VietNamNet Bridge – A network of enterprises that provides employment services for disabled people made its debut in the central city of Da Nang yesterday, Dec 29.

Disabled children learn weaving at a charity vocational school in Da Nang. They will now have more employment opportunities as a network of 20 enterprises providing job services for them opened yesterday. (Photo: VNS)

The objectives of the network are to improve disabled people's skills and provide them with necessary support during their employment as well as better working conditions to ensure job stability.

It also aims to help employers solve any disputes that may occur between them and disabled employees.

There are more than 5,000 disabled people of the working age group that receive support from 51 occupational training centres across the city.

In recent years, Da Nang has been successful in establishing various models to help people with disabilities find jobs and in this respect, the city is a pioneer.

The network is sponsored by the USA International Development (USAID); the Da Nang Association of People with Disabilities; the Viet Nam Association in Support of Disabled People; the Da Nang Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; the Da Nang Health Service; and the Da Nang Employment Service Centre.

Many difficulties

In 2010, the Rehabilitation Programme for Disabled Workers sponsored by the Viet Nam Association in Support of Disabled People received more than 100 job applications from disabled people in Da Nang City. As many as 76 of those applicants had job interviews, but only 12 of them still have jobs.

These figures show the difficulties and challenges facing disabled people looking for or trying to hold down a job.

Tran Van Anh, director of the Sao Sang (Shining Star) Advertising Company, said more than 70 per cent of his staff were disabled. To enable them to perform their roles effectively, the company premises had to be renovated and modifications made to toilets and entry and exit points.

"But for those with mental disabilities, I think it is not easy at all for employers to recruit them," Anh said.

The barriers do not simply come from the enterprises, but also from disabled people themselves.

Dang Huong Giang, an officer of the Viet Nam Association in Support of Disabled People, said most of them had an inferiority complex and a nervous temperament.

"These characteristics can become big problems for employers during their employment," said Giang. " Providing jobs for them is important, but to help them maintain the jobs is also important too."

Viet Nam has about 5.3 million people with disabilities, accounting for 6.34 per cent of the population.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News