Jewish Federation of St. Louis has launched the Karen Solomon Internship Initiative, a 16 week program designed to provide job skills and workplace experience for young adults with disabilities. The internship not only provides the individual with meaningful employment and career training, but also fills staff needs at Jewish Federation of St. Louis and develops a culture of workplace inclusion.
The program’s first intern, Adam, started his internship in late March 2015. He is working 20 hours a week at Jewish Federation of St. Louis as a database assistant.
“With his computer expertize, Adam brings to our organization skills that are very much needed, and we are able to give him the experience and opportunity to work in an office environment in the Jewish community,” says Rinat Kisin, Inclusion Coordinator at Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
When recruiting Adam, Jewish Federation of St. Louis initiated an equal opportunity hiring process in November 2014 and interviewed several candidates for this part-time internship. During the hiring process, various departments were asked to identify an internship opportunity that provides meaningful employment and training experience.
Jewish Federation of St. Louis will soon begin the next phase of this program in which they will reach out to other Jewish agencies in the St Louis community and encourage them to adapt this program and implement it within their community. Participating agencies will be asked to provide a workplace that can both accommodate individuals with a range disabilities and a work environment that promotes inclusion of all employees. For more information about the program please contact Rinat Kisin, at RKisin@JFedSTL.org, or 314-442-3801.
This program is made possible thanks to a generous support of the Bill Solomon family.