KUALA LUMPUR: Property developer Selangor Dredging Berhad recently held a 'job coaching' workshop on how to prepare people with disabilities to enter the workforce.
Attended by 36 people, the two-day workshop held at Maya Hotel featured role-play sessions, group discussions and sharing of real-life situations.
Hosted in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department, the highlight of the CSR workshop was a session by SDB group managing director Ms Teh Lip Kim, who shared her experience with her special needs child, Ming, 14.
“Since Ming came into my life, he has shaped me into a better, nicer person and has changed me from what I am to who I am. I wanted to embark on this journey of job coaching as a platform to help parents, teachers and corporate organisations to know that there is hope for people with disabilities.
“It humbles me to know that the world has changed indeed from 10 years ago, when people with disabilities were looked down upon. However, they are now highly sought after and some even agree that they indeed perform better than those without disabilities,” Teh shared.
Lim Geok Cheng, a parent who had attended the workshop, was very grateful to learn more about job coaching.
“My son is special needs and he is 17 years old, and I am very worried about him. However, I feel a lot more comfortable and secure after I heard about job coaching,” she said. “I am so touched that so many companies are embarking on this journey as it brings hope for me, my son and the community with disabilities.”
Grace Gan, a senior trainer with Job Coach Network Malaysia, shared that that hiring a person with disabilities can be a challenging, yet an exciting journey which requires a lot of patience.
“An employment support plan is crucial to help people with disabilities enter the workforce,” she said. “Processes would include job matching and modification to the job role. However, when you witness the person growing into the role, there is great fulfilment, especially if that person with disability has gained meaningful and sustainable employment.”
SDB have also initiated the “One-Two-Juice” juice bar and “One-Two-Wash” car wash CSR initiatives to empower individuals with disabilities with the necessary confidence to enter the workforce.
Another upcoming project “One-Two-Gift” is a soap-making project, to produce 1200 pieces of naturally-made soaps handcrafted by individuals with disabilities. The soaps will be distributed to new homeowners in one of SDB's completed developments.