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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1987
THE
EASTERN/ WAN CHAI EDUCATION
AND THE
THE PROMOTION IS JOINTLY ORGANISED BY DISTRICT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG HARBOUR AND SPONSORED BY THE EASTERN AND CHAI DISTRICT BOARDS.
WAN
THE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE WAS FORMED EARLY LAST YEAR AND IT9
OFFICE MEMBERS INCLUDE EASTERN AND WAN CHAI DISTRICT
OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND 14 OTHER VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. IT AIMS AT PROMOTING AT DISTRICT LEVEL MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, ENHANCING RESIDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF MENTAL ILLNESS, THE MENTAL CONDITIONS THE NEEDS OF MENTAL PATIENTS AND DISCHARGED MENTAL
PATIENTS
AS ENCOURAGING THEM TO TAKE PART IN REHABILITATION WORK.
AND
AS WELL
EMPLOYERS URGED TO TAKE ON MORE DISABLED WORKERS
A LABOUR DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (SUNDAY) APPEALED ΤΟ EMPLOYERS TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND ON THE WORKING ABILITY THAT MOST DISABLED PERSONS STILL POSSESS.
IN THE
HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT FOR DISABLED WORKERS IN RECENT YEARS, THERE WERE STILL MANY WHO BELIEVED THAT DISABLED PERSONS WERE ONLY CAPABLE OF DOING MENIAL JOBS.
"THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE ANY MORE," HE SAID. "THE ADVANCES IN RECENT YEARS IN THE VARIOUS REHABILITATION DISCIPLINES HAVE ALL HELPED TO WIDEN THE RANGE OF OCCUPATIONS WHICH DISABLED PERSONS CAPABLE OF TAKING UP.
ARE
"FURTHERMORE, TECHNICAL AIDS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO HELP DISABLED PERSONS IN DOING PARTICULAR JOBS AND SUCH DEVICES HAVE OPENED UP MANY NEW OPPORTUNITIES.'
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HE SAID THE VITAL NEED, THEREFORE, WAS TO GIVE THE DISABLED PERSONS A FAIR CHANCE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR WORKING ABILITIES.
THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT DIVISION (SPD) OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, SET UP IN JULY 1980, OFFERS FREE ASSISTANCE TO PHYSICALLY DISABLED, MENTALLY RETARDED AND EX-MENTALLY ILL PERSONS SEEKING OPEN EMPLOYMENT.
SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT AND UP TO THE END OF LAST YEAR, THE DIVISION RECORDED MORE THAN 11,000 REGISTRATIONS AND PLACED SOME 4,500 DISABLED PERSONS IN EMPLOYMENT, MOSTLY IN THE MANUFACTURING SERVICE SECTORS AS WELL AS IN CLERICAL AND RELATED JOBS.
AND
/"IN FACT,