Decentralised Open Houses - MINDS

Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore
800 Margaret Drive,
Singapore 149310
MEDIA RELEASE
Embargoed till 7 July 2012
MINDS’ MONTH OF PUBLIC AWARENESS FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL
DISABILITY
SINGAPORE, 07 JULY 2012 - The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore
(MINDS) will be hosting a series of ‘Open Houses’ and events in the entire month of July till
August to raise awareness on intellectual disability in Singapore. MINDS’ schools, adult centres
and residential home will host their respective ‘Open Houses’ at their premises located island
wide. Various members of parliament, caregivers, volunteers and various community partners
are expected to attend the functions.
The organisation which turned 50 this year is concentrating its efforts to foster greater
understanding and better relationship between MINDS schools and centres and their local
communities. MINDS understands that acceptance and integration of its beneficiaries into society
hinges on awareness and support from its heartland communities. These events seek to
encourage members of public dwelling near a MINDS school or centre to visit the Open Houses
and learn about persons with intellectual disability.
The first of the ‘Open Houses’ was held on 7 July 2012 at MINDS-Towner Gardens School with
BG Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister of State for the Ministry of National Development and Ministry of
Manpower gracing the event as Guest-Of-Honour. Concurrently, Dr Lam Pin Min, MP of
Sengkang West was invited on the same day, to officiate the Open House at MINDS-Fernvale
Page 1 of 2

Gardens School. Both ‘Open Houses’ featured performances, game stalls and sale of products
made by beneficiaries at MINDS.
MINDS will also be holding a public exhibition from 27 to 29 July, with Minister of Education, Mr
Heng Swee Keat as Guest-Of-Honor to grace the event as well as launch a special 'Caregivers
Resource Pack’; a series of five handbooks, published by MINDS to help caregivers better
understand and support their children.
- End -
About MINDS:
Movement for the Intellectually Disabled was founded in May 1962 by a group of
philanthropists who saw the need to provide equal opportunities for children with
intellectual disabilities to receive education and later, to be integrated as contributing and
responsible citizens in Singapore.
MINDS is one of Singapore’s oldest and largest voluntary welfare organizations, and has
11 facilities - 4 Special Education Schools, 3 Employment Development Centres, 3
Training and Development Centres, 1 Multi-purpose Residential Services- catering to the
needs of persons with moderate to severe intellectual disability in Singapore.
To know more, visit http://www.minds.org.sg/
For further information, pls contact:
Brenda Lee
Corporate Communciations Executive
DID: 6479 5655 Ext: 240
Mobile: 9730 1044
Email: brendalee.hq@minds.org.sg
(Note: Please see attached document for details of ‘Open Houses’ and events)
Page 2 of 2