STARKLOFF DISABILITY INSTITUTE

The Mission of the Starkloff Disability Institute is to create pathways for people with disabilities to gain acceptance in all facets of society through employment, education, and universal access. In 2010, we chose to focus on employment as the last frontier for accessibility on the road to equity for America’s largest minority. As the Workforce, Workplace Disability Advisor, Starkloff prepares candidates—adults and youth—for competitive employment and advises companies eager to access an untapped labor pool and build an inclusive workforce. Our approach, developed and refined over the last ten years, works in two directions: First, the Workplace Disability Advisor Program opens employers’ eyes to the feasibility of creating an inclusive workplace by training 400+ HR/management personnel every year. Starkloff’s workshops, lectures, toolkits, and customized advisory services provide companies with resources for recruiting, interviewing, accommodating, and on-boarding candidates with disabilities. As professionals with disabilities, our trainers serve as real-world examples of the possibilities. The Starkloff Career Academy empowers job candidates with disabilities for competition in the marketplace.

Programs under the umbrella of the Academy have expanded significantly over the past several years to include a larger number of options for expanded audience segments:

• Adult Career Services: Starkloff provides one-of-a-kind job-search services for people with disabilities seeking competitive employment. We chose to serve an audience with a college education or technical training as an underserved cohort. State-of-the-art courses, taught by HR professionals, complement one-on-one consultation on career planning, networking, resume building, and interviewing—all from a disability-informed perspective. In addition to our 10-week, 20 session Capstone Class, we provide targeted Bootcamps to prepare candidates to put their best foot forward in job-search settings. In addition, with assistance from corporate partners, we invite job seekers to special workshops, like our Spring Resume Clean-Up and Fall Jobs Forum, both involving HR professionals.

• DREAM BIG: In 2017, we piloted DREAM BIG, a program for teens with disabilities that bridges a gap as they transition to college with an eye to employment. Year-round activities, centered on topics like networking and coding, supplement week-long Career Camps in the summer that provide kids with opportunities for self-determination and personal growth. In 2019, the first of three camps focused on STEAM professions, while Tech and Trade took center stage in the second week. Finally, Endless Possibilities showcased occupations ranging from culinary arts to public relations. Employers welcomed students for tours, activities, and opportunities to network. While the field trips provide the WOW factor, our staff taught sixteen lessons including self-advocacy, professional behavior, and conflict resolution, navigating college applications, and disability disclosure, all tailored for a young disabled professional beginning a journey to employment and independence.

• ACCESS U: Our newest program, ACCESS U, is designed to meet the needs of college students with disabilities by helping them get the most from their college experiences as they prepare for employment success. College students with disabilities are about 1/3 less likely to graduate and 40% less likely to find jobs than their peers. Our College Outreach Coordinator, hired in June of 2019, is at work applying our resources to bringing down these barriers. Program participants receive “Tips for Being a Successful College Student with a Disability,” a document that offers a foundation for achieving goals for self-advocacy. A Self-Advocacy Podcast is also available for those who want to know more. Because internships are critical to career preparation, ACCESS U will feature a robust internship program.

The name “Starkloff” is synonymous with disability rights in St. Louis. When members of the local community require input and comments from experts in the field of disability, they are likely to call on us. In 2015 the importance of our work was recognized when FOCUS St. Louis, the region’s premier leadership organization, honored Starkloff with a “What’s Right with the Region!” award. As the conveners of a bi-annual Universal Design Summit, we are recognized nationally recognized in this area. The new Gateway Arch Museum bears the Starkloff Stamp.

No one teaches disability like Starkloff! Since 2010, we have worked with major employers to help them take advantage of a talent pool they might otherwise overlook. Our “Role Model Company Program” rewards businesses that seek to meet and exceed affirmative action goals with expert assistance in hiring people with disabilities. Our 10-week Capstone Course, designed to prepare job candidates for competition, has become the gold standard for career preparation, and we have added a range of services to produce confident job seekers who know how to market themselves as people with disabilities. During the past year, Starkloff has become known for its expertise in disability disclosure—a subject treated in the Capstone Course. Recently, our staff delivered a continuing education program, “Disability Disclosure Planning,” to an audience of over 70 disability service providers.

Accomplishments:

• Since the inception of our employment programs, 221 adult job candidates have received services in our classes or through individual career coaching. Last year, we reached 65 adults with programs that produce results.
• 82 percent of the candidates we serve advance on their career paths.
• 48 of the region’s largest employers are opening up the employment market and providing both volunteers and financial support for our educational programs as they tool up for disability hiring.
• 400 human resource professionals in 2019 profited from workshops, tours, and seminars led by Starkloff educators.
• In 2019, 18 students attended DREAM BIG Career Camps in a total of 13 corporate settings.
Goals for the Starkloff Career Academy:
• Continue to provide Adult Career Services—2 Capstone Courses per year, Bootcamps, special workshops, and individual counseling—to 65-70 job candidates.
• Continue to expand DREAM BIG, providing services for 50 students and their parents.
• Build in-school programming for students participating in DREAM BIG, starting in the Parkway District.
• Expand ACCESS U to additional colleges and implement a robust internship program.
• Provide community education on disability disclosure and self-advocacy to program participants and professionals working in the field of disability.

By implementing these goals, Starkloff will:
• Enhance opportunities for qualified individuals with disabilities to become financially independent through mainstream employment.
• Provide exposure for a broad audience of people with disabilities—adults and teens—so they can SEE themselves in the workforce, belief in their employability, and confront the job market with confidence.
• Provide state-of-the-art job search tools that empower people with disabilities to compete for mainstream jobs.
• Prepare job candidates to address the issue of disability with confidence in the job-search process.

The Starkloff Disability Institute is committed to overcoming barriers in the St. Louis area that preclude the full participation of people with disabilities. Education is essential to dispel bias in the employment sector and to build confidence and hope among disabled job candidates who are seeking to achieve economic independence. We are proud to offer life-changing employment services to audiences spanning from high school to college to adulthood.