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Following is a question by the Dr Hon Fernando Cheung and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (December 13):
Question:
The Social Welfare Department (SWD) launched in April this year an employment assistance trial project, which is called the New Dawn Project (the ND Project), to assist single parents and child carers on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), with the youngest child aged between 12 to 14, to seek employment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the factors taken into consideration in determining which of the above persons should participate in the ND Project; and apart from assisting them in seeking employment to leave the CSSA net, whether the objectives of the ND Project include helping lift them from poverty; if so, of the means to do so;
(b) regarding the press reports that as at August this year, more than 2 000 persons had $200 deducted monthly from their CSSA payments by SWD because they failed, without good reasons, to fulfil the obligations under the ND Project (such as attending Work Plan Interviews or participating in an Intensive Employment Assistance Project), whether it can provide a breakdown of these persons in table form by their background information, such as age, household size and number of children, as well as the reasons for their not fulfilling the obligations; and
(c) of the support it will provide to those persons mentioned in item (b) to assist them in solving their problems and fulfilling the obligations imposed by the ND Project?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The Government launched the employment assistance trial project "New Dawn Project" (the ND Project) in April 2006, it aims to empower single parents and child carers on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) with the youngest child aged between 12 to 14 to enhance their self-help capability and achieve self-reliance and social integration through employment.
To encourage the CSSA recipients to make their first step to seek employment, we only require them to engage in a paid job entailing not less than 32 hours a month, say, during the school hours of their children so as to allow them to take care of their children. The ND Project offers recipients employment assistance which includes regular Work-plan Progress Interviews, assistance to get access to up-to-date labour market information as well as other support services. In addition, single parents and child carers with no or limited work experience will be referred to join the "New Dawn Intensive Employment Assistance Projects" (ND IEAPs) launched by non-government organisations (NGO) as commissioned by the Social Welfare Department (SWD). Under the "ND IEAPs", a series of intensive employment assistance services including basic skills and skills upgrading training will be provided.
Since its implementation, the "ND Project" demonstrated that it can encourage recipients to make the first step to seek employment, build up confidence, and become the role models for their children. The CSSA single parents and family carers who engaged in paid full-time or part-time employment can also benefit from the disregarded earnings arrangement under the CSSA Scheme and further improve their living.
(b) and (c) Prior to its launching, the SWD had written to all target recipients and brief them on the ND Project. A leaflet was also enclosed to explain the significance of their participation, the obligations to be met, the exemption mechanism in place and the consequences of non-compliance. Since April 2006, the SWD staff have arranged interviews with the target recipients to explain to them details of the ND Project and enroll them in the Project once their ineligibility for exemption have been ascertained. For those who refused to participate in the ND Project without any exemption grounds, the SWD will deduct $200 from their monthly CSSA payment as stipulated. Those who make the initiative to seek employment but have not yet engaged in a paid job entailing not less than 32 hours a month will not be regarded as failing to meet the requirement. We will provide them with employment assistance services until they secure employment. Temporary exemptions from the work requirement will be allowed where justified, for example, the recently bereaved and those who have recently been victims of domestic violence.
The project was launched in April this year and within a short time span of half a year, around 1000 recipients have made their first step and secured full time or part time paid job through the project. The "New Dawn Project" has had a very good start.
A total of 2 850 recipients opted not to join the ND Project. Among them, most fell into the 40-49 age group (62.5%) and had 2 children (41.7%), with a family size of 4 to 5 members (30.6% and 28.7%). The breakdown of the figures is detailed at the Annex.
Based on our initial understanding, there are a number of reasons for recipients to refuse joining the "ND Project", including:
* some may find the amount of deduction insignificant, particularly in the case of those in larger families;
* some are unwilling to comply with the ND Project's requirements, especially for those whose spouse is already a participant or ex-participant of the Support for Self-reliance Scheme;
* some cite the need to take care of their children;
* some are afraid of employment as they were never engaged in the job market before; and
* some have never been in the job market and they anticipate to leave the CSSA net after their children have completed their schooling and secured employment.
In order to facilitate the government to consider the way forward and the improvement measures of the project, the SWD has commissioned the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to conduct a study that mainly covers the following areas:
(i) To study the target recipients in different categories, including, inter alia, the social characteristics, background, psychological profile of those who have refused to join the Project and those who have secured a job, and also their views on the Projects;
(ii) To study the target recipients in different categories regarding their job-seeking behaviour (such as their means, attitudes and the successful rate of securing employment) and their employment status (such as work type, wages, working hours and the successful rate of leaving the CSSA net);
(iii) To study and analyse the factors / obstacles attributable to the "ND IEAPs" in assisting the participants to secure and stay in employment, including the views from both the participants and the staff of the projects; and
(iv) To study and draw reference from the relevant projects implemented in overseas countries.
The HKU will conduct the study by taking a random sample of target recipients in different categories through baseline survey, main survey, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, while drawing reference from the success stories of relevant projects implemented in overseas countries. The whole study is scheduled to complete by mid-2007. On the basis of the findings of the study, we will review the various initiatives under the ND Project with a view to improving it and providing more suitable services for single parents and child carers.
Ends/Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 13:38
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