LO6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance

LO7: Recognise and consider the ethics implications of choices and actions

Ever since joining the SUNDAC service in grade 9, my interest in this issue of the discrimination against PWDs in Singapore has continued to grow. I believe in the importance of joining service groups that collaborate with organisations that are taking action to combat this issue because it allows us to not only spread awareness, but is also a great opportunity to get hands-on and have the experience to socially interact with PWDs.  Therefore, I decided to join the MINDS service where they essentially work with clients in order to improve their skills in basketball and floor-ball, with the aim of preparing them for the Special Olympics. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, our service has not been able to interact with them and furthermore, the requirements for the Special Olympics have changed, meaning the service would need to find an alternative goal. During this circuit breaker, our service has gotten together a couple of times to discuss the steps we should take leading towards the next school year. Therefore, we have been working on our service portfolio’s where we share what our service does, who we work with, the activities we have done as well as other information that would be useful for understanding how our service operates. Despite not being able to socially interact with our clients, I believe constructing our portfolio was vital as well so that next year when the grade 10’s move into grade 11, they can consider signing up for this service. As more people potentially join our service, more people will gain more knowledge about PWDs as well as how NGOs in Singapore are trying to advance towards an inclusive society. This is vital in order to change the attitudes and mindsets of people, hence the culture that in a way ‘promotes’ or perpetuates unethical behaviour as evident with the discrimination faced by PWDs. Therefore, through hands-on experiences within the service, this will not only enable people to develop a better understanding regarding the disability etiquette, but also contribute to diminishing the negative connotations around the disabled community, ultimately creating more justice and equality in society.