In 2022, Aġenzija Sapport helped 2,445 people who live with a disability through social work. During this period, 522 people received this assistance through daytime services, 322 persons received aid through the Sonia Tanti Independent Living Centre (STILC), and 407 of which received services from the Access to Communication and Technology Unit (ACTU).

These statistics emerged from the working report for 2022 and was presented by the Chief Executive Officer of Aġenzija Sapport Oliver Scicluna and the Minister of Inclusion Julia Farrugia Portelli. The report revealed that over 2022, 2,735 Blue Badges were given out.

During the calendar year, over €2.6 million worth of assistance was provided towards disabled persons. These derived from Direct Payment schemes, the Independent Community Living and Personal Assistance Fund, and the local Empowerment Scheme.

Minister Farrugia Portelli thanked the 600+ social workers who continue to aid persons living with a disability during the presentation of Aġenzija Sapport’s annual report to its directors. She described their importance within this sector and towards pushing for reforms that could provide more comfortable services to disabled persons across the Maltese islands.

Some new initiatives were launched in 2022 to aid this community, such as the Way to Work programme to help persons of disability enter employment; the opening of a Community Hub in Żurrieq; the opening of residential facilities as part of the Supported Independent Living services also in Żurrieq, amongst others.

Aġenzija Sapport CEO Scicluna thanked his 614 employees for their continued commitment to help provide the wide range of available services towards these local communities. He also emphasised the importance of the agency’s work to continue developing further programmes and initiatives to strive to help persons with a disability to live a more independent life.