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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) tomorrow (April 27) will invite eligible individuals and organisations to apply for the Jockey Club IT Scheme for People with Visual Impairment (20th Round) and the Central Fund for Personal Computers (32nd Round). The deadline for submitting applications is May 31.
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 for people with visual impairment (PVI) to acquire high-performance Chinese screen readers and Braille displays to facilitate PVIs using the Internet, and to subsidise individual PVIs in need to purchase these devices for the purpose of studies or employment. Previous beneficiaries of the Scheme can apply again if they can demonstrate genuine financial difficulties and need for study/ employment purposes.
The items supported under this scheme are a high-performance Chinese screen reader and Braille display of 40 cells.
Successful organisation applicants will be sponsored for installing a high-performance 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 a Chinese screen reader, and 90 per cent of the cost or $32,400 (whichever is the less) for Braille display.
Eligible organisations may complete the designated form to tender their applications. Individual applications must have a nomination from subvented non-governmental rehabilitation organisations, the student affairs offices of local tertiary institutions, principals of local secondary/primary schools, or the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department (LD), and should be submitted with a designated form together with the quotations for the items concerned from the nominating organisation. The SWD has sent letters to the relevant organisations to invite them to tender nominations.
The Central Fund for Personal Computers aims to assist eligible persons with disabilities in acquiring the required computer facilities for self-employment or receiving supported employment services at home with guidance and follow-up services to be provided by the referring rehabilitation organisations or the Selective Placement Division of LD. As for the criteria, applicants must:
(a) be users of rehabilitation services of and nominated by rehabilitation service organisations or the Selective Placement Division of LD;
(b) have difficulties in engaging in open employment;
(c) provide a viable business plan which has to use computer facilities;
(d) have financial difficulty in acquiring the required computer facilities;
(e) be capable of using computers to carry out the business plan; and
(f) have the consent of the nominating organisations (rehabilitation service organisations or LD) to provide guidance and follow-up services after applicants' acquisition of the computer facilities.
For enquiries of the above schemes, please contact the Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services Branch of SWD at 2892 5156, through email to srm5@swd.gov.hk or by fax to 2893 6983. Members of the public can also visit the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk) or CyberAble.net (www.CyberAble.net) for details. Information Notes and Application Forms can be downloaded from the websites.
Ends/Sunday, April 26, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:00
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