The purpose of BRIDGE Forward (Building Readiness: Integrating Direction, Goals, and Empowerment is to support individuals who have left/stopped out of education - regardless of their plans to return or not - in determining both a short-term and long-term plan for discerning next steps toward success in their value roles/career/job/education/future plans. This 6-week service is available to anyone who is considering/has considered stopping out of education and is designed to support them in their process of identifying values, skills, and interest in order to define their direction and goals toward a fulfilling and lasting career or vocation.

Upon successful completion, clients whose objective is to find a job, obtain an apprenticeship, engage in an alternate workforce pathway, or return to education may elect to continue working with us through another existing CRC service (active job seekers, career advising, education advising).

If BRIDGE Forward sounds like the right service for you, please use the BRIDGE Forward Inquiry Form.

Please note: only the individual requesting services may complete the inquiry survey. If an individual is not able to (or interested) to do so CRC Workforce is not an appropriate program for them.

Job Search Coaching is series of 5 to 10 individual meetings, as mutually determined and scheduled by the client and the coach. This service is for those who are amid - or ready to begin - a job search. Participants are prepared to develop or refine professional materials, identify opportunities, network, and apply to jobs or volunteer positions. In the Job Search Coaching program, you will meet one-on-one with a member of our Workforce Team. We will help you draft and/or review your materials and help you prepare for successfully engaging in a job search by evaluating job opportunities, creating SMART goals, and preparing for networking and interviews.

Career Advising is a series of 5-10 individual meetings, specific cadence and schedule determined mutually by client and coach. If you have not yet identified your desired next step or are seeking a new career field, our Career Advising program will help you evaluate your options and opportunities. You will meet one-on-one with a member of our Workforce Team and begin with assessments to determine a starting point for your conversations with us, and we will spend 2-3 sessions discussing the pros and cons of options that are both appealing and appropriate for you. We will guide you in learning how to identify opportunities for informational interviews, upskilling/continuing education, and events and networking. Once you’ve determined a direction (or a couple) that you’d like to explore, we will offer you the opportunity to take advantage of our Job Search Coaching service.

Education Advising is a series of 5-10 individual meetings, specific cadence and schedule determined mutually by client and coach. Whether you’re looking for a free course to support the demands of your job, hoping to identify a certificate program to change careers or improve your employability in your field, or looking to go back to school for a degree program (from Associate’s to Doctorate!) we will be pleased to support you on your journey. You will meet one-on-one with a member of our Workforce Team so that we can learn about your needs and interests, and then support you in finding the right opportunities and applying for them.

Peer consults are occasional, as needed conversations. Our Workforce Team knows what it’s like to work when you’re not feeling your best. If you need a safe space to discuss concerns you have about going back to work (or maintain the job you have while you seek other opportunities), we are here to help you. Consults are occasional one-one-one conversations about specific roadblocks. They are limited to offering workplace related support from the peer perspective, and are not a substitute for addressing ongoing issues you may have with maintaining your mental health at work or during a job search.

All Workforce participants are invited to drop in to our weekly virtual sessions (Mondays, 1pm). Presentations and discussions are led by CRC Workforce staff and participants as well as guest speakers in the fields of job coaching, career advising, and professional development. CRC additionally offers programming in person and throughout the year. Our peer community programs offer participants the opportunity to discuss and engage with vital information to support their job search, career pivot, and wellness in the workplace and to share experiences with others on the same journey. Please note: This is not a support group; if you are seeking a support group please see “Working & Coping.”

Working & Coping Support Group monthly virtual meetings (3rd Mondays, 7pm) are co-hosted with DBSA-Boston. This facilitated support group offers help to peers who are in need of a listening community to discuss work-related and job-search issues. Please see the Support Group page for more information.

Workforce Program participants are exposed to a breadth of content. Networking, resume writing, application processes, upskilling, interviewing, and negotiating are among the topics covered. Particular attention is paid to the challenges faced by program participants - identifying the right next steps, maintaining motivation, addressing gaps in work history, and understanding employee rights & disclosure options.

Dayna Altman’s warm approach and enthusiastic nature allows her to support clients in their job search while honoring their mental health recovery. Outside of the Cole Resource Center, Dayna is the full force and sole operator of Bake it Till You Make it LLC. A community based organization that uses food and baking to cultivate authentic mental health conversation,  Bake it Till You Make it combines the power of food with creative storytelling. When not working in either of these capacities, you can find her with her loved one, usually with an iced coffee in hand. 

Caitlin Gillooly is the Workforce Specialist for Allston-Brighton,
supporting residents in accessing job opportunities, skill-building resources, and pathways to success. She brings more than 15 years of experience across the private sector, with a background in strategy, compliance, and program development at companies including Wayfair, Amazon, Thrasio, and 1stdibs. She holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a BA in Psychology from Harvard University.

As Lead Workforce Peer Specialist, Neil Wilson, CPS, works with fellow peers who are in mental health recovery, helping individuals more effectively and successfully select careers and gain employment. Neil’s engagement with CRC is the culmination of a long career in the field of career development that has included work in higher education, corporate outplacement, recruiting, facilitating support groups, and private practice career counseling. Neil lives in Newburyport, MA.  

Steve Fedele, IPS Vocational Specialist, is an author, speaker, and has been a peer specialist at McLean Hospital since 2017 where he coordinates the Well-Space Program. Steve supports CRC Workforce clients with questions about documenting disability, workplace accommodations, disclosure, unemployment applications and more.