This article in The Sunday Times, mentions on-the-job training for special needs youth. The article traces the success story of two social enterprise cafes (Joan Bowen Cafe & Professor Brawn Cafe), programmes by Delta Senior School (DSS) in tandem with Workforce Development Agency (WDA) spearheaded by Ministry of Education (MOE).
"Under the project, DSS, which takes in special needs students from the ages of 17 to 21, was paired with the WDA to offer the industry-recongnised Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) in areas like horticulture and landscaping, food and beverage, hotel and accommodation. Similarly, another special needs school, Metta, which takes in students across a wider age range from 5 to 21, partnered the Institute of Technical Education to offer the ITE Skills Certification (ISC)."
With these "big players" in the game, things are looking up for those with special needs. DSS has the backing of more than 40 companies in various industries supporting this initiative.
The next time you're out, take a look around and see. Perhaps the cafe or restaurant you are sitting at might just be a similar social enterprise. They do deserve a fulfilling career, just like anyone else.
Check out the online edition of this article (Subscription Required).
Jeremy
