Our Trainees – Our Pride

7 trainees - Daniel Chu, Edwin Wong, Chong Chee Gong, Sanahthani, Fang Poh Kam, Meghalha and Lee Voon Tao made us proud when they participated in the Art Competition for Special Needs People on October 7^th 2012 organized by Rotary Club of Bandar Utama at SEGI University College, PJ. The theme for the competition was Peace with Love. 

The competition was held simultaneously with five other Rotary clubs. Entries were split into two age groups.  PBSNS trainees participated in category ‘B’ for those above 16 years old.  The top three in each category took home cash prizes of RM800, RM600 and RM400 respectively, along with souvenirs.  There were also 10 consolation cash prizes of RM80 each.  The top five winning art pieces in each category from all 6 states will be exhibited at the National Visual Arts Gallery from Oct 18 to 23.

This special art competition had its beginning a year ago when Rotary Club of Bandar Utama organised the first Special Needs Art Competition with the theme “Rainbow in My  Heart”. Last year  2 of our talented artists, Daniel Chu and Hidraz Shiraz participated and both came home gleaming with consolation prizes.  Challenged by last year’s achievement trainees in the Art/Craft department under the leadership of trainer Kate Siew participated in the competition and displayed their artistic talents.

All ready to display their talents!

For us in PBSNS, the highlight of the day was seeing all 7 trainees display their talent and potential in their  masterpieces. Of course greater was our joy when Daniel, Chong and Voon Tao bagged consolation prizes.  All contestants received certificates of participation.

Lee Voon Tao in action!

Daniel Chu’s neat painting clearly displayed the theme "Peace with Love".

Chong impressed the judges with the National Flag and 14 hearts!

 Poh Kam impressed the VIP guests!

Well Done!

Securing Our Base

Eversince we became a registered body in April last year we have toyed with the idea of securing our own building. Presently we are renting the ground floor of the Wesley Seremban church office shoplot. The adjacent shoplot was vacant for over a year after the tenant moved out and the owner was keen to sell or rent it out. Unfortunately the location was not suitable for retail businesses and there were no enquiries, so the shop stayed vacant. The For Sale/Rent sign came up early this year and we decided this is a good time to check out as property market in this recession year is weak. After some negotiations we are pleased to announce that the owner have agreed to sell us the shoplot at a good price. Today we paid the 2% downpayment. In the coming months we hope that the process of securing the title will proceed smoothly. Once we have secured the property we will start work to repair, renovate and equip the building so that we can expand the work of training the learning disabled.

Although we have almost enough finance to meet the cost of purchase, we need additional funds to pay for the repairs, renovation and equipping of the new centre. We continue to appeal to churches and wellwishers to support our PBSNS Partnership Appeal. To encourage public donations we plan to apply for tax exemption for our building fund for this purchase.

Charting Our Future

Yesterday, the management committee with its advisors held the first of four meetings scheduled for this year. We were pleased with the smooth transition from PBS to PBSNS and the enlarged partnership support base. Although all financial supports are not yet in, we are not worried as it is still early in the year and by faith we believe our pleas will be heard, notwithstanding the current dampened economic climate.

We are like a learner driver being released from a country road into a highway, into uncharted waters. Ordinarily we should be apprehensive but we had none of that emotion. Rather we all felt elated at the vast opportunities and challenges before us. Yes, we have to work hard but we also realise the rewards and satisfaction are great. In a true sense, all of us are pioneering the future of PBSNS and we pray that God will helm every meeting, guide every decision, plan every step and provide every need. I suppose this has been our source of comfort, our faith in God that He will provide every need we ask. As what Pastor Paul Christie, our spiritual advisor shared in his sermon yesterday, we need to have the faith like Abraham to trust God that He will provide all the resources - financial, people, knowledge and leadership, to take PBSNS from one level to the next.

Partnership: Our appeals have begun to bear fruits. Individuals and churches have started donating to our work, so far more than RM10,000 have been received. We expect more in the pipeline.

