Overview
The Bronx Opportunity Network (BON) is a partnership between eight Bronx-based organizations with long histories of performing social services in the South Bronx. Working with five City of New York (CUNY) Institutions—Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bronx Community College, Guttman Community College, Hostos Community College, and Lehman College—the BON’s mission is to work as a collaborative to address the systemic and individual challenges that can limit college enrollment, college graduation, and employment prospects among low-income Bronx students.
The Challenge
Young adults in the Bronx face a disproportionate challenge finding good jobs. While roughly 50% of all NYC young adults are currently employed, only 40% in the Bronx are. Part of this is due to the fact that Bronx young adults lack the necessary supports to accumulate credits and progress toward graduation.
17.7%
of young adults in the Bronx without a high school diploma, not in school, and not working
33%
of young adults in the Bronx with a high school diploma do not have a postsecondary credential and are not in school
23%
of young adults in the Bronx that have a postsecondary credential are not working
The Approach
The BON’s Theory of Change is that by helping young people find their purpose and providing holistic supports through a networked approach with structural partnerships between CBOs and college leadership, the BON will increase student engagement and retention, ultimately fostering degree completion and the start of family-sustaining careers.
The BON achieves this goal through three strategic objectives:
- Invest in postsecondary education success through remediation and support services.
- Improve university systems to improve student outcomes.
- Promote career success by offering services that focus on students’ job readiness, soft skills, and connections to employment opportunities.
BON partners work together with CUNY college leadership to promote and advance campus initiatives that support the educational success of their students. This allows the network to inform institutional policy, which addresses four major challenges that disproportionately affect our young adult population who aspire to community college: 1) building college-level academic skills, 2) building tenacity, self-direction and adaptability within a college context, 3) navigating complex processes to apply for admission, register for classes, select a major, and access financial aid, and 4) receive support and encouragement to persist and graduate with an Associate’s degree, or transfer to a Bachelor’s degree program.
Impact
The BON’s collaboration with community colleges has resulted in a new set of policies at the college level. This includes working with various institutions’ administrative staff to offer individualized support for BON students, developing a strategy that connects more Bronx residents to college pathways, and cutting tuition costs for BON students.
Our Partners
Related Publications
The Bronx Opportunity Network (BON) is now a member of the Bronx Transfer Affinity Group (BTAG), a group of CUNY institutions working on student transfer between community college and senior college. BON was formally welcomed into the group during their virtual summit on March 19, 2021. A recording of the summit can be found here. […]
Yesterday, Governor Cuomo announced a proposal to offer free college tuition to State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) students whose families earn $125,000 or less per year. The plan would include community college and four-year college students. Governor Cuomo has proposed a three-year rollout that would start in […]
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The Bronx Opportunity Network (BON) is a collaborative effort among a group of seven CBOs serving young adults in the South Bronx, which, in partnership with Bronx and Hostos Community Colleges, has developed a borough-based initiative to increase college access—and to support post-secondary retention—among disconnected young adults. The Network’s mission is to enable under-prepared Bronx […]
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