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MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1979
SWD TO SET UP MORE SHELTERED WORKSHOPS FOR THE DISABLED
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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO SET UP AN EXTRA 13 SHELTERED WORKSHOPS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO PROVIDE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR 1,600 DISABLED PEOPLE AND PREPARE THEM FOR OPEN EMPLOYMENT.
THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID THIS TODAY (MONDAY) IN HIS WELCOMING ADDRESS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE DEPARTMENT'S EIGHTH SHELTERED WORKSHOP AT LEK YUEN ESTATE, SHA TIN.
MR. LEE SAID THE PROVISION OF SHELTERED WORKSHOPS WAS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES TO ENABLE THE DISABLED TO CARRY ON A USEFUL WORKING LIFE IN HELPING TO INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE COMMUNITY,
AT PRESENT, HE SAID, THE EIGHT WORKSHOPS RUN BY THE DEPARTMENT OFFER SIMPLE INDUSTRIAL WORK IN A SHELTERED ENVIRONMENT TO A TOTAL OF 700 DISABLED PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER BLIND, DEAF, EX-MENTAL PATIENTS, MENTALLY RETARDED OR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED.
THE LEK YUEN WORKSHOP WAS LATER OFFICIALLY OPENED BY
MR. JAMES WU, AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
ADDRESSING THE CEREMONY, MR. WU POINTED OUT THAT THE DISABLED HAD MORE ABILITIES THAN DISABILITIES AND, WITH SUITABLE TRAINING, THEY COULD REGAIN CONFIDENCE AND SECURE OPEN EMPLOYMENT.
HE SAID ALTHOUGH THERE HAD BEEN SIGNIFICANT PROGESS IN THE FIELD OF REHABILITATION SERVICES, THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS WOULD DEPEND ON BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
BROADLY SPEAKING, MR. WU DESCRIBED REHABILITATION WORK AS AN INVESTMENT IN MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT, FOR DISABLED PEOPLE WOULD BECOME AN ASSET IF THEY WERE HELPED TO REGAIN EARNING CAPACITY AND PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES LIKE ANY NORMAL PERSON.
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