XN000022-1987-12-23 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1987

MR LER POINTED OUT THAT THE MAIN DIFFICULTIES FACING DISABLED WORKERS, AS REVEALED IN THE SURVEY, APPEARED TO BE PROBLEMS IN COPING WITH THE JOB AND TRANSPORTATION.

AMONG THE UNEMPLOYED JOB-SEEKERS, 49.2 PER CENT HAD BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR LESS THAN ONE YEAR. THIS GROUP COMPRISED QUITE A HIGH PROPORTION OF GRADUATES FROM SPECIAL SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED.

AS REGARDS THOSE WHO HAD BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR MORE THAN ONB YEAR, THE MAIN REASONS WERE ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR EMPLOYABILITY, OR UNEMPLOYABILITY, SUCH AS DISABILITY PROBLEMS (36.1 PER CENT), LACK OF SKILLS (26.6 PER CENT), AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SUCH AS A LACK OF SUITABLE VACANCIES (36.7 PER CENT) AND DISCRIMINATION BY EMPLOYERS (31.1 PER CENT).

SOME 69 PER CENT OF THE UNEMPLOYED

NOT SEEKING JOBS.

DISABLED RESPONDENTS WERE

THE REASONS THEY GAVE FOR THIS INCLUDED PERSONAL FACTORS SUCH AS DISABILITY PROBLEMS (58.5 PER CENT) AND RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS (36.4 PER CENT).

SOME BELIEVED THAT THERE WERE NO SUITABLE VACANCIES (18.7 PER CENT), THAT THEY LACKED SKILLS (16.6 PER CENT), AND SOME HAD TRANSPORT DIFFICULTIES (16 PER CENT).

THE REPORT ALSO REVEALED THAT 93.8 PER CENT OF THE SHELTERED WORKSHOP WORKERS EARNED LESS THAN $500.

IT CAME AS NO SURPRISE, THEREFORE, THAT ONLY 30.9 PER CENT OF

THE WORKERS WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR INCOME.

HOWEVER, SHELTERED EMPLOYMENT AS AN ALTERNATIVE OR TRANSITION TO OPEN EMPLOYMENT WAS THE WISH TO SOME 25.3 PER CENT OF THE UNEMPLOYED DISABLED, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WERE DISCOURAGED TO LOOK FOR JOBS IN THE OPEN LABOUR MARKET.

OTHER MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE REPORT INCLUDED THE IMPORTANCE VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND SPECIAL AIDS FOR THE DISABLED.

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IT WAS REVEALED THAT AMONG THE DISABLED WHO HAD RECEIVED VOCATIONAL TRAINING, 54.3 PER CENT WERE EMPLOYED.

THE CORRESPONDING PERCENTAGE FOR THOSE WITHOUT VOCATIONAL TRAINING WAS 32.2 PER CENT.

PER CENT HOWEVER, THE SURVEY FOUND THAT 80

OF THE DISABLED RESPONDENTS HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

SPECIAL AIDS WERE FOUND TO BE ANOTHER FACTOR HAVING A BEARING ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE DISABLED. THE AWARENESS OF THE RESPONDENTS ON THEIR NEEDS FOR SPECIAL AIDS, HOWEVER, WAS FOUND TO BE VERY LOW.

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