Committee of Supply 2023 debate, Day 6: Eric Chua on inclusive communities for persons with disabilities
Inclusive communities play an essential role in enabling persons with disabilities (PWDs) to live well and to participate actively in the community, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua. Speaking in Parliament on Friday (Mar 3), he highlighted plans to bring services closer to where PWDs live with two new pilots. First, the Enabling Services Hubs (ESH) will take a regional approach to strengthen support for PWDs within the community and make local communities more inclusive. The first ESH will be launched in the coming months in collaboration with SPD in Tampines West Community Centre. A satellite site will be set up in Heartbeat @ Bedok. The ESH will have an outreach team to actively engage PWDs and their families living in Tampines and Bedok, especially those not currently enrolled in any disability services. Community befrienders will be matched to those who need more support. At the ESH, PWDs can take part in social activities to interact with neighbours and volunteers and attend courses to pick up new skills. Caregivers who need a short break can make use of drop-in respite care services. The ESH will also work with local partners to encourage inclusion within the neighbourhoods. The second pilot is the Enabling Business Hubs (EBH) which will bring jobs closer to where PWDs live. Mr Chua noted that some employers are keen to hire inclusively but may not know how to go about it. Collaborating with employers and industry associations, the EBH will showcase inclusive hiring practices and help companies implement them, he said. The EBH will have a team of job coaches on site. It will also help to identify other suitable employers in the region and match them with PWDs who have the necessary skills, and if needed, prepare them for those jobs. The first EBH will open its doors later this year in Jurong West. Mr Chua said along with other measures, the EBH will contribute to the aspirational target employment rate for PWDs of 40 per cent by 2030, up from the current 31 per cent.
Inclusive communities play an essential role in enabling persons with disabilities (PWDs) to live well and to participate actively in the community, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua. Speaking in Parliament on Friday (Mar 3), he highlighted plans to bring services closer to where PWDs live with two new pilots. First, the Enabling Services Hubs (ESH) will take a regional approach to strengthen support for PWDs within the community and make local communities more inclusive. The first ESH will be launched in the coming months in collaboration with SPD in Tampines West Community Centre. A satellite site will be set up in Heartbeat @ Bedok. The ESH will have an outreach team to actively engage PWDs and their families living in Tampines and Bedok, especially those not currently enrolled in any disability services. Community befrienders will be matched to those who need more support. At the ESH, PWDs can take part in social activities to interact with neighbours and volunteers and attend courses to pick up new skills. Caregivers who need a short break can make use of drop-in respite care services. The ESH will also work with local partners to encourage inclusion within the neighbourhoods. The second pilot is the Enabling Business Hubs (EBH) which will bring jobs closer to where PWDs live. Mr Chua noted that some employers are keen to hire inclusively but may not know how to go about it. Collaborating with employers and industry associations, the EBH will showcase inclusive hiring practices and help companies implement them, he said. The EBH will have a team of job coaches on site. It will also help to identify other suitable employers in the region and match them with PWDs who have the necessary skills, and if needed, prepare them for those jobs. The first EBH will open its doors later this year in Jurong West. Mr Chua said along with other measures, the EBH will contribute to the aspirational target employment rate for PWDs of 40 per cent by 2030, up from the current 31 per cent.
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