Singapore is one of the few high density cities that has achieved high liveability standards. With over five million inhabitants on a small 710 sq. km. land, Singapore has an approach to urban high density development which sustains high quality life.
Does this liveability also apply the five percent of the population with disability?
What are some of the measures taken to assist this segment of the population to enjoy the facilities and amenities provided by the benevolent State to its citizen ?
A visit to the website of the Ministry of Social and Family Development gives an overview of the policies and efforts made by the government. (http://app.msf.gov.sg/Policies/Disabilities-Special-Needs ). The Enabling Masterplan (EM) 2012-2016 Progress Report illustrates how persons with disabilities can reach their potentials and be an integral and contributing segment of society.
The Singapore society is moving towards a different definition of disability. From a medical definition of disability as an impairment and abnormality, disability has become a complex phenomenon that reflects less on the physical, intellectual, sensory or developmental impairments one might have but more on how one functions in relation to the society he or she lives in. With this shift in our understanding of disability, the way society supports and advances the employability of persons with disabilities (PWD) should change.
With Singapore’s ratification of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2012, the government has launched the Enabling Masterplan which charts the development of the disability sector to identify and resolve gaps in the social welfare system and work towards a vision of an inclusive society where PWDs are integrated into mainstream society in all aspects of their lives.
Empowering through Employment
As ‘work’ often shapes the self-esteem an individual about himself, finding jobs for
those with disability is important. There are many websites e.g. jobs 4 Disabled (jobs-4-disabled.jobfinder.com.sg) and www.latikaroy.org which open opportunities for employment as well as offers training and skill developments. These trainings not only build capacity but offer social spaces for a more balanced life. The participants become friends, support groups and develop social networks, sometimes leading to marriage and establishing family.
Environmental and attitudinal barriers in society make the work-life experience of PWDs different from average able-bodied individuals. In addition to work and family responsibilities, PWDs also have to learn how to navigate their lives in society around their disabilities. In general, as compared to able-bodied colleagues, PWDs contend with many more issues in different aspects of life in order to maintain a work-life balance. These issues are not always readily understood by employers who are open to hiring PWDs.
One of the recommendations made by the Enabling Masterplan is to support the integration of PWDs in mainstream employment through an Open Door Programme which funds employers’ efforts to accommodate the needs of PWDs. These include funding support for modification of workspaces, streamlining of work processes and the purchase of assistive technology to integrate PWDs into a regular work environment. Although efforts by the government to integrate PWDs into conventional employment through the Open Door Programme is laudable, not all employers in Singapore are open to hiring PWDs. Large organisations are more likely to proactively recruit PWDs whereas small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which makes up the majority of Singapore’s companies, typically have less resources to manage work accommodations or offer generous medical benefits to PWDs. Awareness of the availability of such government funding may not be significant enough for SMEs to alter their hiring practices.
However, the traditional nine-to-five work model where employers dictate working hours and where employees are bound by an obligation for “face-time” in their offices may not be the best options for PWDs. PWDs who are qualified for certain jobs may find it challenging to fulfil their full potential in traditional nine-to-five jobs constrained by working hours or location due to their health conditions. Many PWDs have narrower margins of health than an average able-bodied person due to their disabilities. This directly affects their livelihood. PWDs with certain health conditions may need more time for self-care which makes it difficult for them to work in jobs that requires them to conform to a normal work schedule. For instance, some people may need special equipment for toileting and may take a longer time than others. Sustained focus on tasks for a period of eight to nine hours can be exhausting to some individuals.
Others may have special dietary needs which may not be available near their workplace.
An example of a non-profit organisation that provides one-stop employment services and job assessments for PWDs in Singapore is Bizlink (www.bizlink.org.sg) . Its Mission is “To reach out to people with disabilities in Singapore and to assist them in achieving independence, dignity and integration into mainstream society through open and sheltered employment.” Besides providing vocational assessment, employment placement and sheltered workshop for PWDs, Bizlink also provides an advocacy role. It also educates the employers, the fellow employees on how to assist and work with PWDs.
Overcoming Distances and Travel For PWDs who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs, the affordability and accessibility of the public transport system is the most important factor that dictates the lives of PWDs. Even though Singapore’s public transport infrastructure is becoming more well-connected, and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) train system is fully barrier-free, workplaces may not be located near MRT stations. Currently, not all public buses are fully accessible to wheelchair users. Even on wheelchair-accessible bus routes, some of the bus stops along the bus route might not be wheelchair-accessible due to uneven roads. This is exacerbated in wet weather.
Furthermore, it is extremely difficult for wheelchair users to navigate narrow bus stops and crowded trains during rush hour. Some wheelchair users choose to travel before and after rush hour in the mornings and evenings to avoid the crowd. This means that some people stay in their workplaces for more than 12 hours a day and have much less leisure time than able-bodied colleagues who work in the same office.
An employee of Bizlink, who is also a PWD, gave feedback that he faced many challenges traveling to and fro his office daily. In order to keep this valued employee, Bizlink made the decision to introduce flexible home-based work arrangements for employees who meet certain criteria. New measures were introduced to ensure the quality of work was maintained despite a lack of “face-time” with employees who work for home. This scheme also allowed a new mother to spend more time with her baby while managing work responsibilities. It also retained a committed staff who wanted to retire from the workforce to care for her grandchildren.
Exploring work arrangements like telecommuting, free-lancing, part-time work and flexible work schemes can allow PWDs to perform more productively at the comfort of their homes without being constrained by the accessibility of their workspaces and the stresses of commuting. Technology and strategized management has made it possible for more people to work away from the office, allowing people to work at their most productive times. Other than PWDs, parents with young children, children with elderly parents and single parents can benefit from flexible work schedules as costs of caregiving soars. People who would otherwise opt out of the workforce due to their inability to commute to a typical office or conform to fixed working hours can be a part of the workforce when more alternative forms of work arrangements are available.
With the increased sophistication of technology and its high penetration in Singapore, many people can work anywhere with a computer and high-speed broadband connection. To build a truly inclusive Singapore, the government should continue to work with local companies to explore alternative work arrangements for parents to nurture their family life at home while progressing in their careers, encouraging an ideal work-life balance, and level the playing field for PWDs by enhancing their employability.