FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1979
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NEW SHELTERED WORKSHOP FOR THE DISABLED
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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS SET UP ITS EIGHTH SHELTERED WORKSHOP FOR THE DISABLED AND PLANS ARE IN THE PIPELINE FOR MORE SIMILAR PROJECTS.
THE NEW WORKSHOP, AT LEK YUEN ESTATE IN SHA TIN, REPRESENTS THE DEPARTMENT'S LATEST EFFORTS IN PROVIDING MORE FACILITIES WHERE THE DISABLED CAN CARRY ON A USEFUL WORKING LIFE AS PART OF THEIR INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY.
WITH A CAPACITY OF 100, THE LEK YUEN WORKSHOP WILL BE OFFICIALLY OPENED ON MONDAY (JANUARY 22) BY MR. JAMES WU, AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THE OTHER SEVEN WORKSHOPS RUN BY THE DEPARTMENT ARE "PROVIDING JOBS FOR 600 DISABLED PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER BLIND, DEAF, EX- MENTAL PATIENTS, MENTALLY RETARDED OR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED.
LIKE THE OTHERS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THE LEK YUEN WORKSHOP OFFERS JOBS IN A SHELTERED ENVIRONMENT TO DISABLED PEOPLE NOT YET READY FOR OPEN EMPLOYMENT.
+ THE AIM IS TO HELP THEM REGAIN CONFIDENCE AND ACQUIRE WORKING HABITS TO PREPARE THEM FOR OPEN EMPLOYMENT LATER,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID SHELTERED WORKERS ARE PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN SIMPLE INDUSTRIAL WORK, WHICH MAY BE PART-FINISHED, LABOUR-ADDED OR PACKAGING, WITH MATERIALS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURERS.
IN A SHELTERED WORKSHOP, WORK IS SCHEDULED, TAUGHT AND SUPERVISED BY TRADE INSTRUCTORS AND WORKSHOP SUPERVISORS, HE SAID.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S SHELTERED WORKSHOP AT WING SHUT HOUSE, LEK YUEN ESTATE, SHA TIN, ON MONDAY (JANUARY 22) AT 4 P.M.
PRESS TRANSPORT WILL BE PROVIDED AND WILL LEAVE AT 3.15 P.M. FROM OUTSIDE EAST ENTRANCE, LEE GARDENS, IN CAUSEWAY BAY.
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