XN000022-1978-07-17 — Page 5

MONDAY, JULY 17, 1978

120 DISABLED FOUND JOBS IN LAST THREE MONTHS

*******

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S JOB PLACEMENT UNIT LAST MONTH HELPED FIND JOBS FOR 39 DISABLED, BRINGING TO 120 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO FOUND WORK WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE UNIT DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.

THE GROUP WHO FOUND JOBS IN JUNE INCLUDED 10 BLIND, 15 PHYSICALLY DISABLED, SIX DEAF, FOUR EX-MENTAL PATIENTS AND FOUR MENTAL RETARDATES.

COMMENTING ON LAST MONTH'S FIGURES, MR. CHAN SHIU-WING, OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF THE UNIT SAID TODAY THAT WHILE THE MAJORITY WERE PLACED IN JOBS OF A GENERAL NATURE, SUCH AS PACKING, ASSEMBLING AND ROUTINE OFFICE WORK, OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DISABLED TO JOIN SPECIALISED TRADES AS SKILLED PERSONNEL HAD SHOWN SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT.

+ IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, A PHYSICALLY-HAND ICAPPED YOUNG MAN JOINED A PUBLICATION FIRM AS AN ASSISTANT ARTIST, TWO MENTALLY RETARDED YOUNG PERSONS BECAME TAILORING ASSISTANTS WHILE ANOTHER WAS EMPLOYED AS A JEWELLERY APPRENTICE,+ HE SAID.

THIS IMPROVEMENT, MR, CHAN SAID, HAS RESULTED FROM AN INCREASING AWARENESS BY PROPRIETORS OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS OF THE POTENTIAL ABILITY OF THE DISABLED.

THOSE FOUND JOBS LAST MONTH ARE PAID EITHER AT DAILY RATES RANGING FROM $20 TO $28 OR ON A MONTHLY BASIS BETWEEN $450 AND $990.

15