In the midst of our office’s closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff is working hard to virtually bring its programs to our candidates, companies and the community. We are doing what we’ve always done best — adapting. Here’s how your favorite programs are accommodating to meet your needs in this uncertain time.

Starkloff Career Academy

The Starkloff Career Academy staff conducted a phone survey, calling all current and former participants to assess their critical needs and the impact the Coronavirus has had on them. Even in this situation, we know our corporate contacts are still hiring and are prepared to help our job seekers succeed.

• We are working to ensure all participants have home computers and Internet access so they can stay connected to vital resources that are critically important for their well-being.
• We’ve begun a weekly virtual meet-up for people with disabilities to convene and talk about a variety of topics, including how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting them. The Adaptability Network will meet online via Zoom video conference on Fridays at noon.
• Starkloff Career Academy Spring Capstone Course is now being conducted online. All individual career-coaching sessions are taking place via phone and Zoom videoconferencing.
• Spring Resume Clean Up, now the Resume Roundtable, will now be a virtual event. Participants can still receive all the same benefits (resume reviews, one-on-one meetings with recruiters, job-search advice) but in an online format. Registration is open.
• Program staff are helping people with disabilities modify their job-search techniques and retool to work remotely.

DREAM BIG

Our DREAM BIG program for youth with disabilities knows our students and families need resources now more than ever.

Dream Big Career Camp registration is open. Our Youth Programs team is meeting remotely with interested families (16 this week alone) and making arrangements for an alternative summer experience on the chance that corporate visits are unavailable.

We are providing educators with a worksheet to give to students that goes along with the movie Crip Camp, so they can use this as a learning opportunity in their online classrooms.

Colleen Starkloff Talks Disability

Colleen Starkloff is talking disability virtually to groups across St. Louis.

On March 18, Colleen spoke to the St. Louis chapter of SHRM via webcast in their recording studio. This unique opportunity allowed her to turn her presentation into a conversation with host, Ken Ketsenburg and the 75 people attending virtually.

In addition, Colleen is using her voice to advocate for people with disabilities to receive adequate medical care in the midst of this COVID-19 crisis. She has been published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, featured on KSDK, and is leading Centene’s Disability Advisory Council to help the nation’s largest Managed Care Organization prepare to give people with disabilities the medical support they may need in this critical time.

We are continuing to research available resources that will benefit our participants. All are available on our website or can be requested via email (info@starkloff.org) or over the phone.