Bridges Richmond

Bridges Richmond serves young adults ages 17 to 26 with barriers to employment across Berkeley and the West Contra Costa region of the East Bay. The program partners with Berkeley Unified School District and West Contra Costa Unified School District to identify students who can benefit from career readiness support and to coordinate transition planning with school staff.

Founded in 2007, Bridges Richmond serves both in-school students transitioning toward graduation and out-of-school young adults preparing for their first or next job. The Richmond program operates in close coordination with Bridges Oakland and Bridges San Francisco to extend the program's reach across the broader Bay Area.

Bridges Richmond is part of the Bay Area Bridges presence, working alongside Oakland and San Francisco to connect young adults with East Bay employers and to coordinate referrals across the region's school districts and community organizations.

Like every Bridges site, the Richmond program is free for participants and their families. A Youth Employment Specialist works one-on-one with each young adult to identify career goals, develop interviewing skills, connect with employers, create a résumé, apply for jobs, get a job, and succeed in a job. After a placement, the same specialist supports the new hire through the first year of employment, coordinating with the employer's HR team and following up at 30, 60, and 90-day milestones. The program is funded through grants, donations, and corporate giving. There is no tuition, and no fee to the employer.