Social Interaction Programs

Social Interaction Programs (SIP) aims to meet the social needs of the physically challenged by providing avenues for them to interact among themselves and with able-bodied persons. The SIP is not funded by any group or corporate body. Instead, we encourage volunteer, corporate and school groups to adopt a specific event. These groups will then organise and conduct the event and fund the whole event, which includes food, gifts, and prizes.

Home Visitation Program

The Home Visitation Program involves volunteers in regular visits to our disabled Friends especially the severely disabled and homebound in their homes to befriend them and cater to their needs.

In collaboration with NTU’s Welfare Service Club, the student volunteers participate in visitation to both residential and nursing homes, who visit the homebound and elderly disabled Friends on a regular basis. Each residential home or nursing home of our disabled Friend is visited by 3 student volunteers, who besides handing them groceries or grocery vouchers, spend time visiting our disabled Friends and interact their family.

All volunteers also commit to a visitation period spanning 3 months minimally, which encourages greater bonding and interaction between the volunteers and the homebound Friends. The FDS encourages this commitment period, and longer, to ensure that all parties involved will be comfortable.

Before their visit they are given a background of our disabled Friends by FDS staff to facilitate the required assistance in each household. During the visit they will try to understand the situation at home and will provide feedback to FDS via a report. After reading the report, the FDS will take necessary steps to further assist the household in any way possible. This partnership has been going on for nearly 5 years and will continue to go strong for many years to come.

Workshops

The FDS organises workshops that allow the Friends to boost their confidence and integrate into society. The workshops allow the Friends to share some handicraft skills with able-bodied volunteer organisations, where they can teach and pass skills on. One example was a fruitful and enjoyable workshop with the Parents’ Support Group from Damai Primary School. The parents had a wonderful bonding thru the mosaic artwork and other handicrafts like hama beads, paracord bracelets as well as hosting a mosaic art coaster workshop for children, parents, and elderly. The Friends earn their revenue through the making and selling of these handicraft items.

Most of the workshops are designed for volunteers of any skill level and organisation, ranging from schools (Primary to University level), corporate organisations and public volunteers. Groups can select from two types of workshops:

Skills and Entrepreneurship Program

As part of the FDS’s Skills and Entrepreneurship Program, we not only aim to add value to their skill sets, but to also improve their confidence in their own individual abilities. The program aims to deliver an educational and inclusive experience that will equip them with skills to contribute to society in their daily lives.

Learning a new craft & earning a respectable income

A component of our Skills and Entrepreneurship Program is the Art and Craft Development and Marketing Skills (ACDMS). This program not only taps on the creativity of our members, but also allows them to earn an income through the sale of their own products. Another earning opportunity for our members is training to become instructors for Art & Craft classes.

Additionally, after receiving the training with a 3-month probation period, the persons with disabilities will be employed as Support Staff of the FDS with a salary and CPF. They work from Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 4pm. Artist and home-based craftmakers will also be paid according to the work pieces they produce.

Equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and boosting their confidence

FDS also encourages its members to develop their entrepreneurial skills through selling their products at authorized public sales. Selling their own products not only boosts their confidence but also allows them to lead self-sufficient lives. They also learn about retail assistance, thus giving them the confidence to possibly take up future jobs in sales sector.

Helping them lead meaningful lives

Through our Skills and Entrepreneurship program, we engage our Friends in meaningful activities and encourage them to leave the comfort of their homes. They meet other disabled Friends and able-bodied persons, which offers the opportunity to broaden their horizons. This program helps them lead useful and meaningful lives and allows them to participate and contribute to the community.