FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1983
6
MORE JOBS FOUND FOR DISABLED
****
THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT SERVICE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT FOUND JOBS FOR 792 DISABLED PERSONS IN THE YEAR ENDING IN AUGUST A 53 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR RON BRIDGE, WHEN HE PRESENTED SOUVENIR PLAQUES TO THE 10 LOCAL EMPLOYERS WHO EMPLOYED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF DISABLED PERSONS THROUGH THE SERVICE.
HE SAID ALSO THAT. THE INCREASED PLACEMENT RATE SHOULD BE SEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC SITUATION DURING THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.
+SO IT IS CLEAR THAT EMPLOYERS HAVE SHOWN GREATER SUPPORT FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF DISABLED PEOPLE. I AM CONFIDENT THIS IMPROVEMENT WILL CONTINUE AND AM PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO THOSE EMPLOYERS, SUCH AS THOSE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY, WHO HAVE TAKEN A LEAD, + HE SAID.
REFERRING TO THE INSCRIPTION, +FRIENDSHIP, A WAY TO INTEGRATION+
ON THE PLAQUE, MR BRIDGE POINTED OUT THAT THIS HAD BEEN CHOSEN BY THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC EDUCATION ON REHABILITATION AS THE THEME OF ALL ACTIVITIES RELATING TO REHABILITATION WORK FOR 1983.
MR BRIDGE SAID THAT WHEN A DISABLED PERSON FOUND HIMSELF IN A NEW WORKING ENVIRONMENT HE WOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS ABLE-BODIED FELLOW WORKERS AND SUPERVISORS. HE STRESSED THAT A PATIENT AND UNDERSTANDING ATTITUDE FROM COLLEAGUES AND SUPERVISORS WOULD HELP TO RELIEVE THIS ANXIETY AND HELP HIM TO ADJUST QUICKLY.
HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HELPING A DISABLED PERSON ADJUST TO A NEW WORK ENVIRONMENT DID NOT LIE SOLELY WITH HIS EMPLOYER.
THE SERVICE, ON ITS PARTS, HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED NEW WORK SAMPLE KITS TO HELP PLACEMENT OFFICERS UNDERSTAND THE APTITUDES AND CAPABILITIES OF JOB-SEEKERS IN STILL GREATER DETAIL. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICES OF THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT CENTRE WERE BEING USED FOR MORE COMPREHENSIVE VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF DISABLED PERSONS.
PLACEMENT OFFICERS ALSO MAINTAINED CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE EMPLOYER AND THE DISABLED PERSON DURING HIS FIRST THREE MONTHS ON THE JOB SO THAT THEY COULD HELP RESOLVE ANY PROBLEMS WHICH MIGHT ARISE.
REFERRING TO THE EMPLOYAID FUND SCHEME SET UP EARLY THIS YEAR, MR BRIDGE SAID THAT EMPLOYERS COULD OBTAIN REFUNDS FROM THE SCHEME FOR EXPENDITURE INCURRED IN ADAPTING THEIR PREMISES TO TAKE ON DISABLED PEOPLE.
IN CONCLUSION, HE ALSO THANKED 235 OTHER EMPLOYERS EACH OF WHOM HAD GIVEN AN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST ONE DISABLED PERSON DURING THE PAST YEAR.
17