Minds Craft

MESSAGE
FROM THE CEO
Almost 50 years ago on 29 May 1962, the Singapore Association for Retarded Children (SARC)
was registered as a society by a pioneering group of civic conscious people who wanted to
do their bit for children with intellectual disability who at that time did not have any specific
organization to cater to their special needs. What started out as a pilot education centre project
with a single classroom for 26 children with intellectual disability has grown into an organization
that today runs four special education schools, three sheltered workshops, three day activity
centres and a residential facility, serving a total of 2,400 persons with intellectual disability. The
Association changed its name to Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS)
on 11 June 1985.
We will be celebrating MINDS’ 50th Anniversary with a series of events in 2012. The golden jubilee celebrations will start off
with a 50th Anniversary Dinner on 25 May 2012. President Tony Tan and Mrs Tan have kindly accepted our invitation to be the
Guests-of-Honour. A Commemorative Book on our 50-year journey will be launched at the Dinner.
A series of exhibition and open houses will be held to create public awareness and promote social integration for persons with
intellectual disability in July 2012. A 3-day exhibition will take place at Jurong Point from 27 to 29 July 2012. At the same time,
there will be open houses and other activities organized by our schools and centres to reach out to the neighbourhoods.
For our clients and caregivers, a Family Day will be held at the Singapore Zoo on 22 September 2012. This is to provide an
opportunity for our clients and their families to come together with MINDS staff to have a day of fun and togetherness. The Zoo
is a public place and well visited by locals and overseas visitors. Holding the MINDS Family Day at the Zoo will also raise public
awareness of MINDS and encourage community acceptance of persons with intellectual disability.
As we look forward to an exciting 2012, we also take a quick reminisce of some events in the last few months.
A series of psychosocial- educational workshops was organized by Fernvale Gardens School for parents to network and share
common issues facing them at different stages of their children’s life. Parents were also challenged to think of the long-term
plan for their children after their graduation from the school. Some parents also shared their parenting journey.
“Teen Building 2011” saw 17 special needs youths from various MINDS facilities and their teenage siblings coming together
for an overnight camp. The teenage siblings had the opportunity to share their experiences with other youths facing similar
challenges of having brothers or sisters with special needs. Facilitated by MINDS social workers, they engaged in reflective
discussion with one another. With the Camp, we hope that the teenagers have found a platform to support each other.
Read about the touching story of two very special friends at Idea EDC and their connections with each other. Our clients are
often not able to communicate their feelings and emotions. We have to constantly remind ourselves that they too experience
social interactivity, relationships and friendships.
MINDS celebrated the talents of persons with intellectual disability on 14 and 15 October 2011 with a concert entitled “Rhapsody
of Joy”. Some 195 beneficiaries from MINDS schools and centres showed their parents and caregivers what they are capable
of when given the stage to express their creativity and abilities. Through the concert, we hope to enhance the students and
adults’ self confidence and self esteem.
3 male and 3 female residents from our MINDS Hostel at Lorong Napiri have been living in two HDB rental units since May 2010
as part of our 3-year Community Group Home Pilot Project. These ladies and gentlemen are much happier now that they have
their own “home”, exercising choices in their daily independent living and participating in community and grassroots activities.
The Community Group Home serves to fill a gap for those who are capable of independent living to live within the community
rather than in a home or hostel. They will remain a part of the community even if their parents are no longer with them. Parents
who are interested to explore this option for their children are encouraged to get in touch with us for an exploratory discussion.
Thanks to a team of very dedicated staff from the EDCs and the Job Placement/Job Support Programme, MINDS closed 2011
with successful placements of a total of 40 persons with intellectual disability in open employment under the 3-year pilot Job
Placement and Job Support Programme. Although the Programme is supposed to serve all persons with intellectual disability
in Singapore, we found ourselves looking for potential candidates from the three MINDS EDCs as there were only a handful
of external referrals. In this issue, we share two success stories; the journey of Ms Yoko and her daughter Ms Akari from SIA-
MINDS EDC, and Ms Ang Poh Hua from Woodlands EDC. We urge more parents and caregivers to encourage and support their
children in taking up open employment opportunities so that they will be better integrated into the society.
Happy reading!
Mr Keh Eng Song
Chief Executive Officer
MINDS
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