Wednesday May 12, 2004

By helping others, it opened up their world
- New Paper

WEIRD. That's what he and his friends used to think of the intellectually disabled before he got involved in a community project at a Touch Community Service centre for the intellectually disabled.
Chinese High boy Wee Haining, 16, admits he has had a 'sheltered' life.

His father, an artist, and his mother, an executive, made sure that he and his twin brother didn't lack anything.And he went into the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) at Primary 4.

'All I do is play basketball and study, and always with the same circle of friends. So to try something new, I decided to get involved,' Haining told The New Paper.

Plus, I thought it would be a good addition to my CV.'But in the end, the insight I've gained outshines whatever I've gained on paper.I'm glad I've corrected my misconception that those who are intellectually disabled are incapable of doing anything useful.

Actually, they're a lot better at many things than us normal' or gifted' people can ever hope to be.'
As part of the Leadership Development Programme for GEP students, Haining and five others taught the intellectually disabled at Touch Ubi Hostel how to make handicraft items for sale at their thrift shop.

The Sec 4 team of GEP students from five schools spent seven months on the project.
'I think ... it's a very good project. Many GEP students tend to have underdeveloped social skills because we're isolated in many ways,' said Tan Wei Chong, 15, from Raffles Institution.
Though it wasn't the first time Wei Chong was working with the intellectually disabled, he still found it eye-opening.

'Sometimes we don't really know how to interact with people outside our GEP circles, so having to pitch so differently for our Touch Ubi Hostel clients was definitely engaging.'
The team, which called itself Monkeys, started by doing surveys to gauge what new handicraft item would sell best in the thrift shop.

'We wanted to do it right, to actually help them up their revenue,' said Ham Jing Sheng, 15.
'So we knocked on more than 100 doors in the area, gave residents a list and told them to rank it according to what they would prefer.
'Tops was the handphone pouch, and other decorative items. So that's what we set out to teach them.

'But we had to learn how to do it ourselves first!'

Though this sounds simple enough, it proved a challenge to these students.

'I'm a guy you know? So I haven't sewed before,' said Haining.

'I was so scared the first time I tried to use the sewing machine. And I still can't sew a straight line.
'We could only come up with the concept, and the procedure of production. The actual sewing part we had to leave to them.'

But it was certainly worth it.

'I've actually worked with students and the elderly before, but I've never felt this level of connection,' said Jing Sheng.

'That's why I definitely intend to continue going there, although it's difficult, because it's my O-level year.

'But it's worth it because of their openness, their honesty and willingness to learn.' And the hostellites were similarly impressed with the students.

'I was quite nervous before they came because I didn't know who was going to come. But they were very nice, and helpful,' said Mr Tan Wee Kuan, 27, who has been living at the hostel for two years.

'I hope they come back some more.'

Headline: Creating social awareness

THE 60 GEP students who took part in the scheme presented their projects at a symposium on Apr 24.

The scheme was a jointly developed by the Ministry of Education's Gifted Education Branch and the Singapore Management University's School of Business, with the support of Touch Community Services.

The guest of honour, Mr Chan Soo Sen, Minister of State for Education and Community Development and Sports, spoke about different kinds of leadership.

He also appealed to students to contribute to Singapore's future.

Mr Chan said: 'In spite of their differing styles of leadership and different goals, Napoleon, JFK, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr, all inspired feeling and commanded loyalty because they were able to appeal to something that was higher than the individual's wants ...

'When leaders have the hearts of the people, they can share with their people their visions and obtain their cooperation.'

The ministry explained why the students were given a chance to get practical experience in community work.

Said a ministry spokesman: 'It is essential that a leadership programme should encourage students to value service and exercise responsible and active citizenship. Students must understand the society of which they are a part, understand the problems and needs, consider alternatives, take appropriate action and exercise leadership in meeting some of the needs in society.

'Students will then become more socially aware, responsible and committed and develop a greater understanding.'