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About Project Bridges
Empowering Students as Workers
Project Bridges is Cotting School’s community-based volunteer work experience program. Our students work with local employers to develop their vocational and transitional skills. This program also builds and sustains connections between our school and the surrounding community, so that our students are empowered to view themselves as workers and as vital members of the greater community outside of their home and school. Students contribute to the productivity and morale of the worksites while advocating for their individual needs and applying their skills in a professional setting. We are continually working to develop new jobs for our students through partnerships. Our students go out to work weekly with a job coach. Our oldest students are offered the opportunity to work twice a week.
Supporting Employers
Benefits to the Workplace Project Bridges benefits the workplace by:
- Consistently and reliably meeting production needs and expectations of employers
- Forging lasting connections between students and co-workers
- Educating businesses about accommodations for workers with disabilities
For more information about Project Bridges, contact:
Michael Teuber, M.Ed, CAGS Director of Transition Services 781.862.7323 ext. 155 mteuber@cotting.org Project Bridges was started in 1990. Since then, over fifty local businesses and organizations have provided opportunities for Cotting students to explore various fields of work. Students have worked in hospitality, retail, food services, facilities, animal care, maintenance, clerical, child care, social outreach, horticulture and a variety of other settings.
Current Employers and Partners
- Acton Animal Hospital (2017)
- Artis Memory Care (2019)
- Bentley University (2019)
- Bina Farm (2019)
- Cambridge Public Library, O’Neill Branch (2003)
- Challenge Unlimited/Ironstone Farm (2018)
- Discovery Museum, Acton (2014)
- Dog Nanny, Andover (2019)
- Donelan’s Supermarkets, Lincoln (2015)
- Drumlin Farm Wildlife Center and Pre-School, Lincoln (2011)
- Empow Studios, Lexington (2017)
- Epicurean Feast, Chelmsford (2007)
- Hallie’s Flower Garden, Cambridge
- Hayden Recreation Center, Lexington (2019)
- Lahey Outpatient Clinic, Lexington (2001)
- Lexington Community Center (2017)
- Lexington Field and Garden Club (2019)
- Lexington Montessori School (2016)
- Lexmedia (2018)
- Lincoln Garden Club (2019)
- Lincoln Public Library (2012)
- Little Fox Resale Shop (2017)
- Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Center (2018)
- Magic Garden Children’s Center, Lincoln (2004)
- Mahoney’s Garden Center, Winchester (1995)
- Meadowbrook School Library (2018)
- Physical Therapy Associates of Concord (2016)
- Radio Perkins, Watertown (2014)
- Sancta Maria Nursing Facility, Cambridge (2008)
- Stone Meadow Golf Club, Lexington (2019)
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Lexington (2014)
- Takeda/Guckenheimer Food Service (2018)
- Takeda / Exos Fitness Center (2018)
- Thermo Fisher, Bedford (2019)
- TJ Maxx, Bedford (1994)
- TJ Maxx, Waltham (2018)
- Upper Crust Pizza, Lexington (2018)
- Wagon Wheel, Lexington
- Waltham Crossings Nursing Home, Waltham (2008)
- Waltham Police Department (2006)
- Waltham YMCA (2011)
- Watertown Public Library (2019)
- Winn St. Laundry, Burlington (2018)