SDB HOSTS WORKSHOP ON HOW TO COACH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ENTER THE WORKFORCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- Property developer Selangor Dredging Berhad (SDB), in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department (Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat), recently hosted a “job coaching” workshop over four-days from 22nd to 25th of January 2019 to share insights and techniques on how to coach people with disabilities enter the workforce. The workshop, held in Hotel Maya, Kuala Lumpur, was attended by some 36 participants comprising parents, educators and individuals from corporate organisations. During the workshop, representatives from McDonalds, Mydin, Intercontinental Hotel Kuala Lumpur and Job Coach Network Malaysia came forward to share their experiences, skills and knowledge after hiring person with disabilities within their respective organisations. There were also various role play sessions, group discussions and sharing of real-life situations about the process of interviewing a person with disability and what the various phases entail. More than just an SDB Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, SDB group managing director Ms Teh Lip Kim also opened up about her own personal experience with her 14-year-old son, Ming, who is a special needs child. “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. He has shown me what the world needs – more love, generosity and sincerity that comes from the heart,” shared Ms Teh. “It is because of Ming, and the plight of the communities that need us, that has touched me. 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,” she further said. Meanwhile, Mrs 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. http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33734