Transition Services Self-Assessment Toolkit for Adult Education and Developmental Bridge Programs

Bridge programs prepare adults with limited academic or limited English skills to enter and succeed in postsecondary education and training leading to employment in high-demand, middle- and high-skilled occupations. in order to be recognized as a bridge program in Illinois, programs must include: contextualized instruction, career development, and transition services. contextualized instruction integrates basic reading, math, and language skills and industry/occupation knowledge. career development includes career exploration and planning, as well as understanding the world of work. Transition services help students complete the bridge program and transition to and succeed in credit or occupational training and employment. The three general types of transition services are personal (or support services), academic, and financial.“Three documents comprised the toolkit. The first document in the toolkit was the Team Survey. The team could use the survey to assess program design and how team members perceived the types and usage of transition services. The toolkit also included a Service Usage Evaluation (SUE), which could be completed by a few members on the team and shared with the rest of the team to help the team get a clearer understanding of how services were actually being used. Finally, once the team had completed the other two documents and discussed them, the third document, the Service Improvement Plan (SIP), could be used to help the team decide on priorities and responsibilities for making any necessary improvements to transition services. Transition services are always a work in progress, especially in tight fiscal times, so even the best program was likely to find a strength to build on or a service that was being underutilized” (p. 1–2). (Abstractor: Author)

Bridge programs serve a wide variety of students with different strengths, support systems, and needs. However, as with any student, life, work, family, and school demands can become overwhelming requiring a little extra support. A network of proactive transition services provides students with the resources and support they need to transition from one level of education to the next or to successfully transition into careers. Transition services include academic, personal, and financial services, and should also support another core element of bridge programs, career development. Examples of transition services include, but are not limited to: tutoring, child care assistance, career counseling, regular advising or counseling, referrals to supportive housing, and assistance accessing income supports or other types of financial aid such as grants or scholarships” (p.1). (Abstractor: Author)

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• Resource Publication Date: 1
• Author(s): No individual author identified.
• Organizational Author(s): Women Employed
• Funding Source: Illinois Community College Board
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
• Posted by: India Johnson
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies