The Down Syndrome Association refers to Philip Grech's letter Welcome To The Employment Desert (March 14). The title says it all and this is a fact.

About three years ago, the Down Syndrome Association, in collaboration with the then Eden Foundation, initiated the Reach programme, which is a transition programme from secondary school to employment training.

This programme directly addresses the needs of persons who have Down syndrome. In fact, the beneficiaries of this programme are our members - youths who have Down syndrome. Unfortunately, this programme has to be paid by the parents of those benefiting from it. Until this year the association was in a position to subsidise this programme and this thanks to the funds received from the L-Istrina fund-raising of about three years ago.

What is available today for these youths who have gained a lot from mainstream education and from this Reach programme? The employment desert!

"Other parents of disabled youths on reaching the age 16 milestone seem to be resigned to accept this status quo," wrote Mr Grech. Our association absolutely does not agree with this statement.

We have been working on the adult education and employment issue for about three years now and this when the committee, under the new present chairman, unanimously agreed that the association was to work on issues directly relating to the needs of our members. In fact, in the same year, the Reach programme was launched as the association could not keep on accepting the fact that our members had nowhere to continue their education after they turned 16.

We have also had meetings with the persons in authority concerned with the employment (lack of it) issue for our children but, unfortunately, nothing materialised. Our association is not accepting this status quo. We are doing our utmost, and will continue to do so, to obtain positive results for the benefit of all persons who have Down syndrome with regard to employment.

The parents and/or guardians of persons who have Down syndrome can and must do their share too. They ought to become members of the Down Syndrome Association so that the association would have a stronger voice.

The government must do its share too. The Down Syndrome Association is a voluntary non-governmental organisation and we have never ever been invited to take part in policy-making discussions and planning - either from the education sector nor from the employment sector. We know our needs and so we should be involved in the decision making.

The voluntary sector is not there to be praised only: lots of useful information can be gained from the voluntary sector which, if given the attention it merits, would result in having practical policies beneficial to all stakeholders.