Review on

1. Review on “Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise” Project (3E’s Project) 26 July 2006

2. The 3E’s Project • The Project aims at providing grants for NGOs to set up and run small businesses employing people with disabilities (PWDs) • The maximum grant for each business is $2 million and the no. of disabled employees should not be less than 60% of the total no. of persons employed for the business

3. The 3E’s Project • The first batch of businesses commenced operation in mid 2002 and 38 businesses operated by 20 NGOs have been supported • The review of the Project is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the Project and show the direction of its future development

4. Evaluation on Implementation

5. Evaluation on Implementation • Business Nature - cleaning - pest control - retail - repair & maintenance - catering - barrier free technology - laundry - blind mobile massage - floral design - telemarketing survey - eco-tourism - one-stop household service - travel service - vegetable & fruit processing - direct sales - transport service

6. Evaluation on Implementation • Business Nature Catering (6) Others (6) 16% 16% Travel (2) (incl. Eco-tourism) 5% Retail (13) 34% Cleaning (11) (incl. laundry & car beauty) 29% Total: 38 Businesses

7. Evaluation on Implementation • Cleaning Service General Cleaning Pest Control

8. Evaluation on Implementation Laundry Service Car Beauty Service

9. Evaluation on Implementation • Retail Direct sales Family store Healthy Living Specialty Shops (Open soon)

10. 7-11 convenience store Rehab Shop Evaluation on Implementation Cultural kiosks in park

11. Evaluation on Implementation Floral Design & Sales

12. Evaluation on Implementation • Catering Restaurant at private housing estate Catering service

13. Evaluation on Implementation Vegetable & Fruit Processing & Supplying

14. Evaluation on Implementation • Travel Service Travel & Conference Organizing Service Eco-tourism

15. Evaluation on Implementation • Others Telemarketing Service One-Stop Household Service

16. Evaluation on Implementation Mobile Massage Service Barrier Free Access Technology Service

17. Evaluation on Implementation Perfection Transport Repair & Maintenance Service

18. Hearing / Speech Impairment (1%) Evaluation on Implementation • Disability Profile (as at May 2006) Others (1%) Visual Impairment (5%) Visceral Disability (1%) Physical Handicap (7%) Mental Handicap (44%) Ex-Mental Illness (41%) Total: 328 PWDs

19. Special Schools (1%) Evaluation on Implementation • Source of Disabled Employees(as at May 2006) IVTC/Skills Centre (4%) Sheltered Workshop (4%) On-the-Job Training (6%) Others (4%) Open Recruitment (9%) IVRSC (17%) Supported Employment (55%) Total: 328 PWDs

20. Evaluation on Implementation • Income of Employees (as at May 2006)

21. Evaluation on Implementation • Change of Financial Status (as at May 2006)

22. Evaluation on Implementation • Business Performance (as at May 2006) < 1 year of operation (12 Businesses) Profit (13 Businesses) Breakeven (4 Businesses) Loss (9 Businesses) (including 1 closed) Total: 38 businesses

23. Reasons for Successful Businesses • Market-oriented mode of operation • Customer focused and tailor made services • Great diversity of products/services • Quality products/services • Experienced management team • Good cost control (esp. manpower) • Successful brand name creating customer loyalty • Pooling of existing business at initial stage of operation • Stable source of customers (e.g. Large internal market) • Continuous expansion of market

24. Reasons for Unsuccessful Businesses • Economic downturn • Keen market competition • Over-estimation of market demand • Lack of experience in business management • Insufficient cost control measures • Undesirable location • Narrow customer base • Insufficient varieties of quality products/services

25. Achievements of the Project • Creating job opportunities for around 770 PWDs • Promoting upward mobility of SW/SE trainees • Demonstrating the working ability of PWDs to the public • Enhancing NGOs’ market-orientation in providing vocational training • Promoting NGOs’ cooperation with private enterprises and public/government departments • Facilitating the setting up of social enterprises

26. Challenges • Decreasing number of applications

27. Challenges • Difficulties faced by operating NGOs - Quite difficult to meet the requirement of 60% disabled employees - Hard to attain self-sustaining right after one year of operation

28. Way Forward • Relax ratio of disabled employees • To explore the feasibility to extend the period of funding support • Set up a pool of volunteers for assisting NGOs in operating the businesses • Further enhance the promotion of the Project

29. Thank You