Meeting on International Collaboration in the Field of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities

Paper for Agenda I

Present Employment Status of People with Disabilities

in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China

POPULATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

                   According to a household survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department in 2000, it is estimated that there are 270 000 people with disabilities (excluding mentally handicapped persons) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), representing 4% of the total population.  For the purpose of the survey, the following categories of disabilities are included -

In addition, a separate estimation suggests that there are about 62 000 to 87 000 people with mental handicap, representing some 0.9% to 1.3% of the total population.

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT STATUS

2.                Findings of the above mentioned survey also indicate that about 22% of the people with disabilities are economically active, i.e. aged 15 or over, and seeking or engaging in a job with remuneration.  This ratio is significantly lower than that of the total population which is 50%.  This phenomenon is primarily due to the fact that people with disabilities fall into higher age group of the population.  Whilst about 15% of the total population are aged over 60, over 56% of people with disabilities are within the same age group.

3.                An analysis of the findings of the survey on employed persons is set out below -

4.                As for the people with mental handicap, it is estimated that over 90% of them are participating in elementary occupations.  Their median monthly employment earnings is HK$800 (US$103).

OBSERVATIONS

5.                From the survey findings, the following phenomena are observed –

MEASURES TO PROMOTE EMPLOYABILITY

6.                To promote the employability and earning capacity of people with disabilities in the HKSAR, a comprehensive range of vocational rehabilitation services are provided to meet their special needs.  These services aim at enabling people with disabilities, regardless of their ages, to -

l           Attain an education level comparable to the general population

l           Acquire job skills that meet the changing market requirements

l           Progress from sheltered work to a more demanding form of occupations with higher remuneration

l           Secure suitable employment that commensurate their abilities

A brief account of the various education and vocational rehabilitation services provided to people with disabilities in the HKSAR is given in the paragraphs below.

(a)  Education

7.                Hong Kong provides nine-year free and universal basic education.  All children including those with disabilities between the ages of 6 and 15 are entitled to free school places up to the junior secondary level.  Children with disabilities are encouraged to receive education in ordinary schools as far as possible.  They are placed in special schools only when their disabilities are in such an extent that makes them unable to benefit from the ordinary school programme.  In 2001-02, there are 55 special schools providing about 8 000 places.

8.               Higher education is available for children with disabilities who are academically qualified.  In addition, a Sub-system has been set up under the Joint University Programmes Admission System since 1997 such that applicants with disabilities meeting the stipulated minimum entry requirements for the selected courses will be considered separately without competing direct with their able-bodied counterparts.  Students with disabilities are given the option to join this Sub-system.  On average, about 20 applicants with disabilities benefit from this Sub-system annually.

9.                In addition, opportunities are available for adults with disabilities to study in their spare time, either for personal development or to update knowledge and skills relevant to their work.  They may attend tailor-made adult education programmes for primary and secondary level courses as well as the Open University of Hong Kong for tertiary education according to their personal needs and abilities.

(b)  Vocational Rehabilitation

Skills Centre

10.               There are five Government-subvented skills centres providing over 1 200 full-time vocational training places for people with disabilities.  The training programmes are subject to regular review so as to ensure that the curricula are in pace with the changing needs of the employment markets and help broaden the employment opportunities of the trainees.  They are organised on a modular basis to enable each trainee to progress at his own pace.  According to our experience, most trainees are able to complete the modules and achieve the required competency within three years.  In the past few years, about 80% of those graduates actively seeking jobs in the open market were able to secure an employment within six months.

11.               People with disabilities may also apply for the mainstream vocational training programmes under the Vocational Training Council.  The Council will provide the successful disabled applicants with necessary support so as to facilitate their studies. 

Employees Retraining Scheme

12.               The Employees Retraining Scheme is intended for displaced workers who have experienced difficulties in finding alternative employment.  The major target group is those unemployed persons aged 30 or above with an education attainment of junior secondary level or below.

13.               People with disabilities are also covered by the Scheme which enables them to acquire new skills that meet the market requirements, thereby promoting their employability.  There are 16 training bodies providing tailor-made retraining courses for people with disabilities under the Scheme.  The total number of places in 2001-02 is about 900.  According to past experience, about 70% of the retrainees of these courses are able to secure an open employment upon completion of the training.

Sheltered Work

14.               For people with disabilities who are unable to pursue further education nor participate in vocational training or open employment upon completion of junior secondary education due to health reasons or other limitations, we provide them with sheltered work.  The objective is to facilitate them to adjust to normal work requirements, develop social skills and relationships, and prepare for potential advancement to other forms of vocation. 

