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New SWD unit to promote sheltered workshop productivity
The Social Welfare Department is actively involved with the setting up of a marketing and resource unit under the guidance of an advisory committee to co- ordinate marketing issues for sheltered workshops.
This was stated today (Saturday) by the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Ian Strachan, when he officiated at the Bazaar Opening Ceremony of the Parents' Association of the Mentally Handicapped Ltd in Sun Chui Estate, Sha Tin.
The committee, he said, consisted of civic minded and experience business professionals.
"We hope the unit will raise the productivity of sheltered workshops and also the earnings of individual workers.
"Coupled with that is the expansion of supported employment places totalling 360 at present," Mr Strachan said, adding that by March the number would go up to 590 and with a further 360 places next year.
He said the ultimate aim of rehabilitation was to assist people with disabilities to integrate into society as much as possible so that they could live as ordinary citizens.
"To achieve this, we must provide equal opportunities to them and at the same time enhance their independence through training and employment.
"In order to improve the overall training and employment prospects of people with a disability, a working party chaired by me was set up in 1994 to review the existing services and a report had been produced in July last year," he said.
Mr Strachan said one of the many recommendations of the report was to operate the sheltered workshop in a more business-oriented manner.
"The success of implementation of any rehabilitation service relies heavily on the support of the community," he stressed.
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