Staffing: We have peaked in our enrolment. We are trying to create more rooms to take beyond 25 to even 30, but stretching the limit means our staff's ability to run the centre will be similarly stretched. Soon we will be seeking a committed, dedicated, passionate, patient, loving and caring new staff to join our fantastic team of 2 staff and 20 volunteers. The new staff must be a team player with excellent socialising and communication skills. We were also challenged to start looking for a Trainer to oversee every aspect of our training as well as to eventually offering training to new centres being set up.

Expansion: We need more room to grow and it is unhealthy to cram too many people and too much activities into the same space. I believe God will answer our prayer for the new space we need.

Sponsorship: This and the coming years will be ones we will introduce our work to new sponsors. We never believe that recession will cut social responsibility out of many good corporations and foundations. We believe charity work is recession proof, although some donors will give less as a natural reaction.

Membership: We are also seeking new members to join us, Christian adults in Seremban who share the same desire to help the learning disabled, to give time, talents and connections to grow our work.

We are grateful to Pastor Paul and our advisor Neil for suggesting ways to help raise new funds for PBSNS. We have to reach out (to new sponsors, new trainees, new members, new leaders) and reach up (for God's grace and mercy in His ministry).

My Thoughts on the Initial Years of Persatuan

Yesterday I spent some time jotting down what I believe to be key issues Persatuan need to address in the initial years of its formation. As chairman it is my responsibility to plan for the development and growth of the Persatuan. Infants need breast milk or infant formula to build up strong bones, healthy bodies and brains to prepare for their childhood. Likewise we need to be similarly provided to grow up strong.

I've identified the following key areas to develop in the next 2-3 years:

• Financial Resource - We need to build our Partnership Programme, Corporate Sponsorships and Donations from Welfare Foundations to be financially adequate to meet our expected growth.
• Capacity Building - Our centre is fully subscribed. We need new space to grow.
• Human Resource - With growth comes the need to recruit more staff and volunteers.
• Publicity & Awareness - New brochure, updated website and blog and newsletters to keep our supporters and visitors informed.
• Social Networking - Create bases for parents and trainees to interact, share and encourage.
• Skills Training - Improve on the quality of skills we possess and impart to the trainees.

There is much work ahead of us and many people are needed to help bring them to fruition. We need people to offer their skills connected to the above key areas to take Persatuan to the next level. Presently the available resources within the committee, Persatuan membership, trainers and volunteers are not enough to achieve them. More help are needed.

Disabled Persons in the Real World Job Market

It is all honky dory to believe that the real world outside will accept disabled persons in their midst with more compassion and patience than their regular peers. After all, the very fact that they are less endowed than us should invoke a sense of sympathy or even pity, right? Wrong!

What I have learned is that disabled employees are sometimes expected to perform just as well as the abled ones. Perhaps at the onset when they were new their colleagues tend to be more understanding but over time their expectations increase. They begin to expect the disabled colleagues to be picking up new skills as fast as they can and when that is not forthcoming they become critical. The able employees may not know that the disabled colleagues of theirs spent many years just to learn some basic skills and are also not able to learn new ones as well or as fast. Such treatment tend to give rise to grievances.

In some societies, perception of the disabled community is more matured in a sense this special people are already accepted as different and therefore treated with better respect and preference without any qualm. In such environments the disabled are accorded respect and preferential treatment that do not give rise to complaints from the normal adults. Evolving societies are learning to change their mindset. This process may take many years.

Management may have decided to give special privileges to their disabled employees. However, the workers themselves may not be as enthusiastic or charitable in their hearts. Such conflicts take time to resolve. It is necessary for open dialogs between employers and employees to resolve any misunderstanding.

Disable employees and their families are naturally aggrieved by any mistreatment or prejudice at the workplaces. It require patience and public discourse to bring this matter to the forefront, debated and resolved.

Updates

Shiraz and Khairi have been transferred to the Ampangan Giant outlet. Ying Heng passed his medical and have joined Yoga and Poh Leong at the Terminal 1 Giant outlet. Mee Ling continues at Terminal 1 Guardian outlet. They are are doing well.

