XN000022-1995-03-02 — Page 3

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The SPD had also undertaken an impressive array of educational and promotional activities to improve employers' understanding of the working abilities of the disabled, including launching the popular TV series "Under the Same Sky" and radio programme "Newsrama" which had a viewership of 1.27 million and an audienceship of 170,000 respectively.

In addition, two sets of guide books were published, one on "Job Interviewing Techniques" for people with a disability and the other on "Peer Group Acceptance" for seven types of disabilities.

Staff of the SPD also reach out to employers through direct contacts to promote the working abilities of the disabled.

"We are making fully-fledged publicity efforts to dispel public misconceptions about employing people with a disability," Mr Leung said.

The Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, said a working party chaired by the Director of Social Welfare to review training and employment for the disabled had made excellent progress and would produce its final report in a few months.

Meanwhile, the Vocational Training Council had adopted a flexible approach to entrance requirements for applicants to their skill centres for the disabled and had successfully organised six short courses for disabled people on various basic occupational skills in the servicing and commercial sector.

"With good training and the experience and confidence gained from working in sheltered workshops, we encourage those people with a disability who have the potential for advancement to integrate themselves further into society by moving on into supported employment," Mrs Fok said.

The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Michael Sze, said there were 3,842 persons with a disability in the civil service and the number would rise to 4,000 by March next year, the target set at the last summit.

A deputy secretary for the Civil Service has been charged with the important task of co-ordinating a more imaginative, proactive and facilitating approach in the employment of the disabled in the civil service.