A sizeable number of persons in India are handicapped (2.68cr according to census 2011). In that 36% persons are working and other 64% person with disability are not able to find suitable employment opportunities.
Prathama Foundation, under the program name Abhaya, has been providing relief and help in rehabilitating them. Enabling them to stand on their own feet financially and become a functional member of the society.
Vocational rehabilitation of the handicapped person is a process through which they are enabled to secure a suitable employment, where they could retain and advance on a permanent basis. The ultimate aim of this program is the integration or re-integration of the disabled person into the society.
Services rendered to persons with disability under the ‘Abhaya’ program:
- Interviewing adult handicapped persons for knowing their personal, social, family, educational, economic and vocational background. And determine what is causing the adjustment problems.
- Evaluation of persons with disabilities to assess their physical efficiencies, measure their psychological strengths and weaknesses in respect of their intelligence, aptitude, areas of interest, psychomotor dexterity, personality traits and areas of adjustment to unfold their potentials.
- Assessing the residual capacities, attributes, and functional skills of different categories of the disabled.
- Examination of the handicapped persons by a panel of medical specialists to identify the degree of disability and functional capacities. Post which prescribe remedial measures.
- Testing of the handicapped persons on the job capabilities in different trades sanctioned under vocational rehabilitation programs such as Electronics, Electrical, General Mechanic, Radio & TV repair, Commercial Practice, Air-conditioning & refrigeration, Automobile, Cutting and Tailoring, Computer Applications, Wood Work & Chair Canning, Arts & Crafts, Screen Printing, Photography, Metal Trades, Secretarial Practice, Painting, etc.
- Imparting workshop training to develop vocational adjustment in respect of their work habits, job sustainability, and overall ensuring that their job allocation is best suited to their strengths and weaknesses.
- Providing assistance to physically challenged people in the Centre. Prepare their vocational plan for enhancing their levels of knowledge & skills suited to local job market needs. Also assisting, guiding and motivating them to focus towards self-employment.
- Imparting non formal in-plant training with tailor made modules based on vocational training to Persons with Disabilities for skill building hence making them employable.
- Sponsoring and assisting the handicapped persons to utilize the government provisions of reservations of seats in various educational/training institutions.
- Recommending the handicapped persons for grant of loans by the concerned financial institutions under differential rate of interest or, setting up of different ventures under various self-employment schemes.
- Evaluation of persons with disabilities to assess their physical efficiencies, measure their psychological strengths and weaknesses in respect of their intelligence, aptitude, areas of interest, psychomotor dexterity, personality traits and areas of adjustment to unfold their potentials.
