Suite of recommendations aims to help people with disabilities secure jobs more easily, live independently

• Two workgroups have put forward 21 programmes and initiatives to help the disabled
• These recommendations aim to prepare a disabled person for a future economy, and allow them to live independently
• The Government said it has accepted these recommendations, and they will be rolled out in the next few years, though some have already been implemented

SINGAPORE — A total of 21 new programmes and initiatives have been recommended in a master plan that aims to help disabled persons secure jobs more easily and live independently, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said.

“At the heart of these recommendations, is a vision for an inclusive society, one in which everyone knows that they belong,” Mr Masagos Zulkifli said in a media release on Wednesday (April 14).

The Minister of Social and Family Development added: “These recommendations underscore MSF’s commitment to helping persons with disabilities and their families, from their early years, through the schooling years, and into adulthood.” 

The recommendations were developed by two workgroups and put forth in the Third Enabling Masterplan, a roadmap launched in 2007 with the objective of building a more inclusive society for Singapore.

The names of the two groups, launched in 2019, are Workgroup on Preparing Persons with Disabilities for the Future Economy, and Promoting Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities through Technology and Design.

Both workgroups consist of representatives from the public and private sectors, as well as organisations for the disabled.

The workgroup on employment comprises 18 members and is co-chaired by Mr Masagos and Autism Resource Centre’s president Denise Phua, who is also the Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency.

Mr Masagos also co-chairs the 19-member workgroup on independent living with Ms Chia Yong Yong, a board advisory panel member of the disability services and support organisation SPD.

The media release said that the workgroups had come up with the recommendations after consulting and engaging with close to 300 persons with disabilities, their family members and caregivers, and disability social service agencies over the past two years.

MSF added that the Government is supportive of these recommendations and they will be rolled out over the next few years, though some have already been implemented in the past year.

Here is a look at the details of some of these recommendations, which have been categorised under the respective workgroups.

PREPARING FOR A FUTURE ECONOMY

Emphasise development of soft skills and training in authentic work settings

This recommendation calls for the Ministry of Education to revise the vocational education curriculum in special education schools to place an emphasis on the development of soft skills for work.

Ample opportunities should also be provided for all students to train in authentic work settings so that they can better develop these skills.

Pilot new programmes to create work

The workgroup recommended providing support for disabled persons to set up microbusinesses with their caregivers or other appropriate adults.

It said that the initiative could work with the right partners, and highlighted the Noodles for Good initiative as an example.

The initiative was launched in 2016 by the Central Singapore Community Development Council with the Autism Resource Centre and Si Chuan Dou Hua restaurant to provide business opportunities to special needs families.

The restaurant provides consultations on kiosk design, recipes and training, and also supplies raw ingredients at cost on a long-term basis.

The workgroup said that SG Enable, an agency dedicated to helping people with disabilities, is now putting on trial more projects under the I’mable Collective.

The collective is a platform that allows disabled persons to create business opportunities by collaborating with artists and enterprises, among others.

Develop Employment Hubs

MSF said that it is exploring the development of Enabling Business Hubs in regional centres to offer training and employment, shared facilities and services to persons with disabilities and their employers, such as job coaching.

It expects such hubs to be operational from 2023 onwards.

Improve wage offsets

This recommendation saw the Ministry of Manpower introducing the Enabling Employment Credit in January this year.

The scheme provides wage offsets of up to 30 per cent for eligible employers of persons with disabilities.

PROMOTING INDEPENDENT LIVING

Systematically improve barrier-free access

MSF said that two community partnership groups will be set up within the first half of this year.

Both groups will be looking into gaps in accessibility for the disabled, with one focused on the Central Business District, while the other in a Housing and Development Board town. The exact location was not stated.

Develop barrier-free navigation features in mobile applications

Starting from 2022, MSF said that the national online map of Singapore, OneMap, will be improved to include barrier-free routes for users to navigate.

It said that it will be starting with six locations such as Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Punggol, River Valley, the Singapore River and Tanglin.

Train frontline officers

SG Enable has worked with the Civil Service College to extend its Consumer Inclusiveness workshop for customer service to public officers.

This workshop, the ministry said, is meant to help public officers communicate effectively with persons with disabilities.