Work for the disabled
THE 2% Employment Campaign was launched at the Sinosteel Plaza on Rivonia Road.
The campaign involves an interactive training programme that deals with teaching disabled people a set of skills that will help with future employment.
The campaign is a partnership between the Disability Workshop Development Enterprise, The Jobs Fund, administered by the Development bank of Southern Africa, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Disability.
Chief executive officer of the Disability Workshop, Undere Deglon said 1 200 candidates had already participated in the programme and had learnt about etiquette, dress codes, interview processes and particular skills for any type of entry-level job. “Based on years of experience and lessons from other countries, we have developed a model to source, develop and place unemployed persons with disabilities into entry-level positions for the first time in their lives,” said Deglon.
The Employment Equity Act was introduced to help disabled people find employment, but according to Adv Bokankatla Joseph Malatji of the South African Human Rights Commission, most companies in the country had not met the two percent target of employing disabled people.
“Most institutions have no idea how to deal with disabled people in the workplace,” said Malatji. “We understand business concerns about the risks of employing first-time job seekers.”
According to United Nations’, Shuab Chalklen employment of disabled people was a key indicator of the successful integration of people with disabilities in society.