15.               In the HKSAR, majority of the work in sheltered workshops relies on sub-contract jobs in the form of simple packaging, processing, finishing, assembly or sub-assembly work.  The income of sheltered workers varies with their abilities as well as the nature and amount of job contracts available.  According to a survey conducted in 1998-99, the average monthly income of sheltered workers was HK$860 (US$110).

16.               Currently, there are about 7 000 sheltered workshop places.  500 additional places will be provided by end of 2001-02.  It is recognised that through appropriate training, some sheltered workers are able to perform more demanding jobs.  In this light, apart from running full-time training programmes, the skills centres also provide short-term training courses for sheltered workers to equip them with the necessary skills to advance to supported employment or open employment.

Supported Employment

17.               Supported employment is provided to people with disabilities whose working ability lies between sheltered employment and open employment, or those have difficulties in adjusting to the labour market in the absence of support.  It also serves as a stepping-stone for sheltered workers to progress to open employment.

18.               Job placement, job coaching, as well as on-going training and counselling are provided in an integrated setting under the service to enable people with disabilities to adjust to open employment.  In 1999-2000, the average monthly income of supported employment trainees was HK$2,900 (US$372) and about 25% of them were able to integrate into open employment with the support services withdrawn on a phased basis. 

19.               Currently, there are about 1 300 Government-subvented supported employment places.  We plan to further expand the service by providing 580 additional places by end of 2001-02.

(c)  Job Placement

20.               The Selective Placement Division (SPD) of the Labour Department provides free-of-charge job-matching services to both people with disabilities and employers.  SPD canvasses vacancies for people with disabilities in a proactive manner.  Primarily, its activities include -

l                    producing radio programmes, videos and VCDs to promote the working abilities of people with disabilities;

l                    conducting courtesy visits to targeted trades and enterprises; implements a trial placement scheme to encourage employers to try out the working abilities of people with disabilities; and

l                    giving recognition to those enlightened employers in a high-profile presentation ceremony. 

21.               SPD also provides disabled job seekers with telecommunication facilities and up-to-date career information in Employment Resources Corners to facilitate them to search jobs proactively and independently.  Last year, over 2 000 people with disabilities secured a job in the labour market through the Division’s services. 

NEW INITIATIVES

22.               In addition to the measures mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, to further enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities in 2001-02, we have launched a series of new initiatives details of which are given below.

(a)  Marketing Consultancy Office (Rehabilitation)

23.               Drawing reference from the experience gained in a pilot project, we have decided to set up a Marketing Consultancy Office (Rehabilitation) on a permanent basis to promote job opportunities for sheltered workshops and supported employment units through a marketing approach.  We hope that through this Office, the service operators will be able to establish a closer network with the business sector and enhance businessmen’s understanding of the working abilities of people with disabilities.

(b)  Special On-the-job Training

24.               From 2001-02 to 2003-04, we will spend HK$22.5 million (US$2.9 million) on a special on-the-job training programme for people with disabilities. The objective is to enhance the employment of people with disabilities through proactive training, market driven and placement-tied approach, overcoming disabled job seekers’ barriers to work, and encouraging employers to create or offer job opportunities for people with disabilities.  Each participant in the programme will receive an individual plan comprising a period of counselling, training and job matching, a job attachment in a non-governmental organisation (NGO) or private company, a job trial in the open market with a private sector employer and post-placement service.

25.               To encourage participation, a job attachment allowance of HK$1,250 (US$160) per month will be given to the participants for a maximum of three months to cover any additional expenses that they may incur during the job attachment period.  To motivate the private sector employer to offer job trials, a monthly allowance will be paid to the employer providing the job opportunity at a rate of half of the monthly wage given to the worker or HK$3,000 (US$385), whichever is the lower, also for a maximum of three months.  We expect that the programme will benefit over 1 000 people with disabilities over a three-year period.

(c)  Small Business Grant

26.               To create more employment opportunities for people with disabilities, we will provide HK$50 million (US$6.4 million) as seed money for NGOs to establish small-enterprises alike social firms.

27.               This grant will be given to NGOs which can come up with viable business plans to cover all or part of the start up costs of the business including equipment, fitting-out works, initial stocks etc.  The maximum amount of grant per successful application is HK$2 million (US$256,000).  As one of the key conditions for the grant, at least 60% of the workforce employed in the business should be people with disabilities.

(d)  Self-employment Loan

28.               A Self-employment Business Start-up Assistance Scheme is launched on a pilot basis for two years up to 2003 for unemployed people who have completed the self-employment courses under the Employees Retraining Scheme and have come up with viable business plans.  People with disabilities may apply for the loan under this scheme.  The maximum amount of loan for each successful applicant is HK$100,000 (US$12,820).

Rehabilitation Division

Health and Welfare Bureau

Government Secretariat

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China

September 2001