MINDS

As a training officer with MINDS for the past 7 years, Flora,59, is one who has demonstrated great dedication and perseverance when serving the needs the young intellectually-disabled adults. Her commitment and passion is seen in her innovativeness in developing customized care programmes for those under her care, including the much needed emotional support shown through genuine concern and care for her clients, as well as their family members.

Flora has received much appreciation from her clients’ families which she is grateful for. One such parent commented on how the training and motivation she had received from Flora has helped her to become a better parent as well as in understanding and communicating with her child. Flora’s tireless efforts have not only gained recognition from the students and parents but also created a positive image of a training officer. She also contributes back to the community as a grassroots volunteer in her leisure time.

Flora shares that her work is about giving the young people under her care the chance to develop themselves and she is proud of the work she is doing.

Fei Yue Family Service Centre (Bukit Batok)

In her past 6 years with Fei Yue Family Service Centre, Lilian, 34, has brought about true life transformation to the lives of many. She has persevered and overcome many difficult situations with clients with her positive attitude.

Lilian has initiated several successful programmes to assist families to break out of the poverty cycle and achieve financial independence, such as M&M (Me & My Family), which imparts financial management tips, social skills training and character building to parents and children of low-income families. Another programme is Y@V (Young Adventure Program), which helps low-income children who are weak in studies to discover their strengths.

Lilian recounts a case which remains clear in her mind: A family in financial hardship and living on a beach without proper accommodation, with their young children not in school due to the unstable living environment. To assist the family, Lilian pooled many resources to help the family, working with schools to ensure that the children’s studies are not affected, and with relevant agencies to find interim accommodation for the family, and helping the parents in terms of skills upgrading and employment. The family is now self-reliant.

MCYC Community Services Society

Li Koon, 40, has 16 years of experience working in the social service sector and sees a diverse clientele, from children with special needs to dysfunctional families and children at risk. Prior to joining MCYC, she worked with families of children with special needs at AWWA Special School. Currently, Li Koon heads the parenting and counseling programmes at MCYC Community Services Society.

Li Koon believes strongly in upholding social work values and never giving up. In spite of the challenges of the profession, Li Koon continues to serve her clients with enthusiasm and commitment, often availing herself during countless evenings to go the extra mile to meet the families and children. This has enabled her to interact well with those whom she helps. One of her clients is a mother who was experiencing stress with a child suffering from short attention span since young. She benefited from Li Koon’s constant support and is now coping well and her son is attending Secondary School.

PPIS-Jurong Family Service Centre

Yuliza, 41, is a conscientious senior programme coordinator and has over the past 15 years, initiated new programmes to help address the needs of low-income and dysfunctional families. She is instrumental in leading the HOME Programme that provides mothers from low-income families relevant work skills and training.

Providing quality care for clients is a top priority for Yuliza, who often goes the extra mile to address the needs of her clients. During her interactions with her clients, Yuliza makes it a point to fully understand her clients’ needs and constantly encourages them to make small but right steps towards self-reliance, such as signing up for skills upgrading.

On many occasions, Yuliza has received positive feedback from her clients who said they respected Yuliza and are comfortable to approach her for advice whenever they needed it.