In accordance with the regulation, the amounts of co-financing for persons attending VDC and OTW shall increase. The justification states that the previous amounts of co-financing for the costs of one year's stay of the participants in these facilities did not cover all the costs of activity incurred by these institutions. The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy is of the opinion that it is necessary to ensure the proper functioning of OTW and VDC and to allow these institutions to continue to grow.

The amount of co-financing for a one-year stay of one person in the OTW has been continuously growing since 2015: from PLN 14,796 to PLN 17,796 in 2019. When the Ordinance enters into force - i.e. on 1 October of the current year - the amount of financial support shall increase to the total amount of PLN 18.096, in 2020 to PLN 20.496, in 2021 to PLN 21.696, and in 2022 and in subsequent years to PLN 22.896.

At the beginning of this year, the amount of co-financing of the annual costs of the disabled employee's stay in VDC has increased from PLN 18.5 thousand to PLN 22 thousand. It was the first growth in a decade. In the current year, the amount will increase by another PLN 750, to the level of PLN 22 750, and in 2020 and in the subsequent years to PLN 25 thousand.

The costs of these changes are included in the draft of the state budget for 2020 and beyond.

- We are very pleased that the increased amounts of support for these institutions will apply immediately, and that we have secured the funds to increase the support in the subsequent years. Occupational Therapy Workshops and Vocational Development Centres are a very important element of the activities taken by our Ministry in the context of helping persons with disabilities. Due to them, we, as a society, are able to offer full support to people who, despite adversity, wish to join the labour market - says Krzysztof Michałkiewicz, Secretary of State and Government Plenipotentiary for the Disabled.

OTW and VDC support thousands of persons with disabilities

Occupational Therapy Workshops are institutions which offer social and vocational rehabilitation to persons with disabilities who are unable to take up employment. These persons can benefit from workshops and therapeutic classes. In the case of persons who wish to enter the labour market, OTW provide assistance in finding employment. On the other hand, Vocational Development Centres provide jobs for persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities learn not only how to carry out their duties, but also how to cope with everyday life and how to cooperate with others.

In 2018, there were 718 Occupational Therapy Workshops in operation, attended by 27.5 thousand persons with disabilities. Last year, a total of PLN 453.6 million was allocated to finance their operation - approximately PLN 64 million more in relation to 2015.

In turn, 116 occupational activity centres employ 6,663 persons with disabilities. In 2018, the State Fund for Rehabilitation of Disabled People contributed PLN 92.3 million for establishing and funding the operation of VDC - an increase of over PLN 11 million in comparison to 2015.