Their Positive Mindset is Free from Physical Disabilities. Thus, Their Excellent Craftsmanship Got Spread Wide.

Tainan City Recovery Youth Association (hereinafter referred to as “the association”) is a social welfare group composed of people with disabilities. Most of them are mid-aged polio patients with difficulty in job hunting. The Association devotes on helping people with disabilities to foster their professional job skills and create the way to the future. In 2000, sponsored by “Sustainable Taiwan Development Employment Program” and “Multiple Employment Promotion Program (MEPP)” held by the Ministry of Labor (MOL), the association designed various handiwork training courses. Besides, senior instructors were invited to teach marketing drills to their members. The goal was to build up their specialties for living and confidence to join in the employment market.

Continuous Learning Makes beginners become Masters.

On course design, other than learning hand sewing basics at first, course participants also learn advanced techniques, such as molding, shaping, lining, coloring, leather coloring, seam neatening and so on. The association even cooperates with experienced team in various fields like marketing and project management, hoping to raise the capability in its factory, as well as ability in design, thus they can read the market trend precisely. Talents in project management and marketing are necessary to the promotion and strategy plan for their delicate and outstanding products. Thanks to the sponsorship of MEPP, the association keeps making progress. A few years ago, the association has the workplace enlarged and remodeled so that the disabled can have a more comfortable and safer place to work. Having them find a new way to employment eases the stress of government. The association wishes to create more feats so that it can help more vulnerable families refine their lives.

After the three year economic type project ended, the association has gradually come to the financial independence. Each year, its surplus estimated more than NT$1 million dollar is reinvested in personnel, equipment purchase, welfare fund for the disabled, etc. Besides, it also plans to invest about NT$3 million dollars annually to social enterprise development.

For employee empowerment, the association provided training courses related to computer skills and handicrafts (stained glass design, soft clay design, leather craft creation, quilt making among other handicraft courses), and assisted its employees in attending various training courses and obtaining certificates.

In terms of social impact, the association provides scholarship, emergency allowance, monetary gifts for wedding, funeral and some other once in a lifetime event to its employees. Aside from that, it holds psychological consultations, welfare themed speeches which are free for the vulnerable households to participate. Other than that, the association offers free handicrafts lessons for the elders, aiding tools, daytime care services and sheltered workshops. For innovation feasibility, it has researched, designed products on its own and created its own brands; by inventing technology commodities integrated colored glasses and aluminum alloy, and soft clay commodities integrated with stained glasses, the association has developed even more multiple and competitive products.

The association as well as its partners has made a claim to the public, “Though the talent of the disabled is often overshadowed by his physical imperfection, yet along with his profession, the disabled can also achieve success.” By promoting handicrafts of Tainan feature, the disabled not only find their own stage, but strengthen the artistic atmosphere for Tainan city.