The British Council Pakistan has piloted a job attachment scheme for people with learning difficulties in conjunction with the Diversity Unit in the UK and Karachi Vocational Training Centre (KVTC), which provides skill development training to disabled people. This was stated in a British Council Pakistan (BCP) statement here on Wednesday. Launched in December 2004 and continuing till this May, the pilot project provided two-week job attachments to 14 students from the KVTC. Each student was provided with an opportunity to work in low to high skill jobs as per his or her competency level.
The statement further said that the British Council had created these attachments in its administration, education, UK, exams and information services and other departments.
It pointed out that before the pilot project began, the British Council organised a workshop for its staff and managers in helping them make necessary adjustments and to manage other related issues they might come across while working with people with learning difficulties.
Students who had difficulties such as weak memory, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, slow learners, autism brain damaged or dyslexia were provided these jobs and were paid a weekly salary.
Their performance was judged on the basis of British Council code of conducts and discipline.
The study had been organised under the British Council emerging corporate social responsibility agenda and its' outcome would be shared by the British Council office globally, the statement revealed.
The report would also be shared with various companies and their heads, who could be the potential employers of the disabled people in the future, the statement added.
It said that the broader aim of the study is to give due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and promote equal opportunities for disabled people in the public and corporate sector organisations.
The outcome of the study is likely to contribute to the elimination of harassment of disabled people in general but also the promotion of positive attitude and the need to encourage the participation of people with learning difficulties as well as with other disabilities in day to day work lives.
The result from the pilot project has been positive and far beyond expectations with immediate practical applications to mutual benefit of society in Pakistan.
A ceremony for report dissemination and certificate distribution will be held on June 1.
Sindh Minister for Education and Literacy, Dr Hameeda Khuhro will be the chief guest on the occasion.
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