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FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1988
VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRES IN THE FORM OF INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING, SEMINARS, TALKS, VISITS TO FACTORIES, AND OTHER TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, WAS USUALLY CARRIED OUT BY A SOCIAL WORKER IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TRAINING OR TEACHING STAFF.
VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT WAS CURRENTLY PROVIDED BY THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT (TEITD) AT THE VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT SECTION IN THE KWUN TONG SKILLS CENTRE FOR THE DISABLED.
IT HELPED TO EVALUATE A DISABLED PERSON'S POTENTIAL, ABILITY AND LIMITATION AND PROVIDED THE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN THE RIGHT TRADES.
AFTER ASSESSMENT, THE ELIGIBLE DISABLED PERSONS MIGHT ATTEND ONE OF THE FIVE TEITD-RUN AND SUBVENTED VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRES WHICH PROVIDED A VARIETY OF TRAINING COURSES TO EQUIP THEM WITH THE REQUIRED SKILLS TO ENHANCE THEIR EMPLOYABILITY IN
WIDE RANGE OF TRADES.
WHEN THEY HAD COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING, THE DISABLED COULD SEEK OPEN EMPLOYMENT BY THEMSELVES OR SEEK THE ASSISTANCE OF THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, WHICH COULD HELP TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO PERSONS SUFFERING FROM BLINDNESS, DEAFNESS, PHYSICAL HANDICAP, MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL HANDICAP.
"SHELTERED WORK IS PROVIDED FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT OBTAIN OPEN EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR LIMITATIONS AND THERE ARE CURRENTLY 29 SHELTERED WORKSHOPS WITH 3,005 PLACES FOR THE DISABLED, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1,755 PLACES TO BE PROVIDED WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, MRS WONG SAID.
*
"THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO EXPLORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OTHER THAN SHELTERED WORK AND HAS DEVELOPED THE CONCEPT OF SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT,
Pr
SHE SAID.
"THE OBJECTIVE OF SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT IS TO OFFER NEW MODELS OF EMPLOYMENT TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN NORMAL WORK SETTING, BUT WITH CONTINUOUS AND ONGOING SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT.
"IT WILL ENSURE THAT THE DISABLED HAVE ACCESS TO A CHOICE OF WAGE-GENERATING WORK WITH JOB SECURITY AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MOBILITY AND ADVANCEMENT.
"SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT MAY BE PRACTICABLE IN THE OPEN JOB MARKET WHERE THE DISABLED CAN WORK ALONGSIDE WITH THEIR ABLE-BODIED COUNTERPARTS AND IT WOULD ENHANCE THEIR SENSE OF WORTH AND DIGNITY WELL AS SOCIAL AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP," SHE SAID.
AS
ANRE NONG