Managing and maintaining a Coop is a huge undertaking, one that requires a team of dedicated people working together in the true spirit of cooperatives. No task is too big or too small, with everyone pulling together toward a common goal. To assist River Market to that end, the store has maintained a relationship with the Stillwater Bridge Transition Program.
Michael Albers, Work Based Learning Coordinator of the program gave us the details of the parts of this incredible program, saying “the Bridge Program serves 18 to 22-year-old students with special needs who are working to increase competence related to at least one area of life skills necessary for transitioning into adulthood including employment, education & training, and independent living. For the last couple of years, a component of the employment skills training has included a rotation working at River Market Community Co-op.”
“While at River Market, students rotate through positions in the Deli, front of the store, and the office/back of the house over the course of a semester. While working at River Market, not only do students learn how a grocery store operates, but they are also exposed to an environment where they can practice basic customer service skills, learn to self-initiate work routines, and focus on staying on task while on the job. Students are able to practice these skills in their own community while working with a staff that are welcoming and supportive.”
You’ll see Bridge Program students doing all sorts of essential tasks around the store that staff often don’t have the capacity to do, including organizing the front end, office space management, deli organization, and more. River Market has even been lucky enough to hire Bridge students as employees after completion of the program. The Bridge Program is an essential part of what makes our Coop tick, and we look forward to building these bridges for years to come!