Evening star., 1946-12-09
Permanent Unit
On Employment
Urged in Report
Social Survey Finds
Need to Coordinate
D. c. Job Guidonce

tNCC0 " SO-Os 0sHioAS
D. c. job Guidance
Establishment Of . commission to
conduct continuous studies in en-
ployment conditions and prospects
in the major economic activities in
the metropolitan area Of the Dis
trict was recommended in report
issued today by the Social Survey.
The report on vocational adjust
ment was prepared as result of a
general social survey sponsored by
the Council of Social Agencies and
financed by an appropriation from
the Community Chest.
The proposed commission would
be named to analyze the communi-
tvs needs in terms of vocational
services and to give direction to the
responsible agencies. The commits
sion also would include as one OF
its major objectives a vigorous at
tempt to find solutions to the prob
lens of discrimination with respect
to race, religion, age, sex and handi-
caps in training, counseling and en-
ployment.
Aid For Handicapped Proposed.
It was proposed that the Council
of Social Agencies bring together
representatives of the Board OF
Trade, Merchant and Manufactur-
ers Association, veterans organiza-
tions, labor unions, Bureau Of the
Budget, Civil Service Commission,
the District Government, Board Of
Education, the Veterans Admins
tration, the United States Employ
ment Service and other public and
private organizations to organize the
commission.
In addition to the commission, It'll
was recommended that a separate
agency be set up to aid the handi-
capped, to do the same work for
the handicapped as the commission
would do for others.
The handicapped of Washington
have many unmet needs, the Survey
said. The most glaring weakness in
the service to them is the lack of
coordination among the more than
Is agencies serving them at the
present time.
Co-ordinating Agency Urged.
It was recommended that a per-
manent co-ordinating committee on
services to the handicapped be ap-
pointed by the Council of Social
Agencies. This committee would
evaluate the needs of the handi-
capped in the community and fol-
low up on the recommendation that
q separate agency be set up for them.
The Survey also recommended an
extended sheltered shop. This is q
place of employment where the en-
ploye is so handicapped he cannot
maintain the standards set up by
private and public places Of en-
ployment. Under this plan persons
capable of working slowly or for q
few hours a day would find place
ment.
It also recommended a program
for the education, training and en-
ployment of adult persons who be-
cause of handicaps are homebound.
Rehabilitation workers have recog-
nized the need for such employ
ment for many years but no steps
have been taken to remedy this
condition.
Center for Hard-of- Hearing.
A hearing aid demonstration CEN
ter was also urged. In this center
all the known aids to the hard-of-
hearing could be assembled and
persons having hearing troubles
could go there to have the different
aids demonstrated, with their in
terests only to be considered and
no high-pressure selling talk given
them in behalf of one particular
aid. 1t is estimated by the COM
mittee that there are nearly so diff
ferent hearing aid appliances being
sold in Washington now.
The Washington labor market,
the report said, is divided down the
middle between Government and
private employment. The Federal
Government, although it employs
about half the people who work in
the metropolitan area, is COM
pletely disassociated from the COM
munity in its personal practices. It's
influence is competitive and disrup-
tive in the local labor market for
which it assumes no responsibility,
the report said, adding that the re-
suit is confusion and disorganiza-
ton.
Responsibility Is Divided.
The Civil Service Commission and
the Bureau of the Budget take no
responsibility for the effects Of Fed
eral Employment on the Washing
ton labor market; the District Of
flee of the United States Employ
ment Service operates in the area
apart from the community; the vo-
cational services of the Board of
Education are closely tied to the
school system, but isolated from
the labor market; various special or
minor agencies develop their serv-
ices beyond the limits of their re-
sources in a further attempt to
compensate for the inadequacies of
/, other services. and the commercial
plaeemsnt and training agencies
thrive because they fill need which
the public agencies should fill and
do not.
The activities of the placement
agencies are unplanned attempts to
fill day-to-day orders with no day.
to-day applicants. the Survey
pointed out, and In addition no at
tempt is made to follow up the
placement to see If the worker is
still employed.
Veterans being the largest group
OF applicants for jobs, the Veterans
Administration should become more