Journal #3 – Interview with Ms Donna Chia from MINDS

In order to gain more insight as to how organisations are striving towards integrating PWDs into the community and making Singapore an inclusive society, I decided to get in touch with MINDS. I had the opportunity to interview Ms Donna Chia, Head of MINDS Eunos and Tampines TDC (Training Development Centre) not just about further details on the services/programs MINDS has to offer, but also regarding government initiatives, which allowed me to gain a better perspective of the network of support in Singapore.

Over the course of the interview, I realised that the very well organised system of support is apparent at MINDS as they place emphasis on supporting and guiding individuals with respect to their various interests and needs. For instance, upon graduation from the MINDS SPED schools, students are assessed to see whether they would be suitable for the EDC (Employment Development Centres), which is aimed at enhancing their vocational skills and employability, or for the TDC, which is targeted towards those who are not as independent and more attention would be required towards each individual. Furthermore, AHPs (Allied Health Professionals) conduct many other assessments such as physiological testing in order to make sure these individuals are supported in an appropriate manner. In addition, from training officers, to transition placement officers, to job placement officers etc., there are various staff members who are engaged in different areas, ultimately providing holistic support services. I believe this makes the transition across different life stages, especially from school to work, highly effective because these individuals will not only be well-equipped with skills, but also be integrated into the workplace environment.

My biggest take away from the session was understanding how much of an active role the Singapore government plays in including PWDs in society and their strong engagement with organisations, including MINDS. Through government fundings such as the VWOTS and EDUSAVE fund, PWDs are supported financially as well so that they can participate in actives and be enrolled in programs with minimum barriers. Furthermore, Ms Donna Chia also mentioned that they are constantly in contact with the government and their “centres and schools are often invited into conversations with various stakeholders under the MSF, under [their] PA associations, under [their] community centre so on and so forth together with NCSS as well”. It’s interesting to see how interconnected the public and private sector is as well as the strong ecosystem Singapore has in regards to supporting PWDs because I believe this is a key factor to ensure proper care is being provided to vulnerable members of the community. With this, I think it is vital for the Singapore community to get involved by volunteering at organisations and to get more familiar with the governments initiatives and services available in order to bring together the 3Ps (people, private and sector), although volunteerism through a sustainable approach needs to be considered more in depth for the enhancement of the quality of life of PWDs in the long-run.

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