JEDDAH: The Disabled Children’s Association is organizing a meeting for disabled Saudis of both genders to network with private and public companies to find jobs.
Samir Hanifa, head of the You Are Not Alone Department at the Disabled Children’s Association, said the organization had been holding such meetings since 2004 and so far found jobs for 200 disabled youths over the age of 18. She added that the meeting would be ideal for disabled job seekers to network with companies looking for disabled staff.
Asked about the low number of disabled people helped so far, Hanifa said this was due to a lack of awareness among relatives of the disabled. She added that the meeting was being held to create a database of disabled job seekers. The meeting is being held ahead of the Disabled Employment Forum scheduled to take place in May.
Hanifa said there was a demand to employ disabled Saudis and that a number of companies regularly contact the association looking to hire disabled people. The Ministry of Labor’s Saudization quota system considers the employment of one disabled Saudi equal to employing four able-bodied Saudis.
The You Are Not Alone Department was established in 2004 to raise awareness among disabled people and their families, and help them overcome difficulties and challenges in finding jobs. The department also helps disabled people interact with public and private institutions, and provides them with social and psychological support.
Disabled people looking for jobs can contact the department at 02-6224080 (ext. 310 and 220) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
