TOUCH Community Services

Many parents and caregivers of special needs children face a daunting question: what will happen to my child after he/she graduates from a SPED (special education) school at 18? Finding suitable care options and opportunities for further development can be a stressful experience. TOUCH believes that persons with special needs can be empowered to live fulfilling and independent lives. In March this year, TOUCH launched RAISE (Resilience and Abilities for Independence through Support and Empowerment), a home-based training programme for individuals with disabilities in the community who are preferably not supported by any academic institutions or community agencies. Over 20 sessions, clients can learn essential life skills in domains of activities of daily living, community living skills and personal social skills, while their caregivers are equipped with skills to support their child’s learning at home. Conducted by a team of social workers and experienced life skills coaches, RAISE hopes to empower adults with disabilities to live independently in the community. For more information on the programme, please visit: https://bit.ly/TCS-RAISE Source: The Sunday Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction

Our trainees with special needs from TOUCH Centre for Independent Living (TCIL), TOUCH Ubi Hostel (TUH) and the RAISE programme gathered for a two-day one-night camp held at TUH. Themed D.A.R.E. – Daring, Acquire, Reflect and Experience – the camp provided trainees with the opportunity to take on new challenges outside of their home environment.   On top of learning essential community life skills through mobility training and cooking their meals, our trainees stepped out of their comfort zones and tried rock climbing for the first time! Through these activities, our trainees discovered new things about themselves, made new friends, and honed their confidence to try new things.   We are so proud of our trainees for proving that anything is possible with determination and a supportive community! 

Have you heard of dad guilt? Meet Joel Wong, a father of two young sons and the Team Lead of the Education and Advocacy team at TOUCH Mental Wellness. This Father's Day, he shares what dad guilt is and how you can overcome it. To all fathers who give selflessly of their time and love, Happy Father’s Day!

TOUCH is grateful to be one of the beneficiaries for the ninth edition of Singapore Pools’ Football With A Heart (FWAH)! This year’s event raised over $1.2 million for five beneficiaries.   FWAH is an executive football charity fundraiser that aims to bring together private and public sectors to support underserved communities through a five-a-side football tournament. Held at Singapore Sports Hub last weekend, members of the public caught exciting football action on the pitch, participated in fun carnival games, and checked out booths selling unique merchandise. Attendees also purchased products made by our JOURNEY Special Artists at our JOURNEY booth.   The Guests-of-Honour, Minister for Transport, Mr Chee Hong Tat, and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, Mr Edwin Tong, were presented with tokens featuring the Papilionanda TOUCH Triginta Orchid painted by our Special Artist Chen Zhiyu.    Thank you, Singapore Pools, for giving us this opportunity to be part of FWAH 2024!

At the Jalan Kayu Parents’ Day celebration last Sunday, Mr James Satchy, Head of TOUCH Parenting, was invited to speak on the topic of ‘Enhancing Parenting, Building Bonds’. Organised by PAP Community Foundation and graced by Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC (Jalan Kayu) Ms Ng Ling Ling, the event saw James sharing key pointers on how parents can raise confident and competent children while building a healthy belief system for them. Together with another parenting expert, he also shared handles to enhance the parent-child bond. We’re grateful for the opportunity to empower parents and strengthen families in the community! 

We are thrilled to be a part of KidSTART Singapore's first PlayDate Carnival at One Punggol Community Club last Sunday. Graced by Minister of State for Social and Family Development, the event saw children and families having a wonderful time of bonding together through fun games and interactive play. As of April 2024, TOUCH is the newly appointed KidSTART agency for families residing in Punggol region. We are glad to extend our reach to more lower-income families in the Northeast region, and we hope to empower every family and child to have a good start in life. fulfil their potential. If you would like to find out more, you can reach out to KidSTART@TOUCH Community Services at ksa@touch.org.sg or visit www.kidstart.sg. 

We are proud to share that Vanessa Lee, Head of Preschool Services, TOUCH Child Care, is one of the 87 teaching and learning specialists that are newly appointed PASTELs (pedagogists and specialists in teaching and learning) at the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) fellows appointment ceremony.   As a PASTEL in the area of inclusive practice, educators are part of the Early Childhood Learning Communities Programme, a platform for senior educators to enhance their pedagogical knowledge through peer sharing and learning with the aim of deepening educators’ skills in supporting children’s diverse needs.   At TOUCH, we believe that every child deserves a good education and the chance to shine! TOUCH Child Care is an inclusive pre-school, with a big H.E.A.R.T., trusted for decades, empowering every child to reach their full potential.   Read more at: https://lnkd.in/g3Hdf8EV

Say hello to Natalie Chan from the Partnership team! 👋 As the Deputy Manager of Partnership, she works with corporate partners to magnify the impact of TOUCH’s work in the community. 👐 Join Natalie for some behind-the-scenes activity as she prepares for the upcoming TOUCH Family Festival (TFF). Follow along as she secures sponsorships and collaborates with partners to make the festival fun for all! See you at TFF on 25 May! For more information, visit www.touchfamilyfestival.sg. 

TOUCH hosted a learning journey at TOUCHpoint@Geylang Bahru for representatives from the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s charity arm, The University of Hong Kong and Non-Governmental Organisations. The programme included a lively dialogue, where TOUCH shared about its programmes to support seniors and caregivers, while the visitors offered insights on their caregiver resource centre and took part in an exercise session with our seniors. Thanks to all our visitors for an enriching afternoon together as we continue to inspire hope and impact lives in our communities!

DMP Lawrence Wong recently called for additional safeguards around excessive screen time and social media use for children, as part of efforts to protect the mental health of young people.    We echo DPM Wong’s sentiments and have been working with stakeholders to uplift the cyber and mental wellness of our community.    As the digital landscape and user habits evolve, we would need to expand our attention beyond excessive screen time to also address the mental and psychological impact of excessive cyber usage on our youths.    As an advocate for cyber and mental wellness, TOUCH has been pioneering efforts in cyber and mental wellness education, equipping our children, youths and parents with resources to thrive in the digital age.    Recently, we launched the First Device Campaign to partner parents to equip them with knowledge and practical handles as they introduce digital devices to their child and guide them in navigating the digital space safely. These efforts will enable parents to play an active role in their child's digital lives and nurture them to develop healthy online habits from the get-go, reducing the risk of them falling prey to online harms.    This is in addition to programmes that are targeted at groups, such as:     Managing screen time in children and youth: Through school talks and programmes, our TOUCH Cyber Wellness (TCW) team educates students on responsible device use, the realities of social media content, and empowers them with handles to manage their screen time and social media use.    Partnering Parents: We believe that parents play an important role in helping their children navigate the digital age. TCW provides parents with practical resources to manage their children’s screen time and scaffold their online experiences from a young age.    Caring for youth mental health: Our team at TOUCH Mental Wellness provides counselling and implement intervention programmes, such as DigitalMINDSET to empower youths to manage their screen time and regulate their emotions for a healthier and more balanced life.    We look forward to working with the government and like-minded partners to empower our youth and the community at large to be cyber and mentally well. https://lnkd.in/gmgYUH47