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Finding strength after loss: How volunteer work helps this 20-year-old heal
Twice a week, he facilitates board game sessions for the less able at Enabling Services Hub and trains some to become volunteer librarians
Every Wednesday, volunteer Justus Teo facilitates board game sessions for clients of Enabling Services Hub at Tampines.
PHOTO: THARM SOOK WAI
Kareyst Lin, Content STudio
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He found purpose in pain.
Mr Justus Teo was in his final year of pursuing a diploma in Business Management at Nanyang Polytechnic late last year when he received devastating news of his friend’s suicide.
There were many unanswered questions. “Did I miss the signs (of her wanting to take her own life)? Could I have done something to help her?”
The 20-year-old, who will be enlisting into national service (NS) in mid-July, couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt even though he knew he had nothing to do with her decision.
After some soul-searching, Mr Teo decided “the best way to make sense of this experience, is to just get down to helping people (who might be in the same position as her)”.
So while his peers are spending their pre-NS break working part-time jobs or travelling, Mr Teo decided to do something different.
In February, he chanced upon a volunteering opportunity at Enabling Services Hub at Tampines West Community Club (ESH@Tampines) on giving.sg, and signed up immediately.
ESH@Tampines – the first of its kind in Singapore – was set up last August by SG Enable, the focal agency for disability and inclusion, in partnership with local disability-focused charity SPD.
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Its aim: To develop a stronger support ecosystem for persons with disabilities and their caregivers by bringing disability services and programmes closer to their homes.
“My original plan was to volunteer with suicide prevention centre Samaritans of Singapore,” Mr Teo says. But he is too young; the centre requires hotline volunteers to be at least 23 years old.
“I still want to pursue that in future; but for now, (helping out) at ESH will allow me to accumulate volunteering experience for a start.”
At least twice a week since March, Mr Teo facilitates board game sessions at ESH@Tampines for persons with disabilities, and also trains some to become volunteer librarians at Tampines Regional Library.
Hidden hurdles
For Mr Teo, ESH offered two ‘firsts’: An introduction to regular volunteering and working with persons with disabilities.
There was definitely a learning curve, he admits.
“I had this preconceived notion that persons with disabilities were those with obvious physical or sensory disabilities, such as blindness, which are quite recognisable,” Mr Teo explains.
But about 60 per cent of the clients at ESH@Tampines are people with “invisible” disabilities, such as autism or intellectual disabilities.
Mr Teo quickly realised that these individuals struggle with certain tasks that come naturally to others.
For example, during his weekly sessions at the Tampines Regional Library, he guides persons with disabilities on how to sort fiction books and place them in the correct shelves.
“The library’s classification system may be easy for us to understand. But most of the persons with disabilities (I work with) struggle with it.”
He, too, struggled. “I had to learn how to see things from their perspectives, understand their struggles,” Mr Teo says, “and figure out how to explain the classification system in simpler ways.”
It usually takes weeks, even up to a month, for the persons with disabilities to be able to sort books independently.
But when they accomplish it, it’s a moment of triumph for both the persons with disabilities and Mr Teo. “I can see they get a huge sense of pride in learning new things, and being able to (contribute to) the community,” he says.
Through empathy’s lens
Mr Teo himself has changed in his three months at ESH@Tampines. His greatest takeaways? The ability to empathise and support those around him.
Previously, when friends confided in him, he would be quick to offer solutions. “But now, I’ve realised that sometimes they may not want advice – they just need a listening ear.”
Mr Teo attributes this shift in perspective to his interactions with the persons with disabilities: They may do things differently, he observes, but they can achieve the same outcomes.
Mr Teo intends to continue volunteering at ESH@Tampines on weekends after enlisting for NS “if time permits”. Volunteering is not just about “clocking hours”, but rather, an opportunity to learn.
He’s also keen to pursue a humanities degree after NS – seeing it as another stepping stone to his goal of helping those at risk of suicide. “(It is) a chance to expose myself to different perspectives and improve my communication skills.”
Putting the ‘heart’ in heartland
The Enabling Services Hub (ESH) is an initiative under the Enabling Masterplan 2030, which maps out Singapore’s vision for creating a more inclusive society.
SG Enable, the focal agency for disability and inclusion, launched the first ESH at Tampines West Community Club last August in partnership with SPD, a local disability-focused charity.
SG Enable will launch two more ESHs in Jurong West and Punggol by 2025.
Locating these hubs in residential areas makes it more convenient for persons with disabilities and their caregivers to access needed services and information, says Ms Chloe Huang, director of Service Development (Disability Support and Services), SG Enable.
The hub serves as a “first-stop information and referral touchpoint” for anyone seeking disability support and services in the region, she adds. It also offers services including social and recreational activities, education courses and caregiver support.
“We use ‘natural touch points’, such as community activities and block parties, to reach out to persons with disabilities and their families in a more organic manner and help them better navigate the support available.”
Keen to be a volunteer?
The Ministry of Social and Family Development has designated 2024 as the Year of Celebrating Volunteers, highlighting the role that individuals play – by contributing their time, talent and resources – in building a caring and inclusive society.
Discover opportunities at the Volunteer Fest, held from 10am to 8pm at:
- July 13 to 14: Toa Payoh Hub
- July 20 to 21: Kampung Admiralty
- July 27 to 28: Lot One Shoppers’ Mall
Visitors can look forward to sharing sessions by volunteers, interactive installations, and experiential stations where they can better understand the social service sector.
Admission is free. Visit celebratingvolunteers.sg to learn more.
Currently, ESH@Tampines has over 60 volunteers helping out across various activities, more than 30 of which are regulars.
New volunteers undergo orientation programmes to familiarise themselves with the hub and its services. Regular volunteers receive additional training and support to take on larger responsibilities.
Some, like Mr Justus Teo, are tasked with facilitating activities such as board games, which is part of the induction programme for all new clients. This arrangement frees up staff to focus on observing and assessing the new clients.
Caring for caregivers
For persons with disabilities, caregivers play a critical role as the “first line of support”, says Ms Huang, particularly during transition periods like graduating from special education schools.
ESH@Tampines will work with partners such as CaringSG, a caregiver-led initiative for special needs caregivers and the community, to strengthen peer support and train community volunteers to support caregivers, she says.
Caregivers face various challenges, from lack of awareness about available resources to being overwhelmed by information, Ms Huang adds. Those with adult children with disabilities may also have concerns about future care planning. These issues often lead to caregiver stress or burnout.
“To address this, we are building a strong support network closer to home to help caregivers live well in their community, with ESH as a key node in this ecosystem of support.”
Helplines
Mental well-being
- Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
- Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444 (24 hours) /1-767 (24 hours)
- Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
- Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
- Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788
- Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1
- Women’s Helpline: 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)
Counselling
- TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
- TOUCH Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
- Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180
- Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366
Online resources
- moht.com.sg/mindline-sg
- eC2.sg
- www.tinklefriend.sg
- www.chat.mentalhealth.sg
- carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)
- limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)
In partnership with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, in support of the Year of Celebrating Volunteers
