Hungary’s government to launch job programme for disabled

Budapest (MTI) – The government will launch a three-year, 4.2 billion forint (EUR 13.4m) rehabilitation and job facilitation programme for the disabled, the state secretary for social affairs told a press conference on Wednesday.

The EU-funded programme is to facilitate the employment of 1,500 people living with disabilities by bringing employers and potential employees together, Károly Czibere said.

The aim is to help people with disabilities find a job in the primary labour market. To this end, the government will establish a rehabilitation development centre as well as a nationwide counselling network.

Among the strategic goals of the programme, Czibere mentioned support for teleworking, giving priority to job creation over fostered work, and boosting the so-called “trial work centres” which offer opportunities to employees with disabilities to prepare for employment in the primary market.

Job opportunities for people living with disabilities have become more wide-ranging, Czibere said, adding that government efforts to cut unemployment and inactivity are bearing fruit, with unemployment declining to 4.5 percent, a 25-year low.

Tamas Schanda, the state secretary responsible for EU development policy, said the funds for the project come as non-repayable EU grants and cover the programme’s full costs, Schanda said. The primary aim is to help people with disabilities to leave the welfare system as soon as possible and become active contributors tothe primary market. Another aim of the programme is also to train over 2,000 experts in social services, Schanda said.

Source: MTI