[KS] Goodwill Debuts in Korea

[Frank M. Tedesco]

>               Goodwill IIndustries to Debut Here =

>               07/15(=BC=F6) 18:32
> =

>               By Hong Sun-hee
> =

>               Staff Reporter
> =

>               Goodwill Industries International (GII), the world's larg=
est
>               provider of employment and training services for people w=
ith
>               disabilities and other disadvantaged conditions, is about=
 to
>               start operations in Korea, said Fred Grandy, president an=
d
>               CEO of the 95-year-old organization.
> =

>               He hinted that GII plans to team up with the Korean
>               government and local industries during an international
>               conference which the Education & Rehabilitation Exchange
>               Foundation (EREF) held in Seoul Wednesday.
> =

>               ``There is the possibility that we will adopt the Goodwil=
l
>               model of community-based vocational rehabilitation and jo=
b
>               creation programs for Korea - perhaps creating a network =
of
>               workshops, training facilities and retail stores througho=
ut
>               the provinces.''
> =

>               ``I am delighted that Dr. Kang Young-woo has recently joi=
ned
>               the GI International board of directors. I know that he w=
ill
>               be a great asset in building ties between Goodwill and th=
e
>               disabled community here in Korea,'' he said.
> =

>               Dr. Kang, who is visually impaired, is the vice president=
 of
>               the World Committee on Disability and is the organizer of=
 the
>               Seoul conference.
> =

>               In Korea, a huge fund has been set up from fines paid by
>               companies which have not met disability employment quotas=
,
>               while a large number of disabled people remain unemployed=
=2E
> =

>               Grandy said, ``The challenge there is double - both creat=
ing
>               job opportunities and changing employer attitudes toward
>               hiring people with disabilities.''
> =

>               Since 1976, GII's `Projects With Industry' programs have
>               placed more than 23,000 people in jobs in banking and
>               finance, the retail industry, high technology, hospitalit=
y
>               and other fields. Major corporations like Xerox, Marriot,=

>               McDonald's and Holiday Inn are among the myriad of employ=
ers
>               involved. And more than 80 percent of Goodwill's clients
>               placed in positions through this program have severe
>               disabilities.
> =

>               In Korea, the current economic pinch is worsening the job=

>               security of people with disabilities. They are generally =
the
>               first employees to be laid off and the last to be
>               re-employed.
> =

>               The four-time U.S. House of Representatives member from I=
owa
>               said, ``Fortunately your government is certainly supporti=
ve
>               of non-profit service agencies and foundations that aid
>               people with special needs and funds are available to
>               establish and strengthen training and employment programs=
=2E
>               Clearly the stage is set for a successful move toward gre=
ater
>               independence and a better quality of life for the disable=
d of
>               your nation. And I sincerely hope that Goodwill Industrie=
s
>               will be able to participate in what surely will be a most=

>               important step for people with disabilities throughout
>               Korea.''
> =

>               There are currently 187 community-based GI agencies in No=
rth
>               America and 54 associate members elsewhere. Last year, th=
e
>               organization served more than 299,000 people worldwide
>               through employment and training programs.
> =

>               Grandy was involved in the entertainment business before =
his
>               election to Congress in 1986. He is probably best known f=
or
>               his role on television's long-running series, ``The Love
>               Boat,'' in which he appeared as Gopher, the ship's purser=
=2E
> =

>            ------------------------------------------------------------=
--------
>                            (C) COPYRIGHT 1998 THE HANKOOKILBO
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/14_1/9807/t4151546.htm

-- =



Frank Tedesco, Ph.D.
Occasional lecturer, University of Maryland
Assistant Professor
Sejong University
98 Kunjadong, Kwangjin-gu
Seoul 143-747 KOREA
Tel/fax: 82-2-997-3954
E-mail: tedesco at uriel.net

"Life is a terminal disease, and it's sexually transmitted."
John Cleese, the Buddhist.


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