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The Director of Social Welfare, Mr Patrick Nip, today (November 1) said that the Government is committed to promoting employment of persons with disabilities, encouraging them to build up self-reliance and integrate into the workplace and the community.
Apart from providing vocational rehabilitation training, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) has been enhancing the work capability and self-confidence of persons with disabilities through the brand SEPD (which stands for "Superb", "Excellent", "Prominent" and "Distinguished"), Mr Nip said.
Speaking at the "Let Them Shine Gala 2012" launch ceremony, Mr Nip said, "Through running the 'Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise' Project, the SWD has helped enhance the work opportunities of persons with disabilities by granting seed money to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to set up small enterprises. So far, a total of over $52 million has been granted, sponsoring some 75 different kinds of small businesses, and hence creating more than 580 job vacancies for persons with disabilities."
He added that the SWD has also made use of different channels to let employers learn about the work capabilities of persons with disabilities, including the brand SEPD created in 2002 by the NGOs operating rehabilitation services. The SEPD has recently launched the Let Them Shine series and registered it as a trademark. For details of the SEPD, please visit the website www.mcor.swd.gov.hk/tc/home.
The "Let Them Shine Gala" is an annual territory-wide publicity event organised by the Marketing Consultancy Office (Rehabilitation) (MCO) of the SWD, with an aim to demonstrate the diversified abilities of persons with disabilities, promote equal working opportunities and facilitate the integration of this group into the community.
The "Let Them Shine Gala 2012" is being held between November 1 and 3 at the Kowloon Park Piazza. An array of services and products by persons with disabilities will be on display at 13 exhibition booths.
At today's ceremony, Mr Nip presented trophies to the Let Them Shine Partners, including the Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited, the Star Ferry Company Ltd, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong and Vitat Company Ltd, in recognition of their efforts on supporting employment of persons with disabilities and promoting activities with the MCO of the SWD.
Awards were also presented to winners of the "Let Them Shine Cooking Competition" for persons with disabilities which was held in May.
Other officiating guests attending the ceremony were the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities, Mr Ivan Ho; the Chairman of SEPD Limited, Ms Catherine Wong; and the Let Them Shine Ambassador, Mr Jonathan Wong.
Ends/Thursday, November 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:12
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