We have today opened our banking account at Public Bank, Rasah Branch. From next month we will begin to make receipts and payments through the Persatuan account, effectively activating its work.

Fund Raised Exceeded Target!

We were very happy that we raised more than the RM50,000 target for the work of the Persatuan. The final figure has not been audited but it will be above RM60,000 which include funds raised through the Partnership Program. Praise God for the tremendous support from all the people who gave generously and willingly. This encourages us to look at another find raising effort in a few years.

Approval Obtained

Approval was obtained from the church executive committee yesterday to close Pusat Berdikari Seremban by the end of 2008, transfer some fund to Persatuan to open a banking account, and to donate the rest of the monies and assets held by PBS to the Persatuan subject to an internal audit first. From September we expect Persatuan to begin running the centre as PBS goes into a dormancy state pending closure.

Identity Management

Changing from PBS to PBSNS requires a transformation exercise although the work carries on as usual. The first identity change came when we became a legal body under the laws of Malaysia. We are no longer under the church although affiliated. This legal identity requires us to make several changes as we prepare to start PBSNS in a few months time.

1. Our logo has been changed.
2. Our website has been changed.
3. This blog has reflected PBSNS identity.
4. We have to change the signboards outside the centre. All Pusat signs will be changed to Persatuan's signs.
5. Letterheads, delivery notes, purchase orders, invoices, receipts, rubber stamps are likewise to be changed.
6. A new banking account for PBSNS will be effected.

PBS will morph into PBSNS in the coming months. By the end of the year PBS will become history but a very important history to all of us who begin work in PBSNS.

Min Kok and Music Power Consulted

Tony and I were shocked to see the whole Restoran Min Kok FILLED to the brim with 170 tables for a grand dinner function tonight. It is a record of sorts for the restaurant which is anxious how to manage the food service with many temp waiters employed. It makes me glad that our size is a lot more manageable.

We confirmed the number of tables with Min Kok so that they can go ahead to order the food. Michael Chow of Music Power Sound Team whom we engaged to set up the sound and lighting systems met us to finalize the positioning of the speakers and LCD screens. And a timely reminder to William Khoo, the videographer, to show up to record the evening's event.

It was also a pleasant surprise to see a budget hotel a stone throw from Min Kok. The Golden Inn has day rooms that we can use to allow Francissca a proper place to have her make-up done as well as rest a bit after rehearsal. It looks like we are all set. I am pleased with the smoothness of the planning and have to thank all the helpers for their unique roles. And God of course!

Persatuan Successfully Inaugurated!

It was a beautiful morning when 11 members of the Persatuan with Pastor Paul Christie and Mr Neil Rode (as advisors) and Betsi Peter (staff member) met at the Wesley Seremban church office at 10am to inaugurate the association. 8 other members sent apologies that they could not attend but we have enough quorum to proceed. The pro-tem chairman delivered his inaugural speech before he was elected into office as the first chairman of Persatuan. Following that was the election of 8 committee members which proceeded smoothly.

After the members meeting ended the committee met to elect the following to the following positions:

Chairman - Peter Yew
Vice Chairman - Rebecca Backus
Secretary - A Kovalan
Treasurer - Eugene Goh
Committee Members - Michael Goh, Dr Koh Choo Nea, Dr Yee Chow Boi, Lim Kah Cheng, Tony Wong

We thank God for giving us a great start to this work and look forward to an exciting times ahead as we work as a team.

Below are some pictures and a scanned picture of our registration certificate for your viewing:

Inaugural Address by Pro-tem Chairman, Peter Yew

Prayer by Rev. Paul Christie
Group Picture of Members Attending Meeting
1st Persatuan Committee (Not in Picture: Lim Kah Cheng and Eugene Goh)
Persatuan's Certificate of Registration

Birth 'Rights'

Birthing Persatuan means, among other things, setting up a bank account, which imply moving some funds over from Pusat Berdikari Seremban. Some formalities has to be observed, such as getting formal approval from the church and having a proper memorandum of understanding signed. It is like a son is leaving home. He is grown up but the parents wants certain conditions met before 'freeing' him. He senses the freeing is conditional, yet the son does not really want to leave home. Leaving is a natural consequence of maturing. Strings tied should be from the heart not from the hands. Otherwise it is not really an expression of 'Go, and may God go with you' sort of blessing. I'd prefer the church to be less head more heart. I hope I am not triggering a reaction? Yes, we have to learn to accept other opinions, just as others need to accept ours.

