Developing organization specific objectives: Which jobs will be targeted? How many participants? When will the program be offered?

Implementation
Acknowledge and credit each person's contribution/support of the program, from the chief executive, to managers, to co-workers. Take time to celebrate the successes, such as graduations and placements.

Ongoing Evaluation:
Include a feedback process for all those involved in the program: participants, trainers, managers, and work placement supervisors.

Crossing the Bridge

The BRIDGES Program brings about change within an organization on three levels: organizational, attitudinal, and individual. Organizationally, BRIDGES directly and indirectly helps an organization to become more aware of supportive policies and structures already in place and of systemic barriers to employment equity. For example, at the City of Toronto, the lack of City-wide seniority was identified as a systemic barrier for employees who wished to cross over from the "inside" workers' union local to the "outside" workers' bargaining unit.

Pockets of support and resistance also surface, identifying attitudinal barriers and giving the organization opportunity to deal with sexual harassment or more subtle forms of gender discrimination. Observing women employees successfully complete a work placement promotes a change of attitude among male workers. After a City of Toronto BRIDGES participant completed a work placement on an asphalt paving crew, each male member of the crew individually suggested to the for a person that she be hired on a permanent basis.

Individual women participants are empowered by learning new skills and by building self-confidence through each of the program components. Of the 92 BRIDGES graduates to date, 62% have moved to permanent or temporary no jobs in their own organizations or are involved in no continuing education programs related to specific jobs. Graduates have formed an independent, voluntary BRIDGES Alumna Association which has served as an advocacy and support group.

As Pam Napier, an employee of Consumers Gas and a class valedictorian, said: "We are closing the final stage of the BRIDGES Program and beginning a new stage of our work career. Wanting to work in a no job is one thing that each of the BRIDGES women share. But from each other we have learned so much.

"We came together from three different companies, each having our own knowledge and experiences, and now we leave here knowing so much more about not only no work, but of ourselves. We have had to go from saying 'I don't know if I can do that,' to 'Yes I can do that and I can do it well.'" Other women have offered short descriptions of what the course meant to them: "I know too much now to stand back and pretend. To go after what I want because of my knowledge and skills, it is my right to have the job I want."