XN000022-1984-05-31 — Page 13

THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1984

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CENTRE HELPS DISABLED YOUTH ACQUIRE SKILLS

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TWENTY-THREE-YEAR OLD, WHEELCHAIR-BOUND MR CHE POU-CHEN, HAS BECOME THE FIRST TRAINEE FROM THE KWUN TONG SK ILLED CENTRE FOR THE DISABLED TO PASS THE PITMAN INTERMEDIATE TYPING EXAMINATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.

HAVING OBTAINED HIS. 35-WORD A-MINUTE TYPING SKILL, HE NOW LOOKS FORWARD SHORTLY TO COMPLETING A ONE-YEAR, FULL-TIME OFFICE MACHINE PRACTICE COURSE HE BEGAN LAST SEPTEMBER.

MR CHE HAS BEEN STRIVING HARD FOR THESE SKILLS, SO AS TO BE ABLE TO GET A CHANCE TO WORK IN AN OFFICE.

MEANWHILE, HE IS WORKING IN THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE KWUN TONG CENTRE IN THE HOPE OF IMPROVING HIS COMPETENCE.

WHILE A TYPING SPEED OF 35WPM IS NOT REMARKABLE FOR AN ABLE-BODIED PERSON, IT IS QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT FOR SOMEONE SUFFERING FROM PARALYSIS OF THE LOWER LIMBS, AN AFFLICTION WHICH AFFECTED HIS NORMAL CHILDHOOD SCHOOL ING, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENTRE EXPLAINED.

HIS SKILL WAS ACQUIRED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THROUGH HARD

AND WORK AND A DETERMINATION TO SUCCEED AGAINST PHYSICAL ODDS. THROUGHOUT HIS PERIOD OF LEARNING AND TRAINING, MR CHE WAS HELPED AND CHEERED ALONG BY THE CENTRE STAFF.

AND DETERMINATION

+ IT IS HOPED THAT MR CHE'S SUCCESS -- WILL GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHER DISABLED PERSONS TO ACQUIRE SKILLS THAT WILL ENABLE THEM ALSO TO LOOK FOR OFFICE WORK, + HE SAID.

MR CHE HIMSELF SAID: +A PITMAN CERTIFICATE MEANS A LOT TO

IT HAS GIVEN ME MORE CONFIDENCE, AND THE HOPE OF OBTAINING AN OFFICE JOB.+

ME

MR CHE'S FURTHER TRAINING IN THE CENTRE HAS ENABLED HIM TO MANAGE MOST OF THE OFFICE DESK WORK, SUCH AS TYPING, FILING, LETTER WRITING, AND OPERATING THE PHOTOCOPYING MACHINE, AND CALCULATOR.

AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 240 FULL-TIME TRAINEES UNDERGOING VARIOUS LEVELS OF SKILLS TRAINING IN COMMERCIAL STUDIES. DRESSMAK ING, ELECTRICAL WORK FABRICATIONS, AND OTHER COURSES AT THE CENTRE.

PREVIOUSLY

THE KWUN TONG SKILLED CENTRE FOR THE DISABLED, KNOWN AS THE WORLD REHABILITATION FUND DAY CENTRE, WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1968 AND HAS BEEN GROUPED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT SINCE 1982.

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