West African Immigrant Stands Tall With Help From NewBridge Jobs

2017 NewBridge Jobs Plus graduate Amadou is now a nursing student at County College of Morris.

Amadou understands perseverance. He spoke little English in 2014 when, at age 19, he moved from the African country of Senegal to Parsippany to join sister and mother. He was determined to earn his high school diploma.

NewBridge Jobs Plus Program Director Amy Sheppard directed him to an English as a second language course, and accepted Amadou into the NewBridge Jobs Plus Class of 2017 when he completed it. Working full-time at a grocery store, Amadou would often walk the mile to the program.

When Amadou had trouble understanding assignments, Youth Case Manager Gaelle Joseph explained them to him in French, which he learned growing up. His English continued to improve. “They helped me so much with reading and writing skills,” he said.

Amadou didn’t pass the exam on the first try, so he hit the books again and earned his high school diploma last December. A NewBridge Jobs Plus outing to a nursing school inspired him to pursue a nursing career. Career and College Counselor Jill Worrall helped him enroll at County College of Morris, where the 6-foot-4 Amadou is a freshman playing on the men’s soccer team.

“I’m happy I achieved this goal, and am thankful to everyone at NewBridge,” the 23-year-old said.

About NewBridge

NewBridge Services, a 501c(3) nonprofit, is a premier provider of counseling services, housing and educational programs in northern New Jersey serving more than 8,000 adults and seniors last year alone. NewBridge treats mental illnesses and addictions; teaches skills for coping with stress, grief and challenging relationships; builds and manages affordable housing; offers school-based programs that teach children and adolescents resiliency skills for healthy emotional development; helps young adults succeed in their education and prepare for careers; and supports seniors so they can remain independent. Throughout its more than 55-year history, NewBridge has remained true to its mission of bringing balance to people’s lives by tracking shifts in communities’ needs and providing innovative, effective programs to meet them.