDGE ENSURES THAT ART IS AN ACCESSIBLE TOOL FOR STUDENTS TO GAIN THE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS THAT INCREASE THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE OF PEOPLE AND CULTURES THAT DIFFER FROM THEIR OWN, ACHIEVE 3 GREATER SELF-WORTH, AND REALIZE THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL REGARDLESS OF THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND. THROUGH THE CO-REGULATION AND COMMUNITY MODEL, STUDENTS ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS THAT STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY WHILE DEVELOPING THE SELF-REGULATION TOOLS THAT BUILD RESILIENCIES AND INCREASE THEIR ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL SUCCESS. YOUTH PROGRAMMING SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY TRACKING GRADUATION RATES AND THEIR NEXT STEPS AFTER GRADUATION. IN ADDITION TO 100% OF CMSD HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO PARTICIPATED IN MYLENS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL LAST YEAR, 31% ENTERED THE WORKFORCE, AND 69% ATTENDED A POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION. NEW BRIDGE'S YOUTH PROGRAMMING BENCHMARKS FOR SUCCESS IN FISCAL YEAR 2023 INCLUDE: -100 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL CMSD STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN MYLENS IN FISCAL YEAR 2023. -A MINIMUM OF 95% OF PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE CMSD HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WILL GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND ENTER THE WORKFORCE OR ATTEND A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION. -PARTICIPANTS WILL DEMONSTRATE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES OF 25% OR MORE IN SELF-AWARENESS, SELF-MANAGEMENT, SELF-RESPONSIBILITY, AND RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, MEASURED BY THE DEVEREUX STUDENTS STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT. BEYOND THE NUMBERS, NEW BRIDGE IS PROUD TO WITNESS STUDENTS' PERSONAL GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION. GRADUATES OFTEN SHARE THAT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN MYLENS DRASTICALLY CHANGES THEIR LIVES BY PROVIDING THEM WITH THE SKILLS TO SUCCEED AND AN ENERGIZED BELIEF IN THEMSELVES.

ADULT PROGRAMS:NEW BRIDGE'S ADULT WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CLEVELAND RESIDENTS WITH LOW INCOMES TO BUILD THE KNOWLEDGE AND APTITUDES THEY NEED TO BE HIRED INTO WELL-PAYING HEALTHCARE JOBS. NEW BRIDGE SERVES AS AN INNOVATIVE TRAINING PROVIDER BECAUSE OF THE NO-COST TRAINING SOLUTIONS PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE SCREENED OUT OF OTHER WORKFORCE PATHWAYS DUE TO LIMITED BASIC SKILLS, TECHNICAL SKILLS, INSUFFICIENT EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, AND LOAN DEFAULT, WHICH LARGELY STEMS FROM PREVIOUSLY FAILED ATTEMPTS AT TRADITIONAL POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS. THIS YEAR 132 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED WITHIN NEW BRIDGE'S THREE ADULT WORKFORCE PROGRAMS: MEDICAL ASSISTANT; PHLEBOTOMY; AND PATIENT CARE ASSISTANT (DISCONTINUED IN 2022). NEW BRIDGE'S WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE REGISTERED WITH THE OHIO STATE BOARD OF CAREER COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS.THESE WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO SERVE STUDENTS WHO HAVE HAD PAST CHALLENGES WITH POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION. MORE THAN 25% OF NEW BRIDGE'S ADULT STUDENTS HAVE BEGUN AND FAILED A PREVIOUS POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION OPTION. AS A RESULT, MANY STUDENTS HAVE DEEP-ROOTED ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL-BASED TRAUMAS THAT HINDER THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRESSION. TO MEET THESE STUDENTS' NEEDS, NEW BRIDGE STRATEGICALLY BUILDS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) COMPONENTS INTO THE WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM. STUDENTS WORK TO COMBAT PAST AND CURRENT TRAUMAS THROUGH DEVELOPING SEL COMPETENCIES RELATED TO WORKPLACE SUCCESS, SUCH AS RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING, SOCIAL AWARENESS, AND GOAL-DIRECTED BEHAVIOR.BEYOND DEMAND-FACING JOB SKILLS, NEW BRIDGE ALSO PROVIDES WRAP-AROUND SERVICES SUCH AS FINANCIAL ADVISING, NUTRITION, POST-GRADUATION CASE MANAGEMENT, AND LOAN RESTRUCTURING SUPPORT. THESE SUPPORTS HELP TO ENSURE THAT NEW BRIDGE MITIGATES THE BARRIERS THAT MOST OFTEN PREVENT INDIVIDUALS FROM ACHIEVING THEIR SHORT AND LONG-TERM EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER GOALS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING, NEW BRIDGE HAS SUCCESSFULLY TRAINED AND PLACED OVER 600 ADULTS INTO FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY, CREATING A TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NEARLY $45 MILLION.NEW BRIDGE'S INNOVATIVE TECHNICAL SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM DIRECTLY RESULTS IN ADULTS SECURING MEANINGFUL, WELL-PAYING JOBS. CURRENTLY, NEW BRIDGE OFFERS TRAINING IN THREE IN-DEMAND HEALTHCARE CAREER FIELDS: PATIENT CARE ASSISTANT, PHLEBOTOMY, AND MEDICAL ASSISTING.THE TEN-WEEK, 300-HOUR PATIENT CARE ASSISTANT (PCA) TRAINING PROGRAM PREPARES STUDENTS FOR A POSITION IN A HOSPITAL OR HOME CARE SETTING. STUDENTS LEARN TO PROVIDE QUALITY PATIENT CARE USING SPECIALIZED NURSING SKILLS. STUDENTS ARE TRAINED IN FUNDAMENTAL NURSING SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES INCLUDING CPR, WHICH PROVIDES ITS OWN STANDALONE CREDENTIAL.THE TEN-WEEK, 340-HOUR PHLEBOTOMY PROGRAM PREPARES STUDENTS TO COLLECT BLOOD SPECIMENS FOR ANALYSIS IN CLINICAL LABS. STUDENTS RECEIVE 180 HOURS OF CLASSROOM TRAINING ON ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY; PHLEBOTOMY; CPR; COMPUTER SKILLS; MATH; COMMUNICATION SKILLS; CONFLICT RESOLUTION; AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. STUDENTS ALSO COMPLETE 160 HOURS OF CLINICAL TRAINING THROUGH A HOSPITAL-BASED EXTERNSHIP. THE TEN-MONTH, 1200- HOUR MEDICAL ASSISTANT (MA) TRAINING PROGRAM PREPARES STUDENTS TO SIT FOR AND OBTAIN A NATIONAL HEALTHCARE'S CERTIFICATION AS A CCMA (CERTIFIED CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT) UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM. MEDICAL ASSISTANTS ARE MULTI-SKILLED, MULTITASKING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS EDUCATED NOT ONLY IN CLINICAL SKILLS ALLOWING THEM TO PROVIDE DIRECT PATIENT CARE BUT ALSO IN ADMINISTRATIVE MEDICAL CLERICAL OFFICE PROCEDURES. STUDENTS WILL LEARN TO PROVIDE QUALITY PATIENT CARE AND OFFICE PROCEDURES THROUGH CLASS LECTURES, HANDS ON SKILLS LAB PRACTICE AND A 160-HR CLINICAL EXTERNSHIP. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF EITHER OF THE ABOVE PROGRAMS, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, PORTABLE INDUSTRY CREDENTIAL.