Employment of disabled persons scheme

The training, long-term employment and work exposure of registered unemployed persons with disability is the aim of a project by the Employment and Training Corporation which attracted funds from the European Social Fund of the European Union.

The project, ending in 2006, aims at increasing both the participation rate in the labour market by persons with disability and also job retention for this category of workers.

The scheme will be run through the ETC's Support Employment Section.

Those entering the scheme, 65 in all, will be given work with employers accepting to join the scheme.

Following initial assessment of the person with disability, employers will be given a subsidy according to which scheme the individual fits from five schemes which are available.

The scheme is an alternative to traditional sheltered and unsupported competitive employment.

The persons joining the scheme will be assessed periodically by occupation therapists and will have a job coach. Officials of the ETC will continue to assess the person with disability.