A draft report with 18 recommendations to boost employment services and district networking will be tabled to the Commission on Poverty for discussion on March 27.

The commission's Task Force on District-based Approach Chairman Law Chi-kwong said the report was compiled based on interviews with relevant Government departments, services operators and the unemployed to examine the delivery of employment services at the district level.

The 18 recommendations cover:

* strengthening co-ordination between different government agencies delivering employment services;

* strengthening the role of job centres in assisting the "difficult-to-employ";

* strengthening retraining services and encouraging post-employment support and life-long learning to avoid the employed becoming jobless again;

* establishing a professional standard for practitioners of employment services so they can provide a more effective service to the unemployed;

* strengthening networking and co-ordination at district level to make the best use of local resources; and,

* providing incentives to motivate the unemployed during the transitional period from unemployment to work.

Useful basis

"The draft report serves as a useful basis for the commission to examine closely the delivery of employment assistance by different agencies from the angle of the unemployed, in particular the 'difficult-to-employ' who need more targeted assistance to help them find work and become self-reliant," Mr Law said.

"The unemployed should be at the centre of our employment service. Through improving service interface and strengthening district networking, I hope we can move towards a more integrated service, which addresses the needs of the unemployed."

On the progress of poverty alleviation work in the three pilot districts, a more in-depth study on the existing district management process and practices and how it contributes to the livelihood of the disadvantaged in the community will be conducted. The task force will also consider how best to make use of the $150 million earmarked for the next five years in the 2006-07 Budget to reinforce the district-based approach later this year.