Sheltered Workshop Scheme For Training The Handicapped

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28100, 16 October 1956, Page 14

Sheltered Workshop Scheme For Training The Handicapped

To promote and launch a scheme in Christchurch for a sheltered workshop for handicapped young persons, a committee was elected by a public meeting yesterday attended by representatives of welfare and other organisations.

One of the committee’s tasks will be to propose a constitution, and it will also arrange for incorporation of the organisation which will run the scheme. Mr R. H. McDonald, reporting for the interim committee, said that a building had been obtained. It was a prefabricated building owned by the Education Board and at present at the Addington School. An approach had been made to the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishment League for a site on its Riccarton grounds, and the matter had been referred to the league's headquarters in Wellington. The idea of promoting a sheltered workshop to train young persons who might become suitable for employment and who would be given a useful task had enlisted sympathy in many quarters. Mr McDonald said. “Providing the public is prepared to go with us. we are sure that what we have set out to do can be achieved.” he said. The Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane.

M.P.) said both the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie) and the Minister of Health (Mr J. R. Hanan) were sympathetic towards the project. A panel of seven or eight persons would be appointed to select persons for training, the meeting agreed, and would include representatives of employment interests, the British Medical Association, the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishment League, the Psychological Service, and the Vocational Guidance Centre.

On the suggestion of Dr. A. Douglas, the committee was instructed to obtain from welfare organisations the numbers of handicapped young persons who might be catered for by the sheltered workshop. The following were elected as the committee:—Messrs McDonald. M. Cosgriff. A. Greenwood, E. R. Clark, H. O'Reilly. S. W. Ayers. E. V. Nettleton. and A. B. Allen, Misses C. E. Robinson. D. Munday, and E. Smith, and Mrs J. Hay. with the Mayor exofficio.