SINGAPORE — As the Republic’s Golden Jubilee year draws to a close, Singaporeans should reflect on the kind of society they want, and continue to build a more inclusive society, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today (Dec 2) at the official launch of the Enabling Village, Singapore’s first community space for people with disabilities.

“Long ago, one of our founding fathers Mr S Rajaratnam spoke about building a ‘democracy of deeds’ and how ‘ultimately it is the quality and character of the individual citizens rather than blueprints and programmes which decide whether a society is good or bad, … a success or failure’,” said Mr Lee in a speech.

An inclusive society can be built by valuing everyone and through active citizenship, said Mr Lee, citing events like the Purple Parade for persons with special needs and the upcoming ASEAN Para Games.

Located near Redhill MRT station, the S$25 million Enabling Village houses organisations and government agencies serving people with disabilities, such those providing training and employment support. There are also facilities like a gym, a kindergarten and a supermarket that can be used by persons with or without disabilities, which have universal design features like lower check-out counters for wheelchair users.

Also located at the village is SG Enable’s Information and Career Centre, which provides a 10-day programme that tailors the training to specific job types, and SG Enable will help them find jobs after. The centre is a collaboration with Autism Resource Centre, Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore and Society for the Physically Disabled.

The first programme was held last month with 12 participants training for the role of a customer communication executive. Another 24 are undergoing training for the role of a supermarket retail assistant.

Among the customer communication executive trainees was Ms Nur Madiah Hidayah Lim, 34, who was born with congenital physical deformities. She is now undergoing interviews with the programme’s four participating employers.

She said: “I’m really glad I’m into this course, because it really broadened my knowledge and skills so that at least I can bring these skills to my new working place.”

Volunteer welfare organisations expressed support for the Enabling Village. Autism Resource Centre, which runs the Employability and Employment Centre for adults and young adults with autism at the Enabling Village, said the space “provides a wider platform and reach to the greater public so more awareness of the services for special needs folks and their abilities can be showcased.”

A spokesperson for BIM Studio Limited – a social enterprise set up by the Handicaps Welfare Association that provides architectural training for people with disabilities – said that being located at the Enabling Village allows them to better showcase what the studio has to offer, compared to their previous space at Jurong Point.

Mr J R Karthikeyan, director of AWWA Education and Development, which runs the Kindle Garden pre-school at the village, said the space was in line with Kindle Garden’s aim of creating an inclusive school that allows children of all abilities to learn and play together.

“The village’s barrier-free features is akin to a “Green-lung” concept that allows the children to take their learning outside of the classroom in the nature, where they are safe and free to walk around the village under the supervision of the teachers,” he said.