Professor Brawn celebrated the official opening of its third and largest outlet yesterday in the Enabling Village in Lengkok Bahru, in Redhill.
The Enabling Village is a community and social business hub where several companies hire people with disabilities, while Professor Brawn is a social enterprise cafe chain run by the Autism Resource Centre (ARC) to provide jobs and social integration opportunities to people with special needs.
Whereas the other two outlets – both Professor Brawn Cafes – in Raffles Institution and Pathlight School’s Campus 1 employ people with autism, the new Professor Brawn Bistro also counts people with intellectual and hearing disabilities among its 16 staff.
The bistro is the result of an entire community’s efforts, said Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee, who was guest of honour at the opening.
Government agency SG Enable facilitated use of the space in the village, ARC provided expertise and support, and corporate partners such as Gong Cha provided job and training opportunities.
Various sponsors, including the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, donated baking equipment, furniture, edible plants and the bistro’s landscaping design.
Mr Lee said such partnerships between the people, public and private sectors are crucial in helping to create an inclusive society, as the Government does not always have the answers. “I hope that more individuals and businesses will step forward and work with us to achieve our vision of a caring and inclusive society,” he said.
Mr Mitchel Wong, who has autism, has been working at the new outlet since October 2019. As a food runner and busboy, he is fulfilling his dream of working in the food and beverage industry.
He calls this place a second home and says the people he works with feel like his second family.
“We will help them by continuing to train and hire more special needs youth and adults through this space and our job coaching and support programme,” said Ms Jacelyn Lim, deputy executive director of ARC.
Disabilities should not stop people from leading productive lives, she said, adding: “Work is dignity.”
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Source: The Straits Times, 23 January 2020