Handicapped Workshops

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32127, 24 October 1969, Page 8

Handicapped Workshops

The Intellectually Handicapped Children’s Society might be forced to defer the building of urgently needed opportunity workshops unless the Government made an early decision to grant a subsidy towards the running costs of these workshops, the society’s national president (Dr D. M. G. Beasley) said on Wednesday. Dr Beasley said that the society received no subsidies towards the running coSts Of its workshops—its biggest undertaking—and no subsidies on the salaries of its social workers.

The subsidy that it had asked the Government for was for 50 per cent on the salaries of its workshop stall and its social workers. “An approach was made to the Government for assistance for opportunity workshops as long ago as 1986, but we were told at that time, and again later that no decision could be made until the National Civilian Rehabilitation Committee presented its report on assistance for the handicapped,” he said. “When this report was presented some months ago, it was found that under this scheme there would be very little support for our workshops. We had. therefore, to take the matter up again with the Government, as some assistance in this direction had become urgent.” Dr Beasley said that he had been told that the matter was now receiving Government consideration and he hoped that a decision would be made in the very near future.

At present the society has 20 opportunity workshops throughout New Zealand catering for 500 intellectually handicapped people. Another nine workshops with facilities for 180 trainees are being built or planned.