64 persons with disability employed through Me2 project

41 companies, including 18 public entities and 23 private companies, today received a certificate of appreciation for offering the possibility to 64 persons with disability to gain job experience within their entity.

The employment opportunites were made possible through the Me2 project, a project co-financed by the European Union led by the Foundation for Social Welfare Services with ETC and KNP as project partners.

Of the 64 persons who benefitted from the project, 38 were male and 26 females.

Justice Minister Chris Said, present for the handing out of the certificates, said government was committed to create more job opportunities for persons with disability. "Persons with disability have a lot to offer to society, and their integration into the labour market benefits both themselves and the companies that offer them employment," Said said.

Said also referred to the current ETC scheme for the local councils and said that thanks to such initiative around 80 persons with disability and who are registering for work, will have the opportunity to be employed for three years with the Local Councils.

Payment will be according to the number of hours worked and based on the national minimum wage.

The CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, Sina Bugeja, said that the restrictions and stigma associated with disability are just an unjust stereotype portrayed by society. "

We need to take a step forward to assist persons with disability to be fully and equally integrated, in particular within the labour market," she said, while calling for other companies and entities to take this challenge and employ persons with disability.