SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1986
EMPLOYMENT OF MENTALLY DISABLED URGED
*****
ALTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE WORKING ABILITIES OF THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THEY ARE A SOURCE OF RELIABLE WORKERS, A LABOUR DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
SENIOR LABOUR OFFICER IN CHARGE OF SELECTIVE PLACEMENT SERVICE, MR JOHN SUNG, SAID THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED WORKERS WERE, IN MOST CASES, LOYAL, DILIGENT, FRIENDLY AND CO-OPERATIVE+.
+ALTHOUGH THE IMPAIRMENT OF THEIR INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES CANNOT BE CURED. THE IR DEGREES ARE VARIED AND CAN BE REDUCED BY APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, TRAINING AND GUIDANCE,+ HE TOLD A SEMINAR ON +EMPLOYMENT OF THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED+ ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE.
MR SUNG SAID THAT SINCE THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT SERVICE BEGAN WORK FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED IN AUGUST 1984, A TOTAL OF 188 MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS HAD REGISTERED FOR EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.
OF THESE, 111 HAD BEEN PLACED IN EMPLOYMENT WHILE NINE OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT WERE DECLINED BY JOB-SEEKERS, MAINLY FOR LACK OF CONFIDENCE, HE SAID.
MR SUNG SAID WHILE MOST OF THEM WERE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, SOME WERE ALSO ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE SECTOR AND BY THE GOVERNMENT.
+NO MARKED DIFFERENCE IS FOUND BETWEEN THE WAGE LEVEL OFFERED TO MENTALLY HANDICAPPED JOB-SEEKERS AND THAT OF INDUSTRY'S AVERAGE FOR THE NORMAL WORKERS,+ HE ADDED.
MR SUNG SAID PLACEMENT OFFICERS ASSISTING MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CLIENTS OFTEN HAD TO ASSESS THEIR ABILITIES BY QUESTIONING, OBSERVING AND WITH THE USE OF ASSESSMENT TOOLS BEFORE A PLACEMENT PLAN COULD BE DRAWN UP.
THEY WERE THEN GIVEN BRIEFINGS ON JOB MARKET AND MOCK INTERVIEWS TO PREPARE THEM FOR OPEN EMPLOYMENT.
+MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE AND SELF-CONFIDENCE ARE OBSERVED IN CLIENTS WHO HAVE UNDERGONE A GUIDANCE PROGRAMME,+ HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT EVERY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CANDIDATE WAS ACCOMPANIED TO SELECTION INTERVIEWS BY A PLACEMENT OFFICER WHO, BESIDES PLAYING A SUPPORTIVE ROLE, HAD A CHANCE TO IDENTIFY THE CLIENT'S STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS IN AN ACTUAL INTERVIEW.
ONCE A CANDIDATE WAS EMPLOYED, THE OFFICER WOULD CONDUCT A FOLLOW-UP SERVICE FOR AT LEAST THREE MONTHS AFTER PLACEMENT.
/+SOME MENTALLY