Mayor Zai's Blog

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Educate, Enable, Employ!

Last Saturday, I had the honour of attending the Disability Awareness and Job Fair. It was also in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Now in its fifth year, the Disability Awareness Public Education (DAPE) aims to raise Singaporeans’ awareness of the abilities of persons with disabilities and to encourage greater understanding and integration of persons with disabilities into our community. I was glad that persons with disabilities, caregivers, employers, colleagues and VWOs were able to join us in the celebrations.

The theme for this year’s event is employment for persons with disabilities. This job fair aimed to encourage persons with disabilities to take ownership of their employability and to tap on available resources in the community. We had 9 employers such as Standard Chartered Bank; United Parcel Service Singapore; Han’s Café & Cake House Pte Ltd and Holiday Inn Park View Singapore, who are willing to offer over 300 job openings. MOM was also available to provide information pertaining to issues such as income security and job relations for workers.    

Employment is important in enabling persons with disabilities to achieve independent living as well as integration into society. While some are not able to work due to physical impediments or social barriers, these limitations are not insurmountable. Given the necessary adjustments to the work place and work culture, the proper training and job re-designing, persons with disabilities would also be able to make valuable contributions.

Introduced in 2007, the Open Door Fund offers companies a comprehensive package of incentives to make the necessary work adjustments, workplace modifications, job support, job coaching, and training for supervisors and colleagues. To date, more than 30 companies have utilised the Open Door Fund, enabling the creation of more than 300 employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The Enabling Employers network and Singapore National Employers Federation have developed an employer’s guide on engaging persons with disabilities. The guide provides helpful suggestions and best practices on employability and hiring across various disabilities. There are practical and handy tips written for businesses, and solutions to common questions asked by existing or potential employer. This guide will help clarify employers’ perceptions and expectations, help address issues relating to managing a staff with disabilities and guide them through the process from job placement to employee retention.  

Xin Yuan's Activity & Wellness Centre

On 26 October, I had the privilege of attending the official launch of Xin Yuan Community Care’s Activity and Wellness Centre. With its mission to enable the elderly to live with dignity and independence, Xin Yuan has been working closely with Bishan-Toa Payoh North CCC and Toa Payoh North RC Zones 1 and 2. The centre hosts inhome healthcare services, daycare rehabilitative services, social and bonding programmes for the elderly.

1 out of every 12 Singaporeans are aged 65 or above, and by 2030, this ratio will be 1 out of 5. Toa Payoh has the highest numbers of elderly living in Singapore. With Singapore’s rapidly aging population, Xin Yuan Community Care has certainly taken a step in the right direction in reaching out and helping the less privileged in our community.    

Experential Learning - Growing Connections

Yesterday I also had the pleasure of attending the official launch of the Raffles Institute for Experiential Learning (RIEL) at Raffles Junior College (RJC). The theme was “Growing Connections” and I found this to be very relevant to the CDCs, with one of our missions being “Connecting the Community”.

Raffles schools have some of the best and brightest students in Singapore. It is important for the public to see that the school does not just focus on grades and help their students achieve their own personal goals, but also actively looks for better ways to produce students who feel that they have a stake in the community.

We must reiterate the importance of students being engaged with the community.   Students need to be more aware of how the community functions, their concerns, aspirations and challenges. They need to know how their school fits into the community. Most importantly, they need to have opportunities to meaningfully interact with people from diverse backgrounds. For it is through meaningful engagements with other people and through the sharing of experiences, that we begin to build relationships that we can cherish. These personal relationships will foster a sense of connection with the community, a sense of place, and perhaps a sense of purpose beyond oneself.    

Here are three examples of how RJC has been actively involved:

1) Youth Got Heart

This was a community service road show and volunteer festival organised by the RJC Interact Club, with the purpose of exposing youths in the central area to various types of community service and service learning opportunities. More than 1000 youths participated and the event symbolised young people engaging each other.

2) Project Dreamz

This was a youth initiative comprising of a series of sub-projects, aimed at the youths in our community. There are three aspects to this project – Music, Art and Science. Around 360 youths were involved in the project and it actively encouraged youth volunteerism.

3) Collaboration with CS CDC.

Raffles Community Leaders Forum was supported and funded by the CSCDC. Next year, RJC will collaborate with CSCDC on the Bright Homes Programme and they are also seeking internship opportunities with us for their students. Internship opportunities are important to impart the values of community involvement onto the students.