Forum assists disabled in employment
`You and the Disabled', an organisation formed by the disabled, their parents and professionals in Coimbatore, assists disabled people in finding jobs.For the disabled people in the city, there finally seems to be a glimmer of hope in terms of finding a job. A network has been formed, which seeks to build a bridge between them and the employers seeking manpower.Persons with disabilities, their parents, voluntary organisations and professionals in the corporate sector have now joined hands to form the `UDIS Forum', (coined from `You and the Disabled'), which identifies jobs for persons with disabilities and assists them in it.More than 300 persons with disabilities have registered with the network already, says M.N.G. Mani, President of the Network and Secretary General of the International Council for Education of Persons with Visual Impairment. Among them, 82 have already been placed as accountants, administrative officers and computer operators in various companies.The most recent one was an orthopaedically disabled girl, who was placed in the administrative department in Infosys in Bangalore, Mr. Mani says. The network is slowly growing with more and more individuals with disabilities joining in.
In collaboration with the District Employment Exchange, the network prepares profiles of the persons registered with it, the employment exchange and also those who have not registered with either.After ascertaining the skills of the applicants, the representatives of the forum get in touch with employment exchanges to plan out placement services. Industrial houses, which show interest in employing persons with disabilities, are also contacted. "The Government has allotted three per cent employment reservation for the disabled. But, this is rarely implemented," says K. Sankararaman, vice-president of Saarathy Pammac, an association of parents of persons with mental and physical disabilities.
The forum also arranges for specific skill training programmes for those registered with it. "We also plan to contact individuals with disabilities in different regions of the district who have aptitude and ability to create employment opportunities to strengthen services locally," Mr. Mani says. It also helps persons with disabilities and self-help groups formed by them to obtain loans from banks. Those who wish to work as volunteers or register with the forum can contact: Senior Executive, UDIS Forum Employment Guidance Centre, at 93454 07275, 94437 25925, 98945 95351 or E-mail: udisforum@vsnl.net.
