SINGAPORE - Disability agency SG Enable launched a new hub on Friday (May 20) for people with disabilities, their caregivers and employers to find courses and other services more easily.
The Enabling Academy will coordinate efforts by SG Enable and 36 partners, which will offer over 110 free or subsidised courses, such as digital marketing and accounting, for people with disabilities to improve their employability.
Free training in digital skills from software firm VMware and the Google Career Certificates scholarship by Google are available. Other courses that would help people with disabilities develop skills for daily life, like time management and cooking, will also be offered.
Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua launched the hub at an event at the Enabling Village in Lengkok Bahru on Friday.
Speaking at the event, he said: "We want to equip persons with disabilities with the requisite skills to secure and sustain employment.
"To do that, we need to build up the disability training space so that persons with disabilities can access learning opportunities at every life stage, and inclusive employers and partners can then come together and align their efforts in this regard."
The new initiative could benefit people like Ms Katy Lim-Lee, 72, who has been creating art and handicrafts for the past 20 years, after joining the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped to learn how to be independent.
She lost the vision in her right eye in 1995 after an operation to remove a tumour in her optic nerve, and has tunnel vision in her left eye.
She is looking forward to exploring the courses available, and is interested in learning more about digitalisation.
"Lifelong learning is a journey where you come out of your comfort zone, learn something new and do something different. In the course of learning, you could discover your own passion, your aspirations and hidden talent. It also gives you a sense of purpose."
Caregivers and employers of people with disabilities can find courses to sign up for on the academy's website, aimed at strengthening the network of support for those with disabilities.
Mr Chua said: "It is also important to equip stakeholders in the support network of persons with disabilities with relevant skills to empower and care for them."
The Enabling Academy will also continue SG Enable's work with employers, to build their confidence in disability-inclusive hiring and practices. Over 500 organisations have undergone such training programmes since 2014.
The hub is supported by the Tote Board, SkillsFuture Singapore, Workforce Singapore and the Ministry of Social and Family Development.
SG Enable chairman Moses Lee said: "I am proud that we have embarked on the journey of building upon existing training efforts to ensure persons with disabilities are not left behind.
"We believe training opportunities for everyone in Singapore can serve as the catalyst for inclusion, and want to tap on the power of learning to help our nation be a more inclusive society."
