We were approached by RTM1 recently. They wanted to find out more about our work. They came to know about us through the newspaper reports in the Star, NST and Utusan Melayu and were curious. They came on 16th October to conduct a preliminary study if we are 'good enough' to go on national television to share our work. I think we did qualify to go on their Friday night's show called FITRAH KASIH because they asked us to prepare some answers, get the centre ready with activities to videoshoot, and have trainees for interview. They even set a tentative date for the programme to be aired. This seems like a done deal! I don't watch RTM1 much but I know this segment will be on community work that should interest the generally caring Malaysian public. I don't know if we deserve it but surely the timing could not have been better!
RTM gave us just 2 weeks or so to prepare. Fortunately our new signages are coming in anytime. Our PBSNS tee shirts are already in use, and we have several trainees already in public employment that RTM wants to interview some of them. It is exciting, and a little unnerving! Getting on national television? It must be a nice dream and I hope that it is true, that we will do well, and that we will create so much awareness that we will have people remember us to support when we make our next appeals.
If this go through I will post the airing date and time here. Stay tuned!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Updates
Although it has been generally quiet, things are happening in PBSNS that require me to write this update.
The committee met for the second time on 27th September since it was elected in June. We dealt with many issues, including the decision to invest in a building of our own so that we can have our very own administrative base. We thought that the present building we are renting will make a good base and we will approach the church to consider if they are willing to sell. This decision, if agreed, will mean a new round of fund raising exercises. The purchase if it materialise will only take place in 3-4 years time.
We were visited by a Social Welfare officer who served us a notice to register as a Care Centre under the Care Centres Act 1993. It is no coincident that the visit came several months after we were registered and had celebrated our anniversary (actually that of Pusat Berdikari Seremban, our predecessor). We believe God was working in our midst. The registration as a Care Centre should not give us any undue problems from the impression we received from the officer since we are well organized.
And we are going to replace all existing Pusat's signboards to that of Persatuan's to reflect our new status as a society. We have already produced new letterheads, invoices, receipt books, payment vouchers, etc under the society's name. And we have already activated our Persatuan's banking account over a month ago. We will soon be producing our new brochure hopefully before end of the year, in 3 languages. By end of the year the transition to Persatuan will be complete.
The trainees at Giant and Guardian are already into their 3rd month of employment. Most are adapting well to the 'harsh' and 'real' working environment that they were not exposed to at the centre for the years they were with us. Perhaps we had been a little overly protective. We learn from this experience and feedback. We will give existing trainees reality checks once in a while to ensure they are better prepared for the workplace should they get chosen one day to work outside. We also learn not to leave these working trainees unchecked or assume that they will be able to adjust on their own, which in reality they cannot since they had not been in this new environment before. We will be following up on them more frequently, interact with their parents and supervisors, and talking with these working trainees. Lastly we are thinking of reviving the Social Club to give these working trainees opportunities to re-establish their bonds with friends still at the centre.
The work at PBSNS requires much alertness on the part of management, staff and volunteers to keep our clients in safe hands. Because we believe that even as normal adults need to be checked in now and then to see how they are doing, learning disabled people should require even more attention.
The committee met for the second time on 27th September since it was elected in June. We dealt with many issues, including the decision to invest in a building of our own so that we can have our very own administrative base. We thought that the present building we are renting will make a good base and we will approach the church to consider if they are willing to sell. This decision, if agreed, will mean a new round of fund raising exercises. The purchase if it materialise will only take place in 3-4 years time.
We were visited by a Social Welfare officer who served us a notice to register as a Care Centre under the Care Centres Act 1993. It is no coincident that the visit came several months after we were registered and had celebrated our anniversary (actually that of Pusat Berdikari Seremban, our predecessor). We believe God was working in our midst. The registration as a Care Centre should not give us any undue problems from the impression we received from the officer since we are well organized.