My Left and Right Hands

It is incredible how supportive Betsi and David are to me during this anniversary dinner preparation. Without their hard work the preparations remain quite incomplete and delayed so I really appreciate their efforts. This morning David rushed off to the printer with the flyer artwork to be photocopied. I've asked for 1100 copies. Within the hour, soon after my leaving the centre, David stopped my car and gave me a bundle of the finished prints. Such efficiency is hard to match! So tonight I can pass them over to the newspaper vendor to have the flyer distributed this weekend.

Thanks David and Betsi. Both of you are just wonderful, my left and right hands indeed.

Here's what we are promoting to help sell off the remaining 14 tables (86 already given out for sale) to the public:

Check and Balance

Someone has expressed concerns over possible abuse of funds and privileges once the Persatuan takes over the assets of its predecessor. It is a real concern and there are many associations that has succumbed to the temptations. Who is to blame for the slack and poor management? I would say the membership is responsible.

The rules of an association registered under the Societies Act of Malaysia require members to meet once a year under an Annual General Meeting or AGM to deliberate on the business of the organization. If necessary members can also call for an Emergency General Meeting or EGM to discuss urgent matters. The constitution can also be amended and any loopholes plugged to reduce possibilites of office bearers abusing their privileges or misappropriating the funds. It is therefore incumbent on members to read and understand the constitutions and to understand the nature of the work of the association so that they can safeguard the association from any misdeeds. Members are therefore guardians of the association, much like shareholders of a company. Their role is to protect the work of the association as if it belongs to them although they hold no personal interest.

That is why I blogged awhile back that whether an association do well or otherwise depends greatly on who the members are. Having ill-chosen members can lead to much headache. On the other hand, 'quality' membership will definitely do a world of good to the association. The big question is deciding who are really good enough to be members, who are not. In this regard there are bound to be many opinions as well as disagreement.

Personally I deem membership to be a privilege. While uncles and aunties are associated to a child not by choice, membership to Persatuan Berdikari Seremban is offered because the committee believes in the capabilities and skills of the persons invited.

Timely Publicity for PBS

I believe God is definitely working in our midst. The timing of our anniversary celebration, our registration as a society, newspaper publicity and progress of ticket sales cannot be attributed to chance. And to have Francissca Peter sing for us is a powerful attraction that drove ticket sales. We are confident of achieving the 100 tables target. Privately, we are challenging ourselves to go beyond. Here are some pictures of the publicity we promote ourselves as well as what the Star Metro central edition did for us yesterday and today. We thank the reporters concerned for the awareness given to this social work.

Certificate Presentation

Finally we received the official letter from the Registrar of Societies's office here in Seremban informing us that our certificate of registration will be presented to us, and several other newly registered societies, on 18th June 2008 at the Hotel Royale Bintang Seremban in the Lake Garden area.

Together with 2 other committee members, we will certainly look forward to this momentous event. It is like going forward to receive our birth certificate!

Coming just 3 days before our planned inaugural AGM on 21st June I think the timing could not have been better. I do believe God walks with us as we begin our journey.

Preparing for the Launch

Nope, not a space rocket launch but that of Persatuan. We had a very fruitful meeting today which, beside discussing Pusat's 10th anniversary celebration, also deliberated on how to launch the Persatuan. We have fixed the date, 21st June 2008, to hold our inaugural AGM and then elect the first committee into office. Over the coming 2-3 weeks we will be contacting potential members whom we have identified to join the Persatuan. Our criteria are: good background, skills or profession and connections that can usefully serve Persatuan's work, and a passion and love towards uplifting the life of the learning disabled through training.

The committee unanimously agreed that a strong founding membership will ensure the healthy development of the Persatuan. We pray that those we invite as members will agree to join us.