SINGAPORE - Ms Deniece Bidhiya's work at NTUC First Campus Co-operative involves convincing parents to enrol their children with developmental needs in an early intervention programme at My First Skool kindergarten.

Aimed at children aged three to six, the programme seeks to narrow the gap between children with moderate developmental needs and their peers, so that they can integrate easily into primary schools.

The task is not an easy one, as some parents are not keen on the idea.

But the senior manager would take her time to persuade them of the importance of specialised help for their children.

The 58-year-old said it is a challenging but fulfilling job.

"I feel a lot of joy because I get the satisfaction of seeing how children benefit from the programme. It is nice to see parents understanding their children and learning how to help them," she added.

Ms Bidhiya was one of 56 women honoured on Friday evening (June 3) at the Co-operative Movement Night for their contributions to local co-operatives. The women, who are all co-op employees, were presented with bouquets and tokens of appreciation for their work.

More than 260 guests, consisting of employees and members of co-operatives, were at the event, which was organised by the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF) and held at the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay.

It was the first Co-operative Movement Night and set to become an annual event.

MP Yeo Wan Ling, the guest of honour at the event, noted that 80 per cent of the co-op workforce in Singapore are women. She is also the director of NTUC U Women and Family, an initiative by the National Trades Union Congress that aims to improve the well-being of working women and their families.

"Our sisters bring different ideas and perspectives to the management table, embark on major projects that enhances the efficiency of a co-operative, and make a difference by stepping into the front line to engage and help a fellow member of a co-operative in need," she said.

Co-operatives are membership-based enterprises that operate on the principles of self-help and mutual assistance.

Ms Shena Foo, a member of SNCF's executive council who was at the event, said: "The power of women for social change cannot be undervalued. The co-operative space can be an enabler to help women become meaningful contributors in their communities."

Those who were lauded hail from co-ops such as NTUC Health Co-operative, Singapore Malay Teachers' Co-operative and Singapore Shell Employees' Union Co-operative.

Ms Brenda Tan, 21, was the youngest recipient at the event.

The second-year student at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is the vice-president of the Co-operative Society of NTU, which runs a halal cafe and a retail store in NTU's Hive building.

The small school-based business started in 2014 with the aim of providing students with affordable products and services. The employees are mostly NTU students who work part-time for pocket money, she said.

Ms Tan's role is to manage the operations of the business and support her staff.

"I love that I am able to manage a real business in school and still be able to contribute back to the NTU community," she said.

"It is an honour to be recognised, to see our work being appreciated," she added.