The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has commissioned 13 non-governmental organizations (NGO) to launch the special job program, said Hong Kong's Chief Social Security Officer of Support for Self- reliance Team, Kam Wing-hung.

Speaking at a press briefing, Kam said a two-year job project will start in January this year and end in December 2002 and the 13 NGOs would launch their individual programs in each of the 13 SWD districts.

"The department's Employment Assistance Coordinators will refer the target customers to relevant NGOs where counseling, training services, job-attachments for three to six months, job placement and post-placement will be provided and arranged," Kam said.

"The post-placement services will last not less than six months and a job attachment allowance of HK$1,805 (US$231.4) per month will be paid through the NGOs to those customers who achieve no less than 80 percent attendance per month during the job attachment period," he added.

The program aims to enable participants to gain work experience and skills required by employers through attachments with the NGOs, develop their work habits and a wider social network so that they can compete more effectively in the labor market, Kam said.

(People’s Daily 01/28/2001)