BY TANG LENG ZE
What does it mean to be an inclusive society? What is life like for someone with special needs? What shall we do if close to us has special needs? These are just some of the questions Seet Ynn tackles in her Brown Bag Session, which took place on 17 February 2022. Being a caretaker to her brother, who has moderate autism, she has personal experience living with a family member who has special needs. Together with her friend, Elgin, who is diagnosed with autism at the age of four, they aim to raise the awareness of the special needs community and hope people look upon their caregivers with kindness, compassion and tolerance.
Starting off with the history of special needs education in Singapore, Seet Ynn explained that before 2004, the education of people with special needs was segregated from mainstream schools. However, 2004 was a watershed moment, stronger government initiatives were enacted to integrate those with special needs into mainstream schools. Practical changes included the implementation of the Allied Educators tutors and a series of Enabling Masterplans. There was also a greater push to understand and develop the Special Education (SPED) Curriculum. On top of academics, physical education and sports, and the arts, SPED also focuses on Daily Living, Social-emotional and Vocational domains. The SPED serves to provide early support to children with special needs, and gradually encourages independence by the end of their education.
In the second part of the session, Seet Ynn had incorporated excerpts of her interview with Elgin, where he shared about his life, from being diagnosed with autism at the age of four, to his experience in the SPED Curriculum. Elgin has hobbies in collecting and understanding mechanical clocks and table tennis, the former of which drove him to pursue Mechanical Engineering in NTU.
In the last segment, Seet Ynn shares her experience as a caretaker to her brother, Sean. Although he is non-verbal and does not understand speech, Sean is very affectionate towards his loved ones, often expressed through physical gestures. He enjoys going out and helping with chores, likes sewing and arts and crafts. He currently works at the Enabling Village and The Art Faculty, making cloth masks. Through her lens as a caregiver, Seet Ynn shares the do’s and don’ts when interacting with persons with special needs and their caregivers. Always remember to be caring, patient, gentle and understanding towards them. Always include them in activities, never side-eye and treat them as a monolithic group.
Want to better understand persons with special needs? Elgin encourages you to find avenues to interact and even take care of persons with special needs. The process could help you to broaden your horizons and become more inclusive.
We hope that you find the summary of the sharing meaningful. The world would definitely be a better place, should we all be more sensitive to others, and extend our empathy and care to all. We would like to thank Seet Ynn and Elgin once again for sharing about the topic of Special Needs in Singapore. Do keep a lookout for our next brown bag session!
Check out the slides shared here.