XN000022-1976-05-27 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1976

MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES NEEDED FOR THE DISABLED

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY APPEALED TO THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY FOR GREATER EFFORTS IN PROVIDING MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DISABLED PEOPLE.

MR. LEE WAS SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF TAI PING SHAN WHICH DONATES $9,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO UNITS OF TELEPHONE SWITCH ADAPTORS TO BE USED BY THE BLIND.

THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT AT PRESENT ALL BLIND TELEPHONE OPERATORS USE THESE ADAPTORS EQUIPPED WITH A SPECIAL SIGNALLING DEVICE AND THEIR SERVICE IS OF A HIGH STANDARD AS ALL OF THEM HAVE UNDERGONE SPECIAL TRAINING.

A BLIND TELEPHONE OPERATOR MUST HAVE FORM 111 OR HIGHER STANDARD IN EDUCATION AND COMPLETED A SIX-MONTH TRAINING COURSE WHICH COVERS THE OPERATION OF TELEPHONE SWITCH BOARD, THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND OTHER RELATED SUBJECTS.

MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT AS AT THE END OF APRIL THIS YEAR, 26 BLIND PERSONS WERE EMPLOYED AS TELEPHONE OPERATORS IN VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND LEADING COMMERCIAL FIRMS.

THE DIRECTOR SAID: +SINCE 1973, THE JOB PLACEMENT UNIT OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS ASSIGNED AN OFFICER TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING PLACEMENT SERVICE TO THE BLIND AND TO EXPLORE ALL POSSIBLE. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.

+THE UNIT ALSO RUNS SHORT-TERM COURSES FOR THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN COPE WITH THEIR WORK WHEN EMPLOYED.

IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, HE SAID, 23 BLIND PERSONS HAD FOUND JOBS IN COMMERCIAL FIRMS AND FACTORIES THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF THIS UNIT. THIS NUMBER REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE AS COMPARED WITH THAT OF THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR, THIS IS PROBABLY DUE TO THE UPTURN IN INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY IN THE FIELD OF ELECTRONICS.+

MR. LEE BELIEVED THAT A SUCCESSFUL REHABILITATION PROGRAMME DEPENDED NOT ONLY ON THE CO-ORDINATION ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO ON THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

AFTER THE ADDRESS, MRS. WONG KEUNG OI-WAH, A TELEPHONE OPERATOR OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ACCEPTED THE DONATION FROM MR. WU PO-LING, PRESIDENT OF THE LIONS CLUB OF TAI PING SHAN.

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