Topics

RISE participants heard from representatives from Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C), who explained how that organization creates pathways to careers for Ohio high school and college students.

Meeting Notes

Key People & Organizations

• Jacqueline Yahn
• Tasha Werry
• Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C)
  • Started in 2012
  • 12 staff
  • Website: bb2careers.org
    • Tells the story from each perspective
    • Replicate. Connect.
• Ohio Rural Schools Collaborative Hub
  • Regional hubs

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Core Concepts & Philosophy

Partnership & Community

• “Intentional Partnership Building”
• “The conversation is the work”
• Deep in respect, trust, and working with teams before formal organization
• Know and understand your community, political climate, relationships
• “Coordinate, don’t duplicate.”
• Sustain: Keep outside of an institution but “partner with everyone.”
• Community and career connected learning
  • Community = career
  • Some teachers may not initially think it applies to them
  • Avoid “workforce”; consider what words trigger people
  • Get behind the mindsets

Systems Thinking

• “Complex-adaptive systems.”
  Live within the tension that you’re building something that is also changing.
• Not linear. Organic.

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Work with Schools & Teachers

• Going into high schools and universities
• “Pathway”: Lead with your pathway when speaking with students
• Work with teacher candidates before they go out; bring them back as alumni
• Teachers are the missing link
  • They are gatekeepers to student participation
  • Intentional partnerships can connect with teachers
• Provide graduate credit for teachers doing this work

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BB2C Models & Programs

Network & Buckets

• Network concept
• Four buckets:
  • Work in the network

Fellowships

1. Ohio Rural Teacher Fellowship
   • Funding, support, time
   • Pair with mentors
   • Career exploration
2. OU Eastern Rural Teacher Corps (Undergrad teacher candidates)
   • Stipend, gas money, food
   • Application process
   • 11 students funded this year
   • Cohort structure

• Started with “teacher liaisons”

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Activities & Examples

• Makerspace (direct service)
  • Incubator requirement to work with students
  • See website
• Discovery Days
  • Whole day; hands-on
  • Now focused on healthcare and manufacturing
  • Networking lunch
  • BB2C coordinates; schools identify students
  • Capture the benefits
• Use college students in career fields to talk with K–12 students

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Funding & Support

• Grants helped get BB2C started
• One group had support from county commission
• Funding sources:
  • Sugarbush at OU (university + community partner)

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