Second round of Intensive Employment Assistance Projects invites applications

The Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (June 16) invited interested bona fide non-profit making organisations to apply for a term of 3-year funding to support the second round of Intensive Employment Assistance Projects (IEAPs).

The projects are tailor-made for employable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients and 'near CSSA' recipients to help improve their job skills so they can move towards greater self-reliance. The applications start from today and continue until July 19, 2004.

Last year, the department obtained a $200 million allocation from the Lotteries Fund and Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to support up to 100 IEAPs over a four-year period. All these projects are expected to serve no less than 27,000 unemployed people.

With these funds, operating agencies may provide project participants individualised employment assistance services to enhance their employability as well as their ability to sustain employment; and ''''''''Temporary Financial Aid'''''''' to tide them over short-term financial hardship so that they do not fall into the CSSA net.

Speaking at a briefing session today, the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Paul Tang Kwok-wai, explained that the easing of the growth rate of the CSSA unemployment caseload was not only the result of a decrease in new applications but also showed the effectiveness of the intensified Support for Self-reliance measures.

"If we can encourage the return of employable CSSA recipients to the labour market, we can relieve the pressure on CSSA expenditure. We also look forward to co-operating with various sectors of the community to strengthen our Welfare-to-Work programmes," Mr Tang said.

In the first batch launched last year, 40 projects were approved. This year, 30 projects will be supported and implemented from October, 2004, to September, 2007. Outcome-based performance indicators will be used to monitor project effectiveness.

Details of application and the application forms can be downloaded from the 'What's News' in the SWD homepage at http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/. For enquiries, please call 2231 5870 or 2231 5866.

Ends

Wednesday, June 16, 2004