And we are going to replace all existing Pusat's signboards to that of Persatuan's to reflect our new status as a society. We have already produced new letterheads, invoices, receipt books, payment vouchers, etc under the society's name. And we have already activated our Persatuan's banking account over a month ago. We will soon be producing our new brochure hopefully before end of the year, in 3 languages. By end of the year the transition to Persatuan will be complete.
The trainees at Giant and Guardian are already into their 3rd month of employment. Most are adapting well to the 'harsh' and 'real' working environment that they were not exposed to at the centre for the years they were with us. Perhaps we had been a little overly protective. We learn from this experience and feedback. We will give existing trainees reality checks once in a while to ensure they are better prepared for the workplace should they get chosen one day to work outside. We also learn not to leave these working trainees unchecked or assume that they will be able to adjust on their own, which in reality they cannot since they had not been in this new environment before. We will be following up on them more frequently, interact with their parents and supervisors, and talking with these working trainees. Lastly we are thinking of reviving the Social Club to give these working trainees opportunities to re-establish their bonds with friends still at the centre.
The work at PBSNS requires much alertness on the part of management, staff and volunteers to keep our clients in safe hands. Because we believe that even as normal adults need to be checked in now and then to see how they are doing, learning disabled people should require even more attention.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Visits by STM Students
It is with pride & joy that we at PBSNS welcomed students from Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM) in their endeavour to orient themselves to the work among People with Learning Disabilities. The team comprising 18 students from the English department and 15 students from the Chinese department and their respective lecturers Rev Dr Joseph Komar and Deaconess Margaret Chen were here to understand the complexities of this ministry to the marginalized segment of our society.
Seeing the trainees make Christmas cards, bake cakes, and after sampling the Banana walnut cake and Magic sponge (chocolate cake) these aspiring Church leaders expressed that they are “touched by their capabilities” and that this ministry challenges them. Several have assured us that they would promote our cards and cakes in their respective churches.At PBSNS our vision is to see people with learning disability be self-reliant and move towards independent living. The focus of our training programme is to help discover their potential, enhance their capabilities and empower these people with dignity.>
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Korean Connection
We are favored by the visit of the newly appointed pastor of the Korean Church in Seremban, Rev. Lee Hung Sub, to understand our work better. Rev. Lee was here in Seremban to minister to the Korean Christians as well as carry out local missionary works.
Rev. Lee took a keen interest in our work and asked if he can bring Koreans visitors from South Korea to observe our work to which we agreed without hesitation. He further said he would like to bring his wife over to see how she can be of help. We are deeply touched by his gestures, which include possible financial aids later. We see today's visit as a potential beginning to a future tie whose opportunities only God can limit. We are glad to have been given this chance to explain what we are doing to him, as well as let him sample the cake and fried rice our trainees prepared.
Rev. Lee took a keen interest in our work and asked if he can bring Koreans visitors from South Korea to observe our work to which we agreed without hesitation. He further said he would like to bring his wife over to see how she can be of help. We are deeply touched by his gestures, which include possible financial aids later. We see today's visit as a potential beginning to a future tie whose opportunities only God can limit. We are glad to have been given this chance to explain what we are doing to him, as well as let him sample the cake and fried rice our trainees prepared.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Bakery Section Picking Up Steam
It is heartening to see the bakery section getting more orders of their cakes. Parents of the trainees involved would show or share the cakes baked by their son or daughter to friends and neighbors. Such acts of pride and neighborliness invariably leads to fresh orders. Today I managed to capture these 2 trainees happily preparing ingredients to bake a new cake under the close supervision of Ann.
Securing Welfare Benefits for Qualified Trainees
We work hard to secure welfare allowances for qualified trainees. Presently those who are working are eligible to receive a monthly allowance of RM300 on top of what they earn. This morning two officers from the Seremban Welfare Department came to the centre to interview the trainees and their parents. This is part of their validation exercise and they were impressed by the work at the centre as well as its cleanliness. Even trainees who are now working at Giant and Guardian took time off to present themselves for the interview. We are happy for these trainees as their combined income will help them cover daily living expenses as well as save for their old age.
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