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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will invite eligible individuals and organisations to apply for The Jockey Club IT Scheme for People with Visual Impairment (11th Round) and Central Fund for Personal Computers (23rd Round) tomorrow (October 25). The deadline for submitting applications to both schemes is December 3.
The objectives of The Jockey Club IT Scheme for People with Visual Impairment are to support non-governmental and non-profit-making organisations providing services/schooling to people with visual impairment (PVI) and tertiary institutions to acquire advanced Chinese screen readers and Braille displays to facilitate PVI's surfing on the Internet; and subsidise individual PVI in need to purchase these devices for the purpose of studies or employment.
The supported items of this scheme are an advanced Chinese screen reader, such as Chinese JAWS or its compatible; and Braille display of 40 cells, such as Focus 40 or PAC Mate or its compatible.
Successful organisational applicants will be sponsored for installing the Chinese screen reader (maximum $9,800 per set) and Braille display (maximum $36,000 per set). For successful individual applicants, the subsidy will be no more than $9,800 for the Chinese screen reader and 75% of the cost or $27,000, whichever is less, for Braille display.
Eligible organisations may complete the designated form to tender their applications. For individual applicants, their application must have a nomination from rehabilitation units of the SWD, subvented non-governmental rehabilitation organisations, the students affairs offices of local tertiary institutions, principals of local secondary/primary schools, or the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department, and should be submitted with a designated form together with the quotations of the concerned items by nominating organisations. The department has sent letters to the relevant organisations to invite them to tender nominations.
For enquiries, please contact the Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services Branch, SWD, at 2892 5652, through email to srm3@swd.gov.hk, or fax to 2119 9035.
The Central Fund for Personal Computers aims to assist persons with disabilities in acquiring the required computer facilities and in implementing their business plans or receiving supported employment service at home. Applicants must be users of rehabilitation services of and nominated by SWD, SWD-subvented rehabilitation organisations or the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department and:
(a) have difficulties in engaging in open employment;
(b) produce a viable business plan involving the use of computer facilities;
(c) have financial difficulties in acquiring the required computer facilities;
(d) be capable of using computers to carry out income-generating activities in accordance with the business plan; and
(e) be nominated by the organisations with the consent of the latter to provide guidance and follow-up services after the acquisition of the computer facilities.
For enquiries, please contact the Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services Branch, SWD, at 2892 5156, through email to srm5@swd.gov.hk, or fax to 2119 9035.
For details of the above schemes, please visit the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk) or CyberAble.net (www.CyberAble.net). Information notes and application forms can be downloaded from the websites.
Ends/Sunday, October 24, 2010
Issued at HKT 14:30
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