Rachel Ong
Singapore
“Chairman, many PwDs and employers remain unaware of available support for inclusive employment and daily living. A recent Singapore Management University (SMU) survey found that eight in 10 PwDs had never heard of employability training programmes and fewer than half of employers were aware of workplace grants and hiring incentives.”
“Chairman, today, very few counsellors are trained in Singapore Sign Language. Thus, deaf clients often rely on interpreters from an already small community. This often limits privacy and discourage self and help-seeking. One deaf individual received counselling only after a long search.”
“Chairman, the misuse of AI, particularly through sexually exploitative deepfake content, is creating new risks. Children and vulnerable persons, including persons with disabilities, may face impersonation, coercion and greater difficulty reporting harm.”
“Chairman, during an MRT disruption last year, a deaf commuter shared that she felt confused and afraid when passengers began to leave the train as there were no visual or sign language updates explaining what was happening.”
“Chairman, I support the Government's strong investment in AI skills for Singaporeans. Expanding the TeSA programme to help non-tech workers gain practical AI capabilities sends an important signal, that AI is no longer a niche skill, but a foundational one.”
“Chairman, unattended cooking remains one of the leading causes of residential fires in Singapore, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Many of these incidents involve our seniors, where distraction, medical conditions, or reduced mobility quickly turn an everyday activity into a serious safety risk.”
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“In the journey of exploring possibilities, she was encouraged by friends to volunteer to help children. Mag discovered then that she really enjoyed being with children. She went on to take an early childhood education degree, which led to an advanced diploma in special education and, subsequently, a Masters in Speech Therapy. Today, Mag is 50 years old and has been a speech therapist for the past five years and she loves her work. But her story will not end here. As a hobby, she has taken up photography, and I am inspired by what she said recently: "Who knows what will happen post-speech therapy?" Mag had time and space to explore possibilities and a boldness to design her life. We recognise that not everyone will be able to make time and space for themselves like Mag. For many, this space has to be created for them. We must build school and work cultures that allow time, mental and physical space for our people to pilot-test their growing vocational interests in the same field or different ones. At the same time, we need to improve towards a work culture that respects the need for rest and recreation. For those who face social and economic barriers to access these resources, we will need to work towards a sustainable solution. Mr Speaker, a life by design does not just explore current possibilities alone but creates new ones. This brings us to the third point – nurture creativity that opens possibilities that are yet to exist. Singapore has a super resource still to be maximised – the creative capacities of our people. As oil is fuel to industry, so is creativity to the mind. The difference is this: creativity is renewable. The more it is used, the more of itself it generates.”
“Instead of focusing on limitations, what if we could help our family and our residents identify what they can do at every age and every season of their lives? This is not about having a positive mindset, but a mindset of possibilities. We do not have to be limited to traditional career paths. Entrepreneurship, volunteerism, participating in the gig economy are also productive options to discovering our niche. Whether a person is a young graduate, stay-at-home mum, working single, working parent or retiree, we can carry valuable skillsets that our community needs. We should support our people to build a holistic life portfolio instead of just a work-focused one. They should include competencies beyond formal employment, such as transferable skills and experiences from care-giving, volunteering and personal interests we pursue. A familiar example is our stay-at-home mothers, who may aspire to work from home because of the recent work trends. Many are skilled in wide-ranging areas but may not be sure of their fit in the workforce. If we continue to find ways to help our people to consider alternative pathways and identify their full range of skills at different life stages, we open up new possibilities for them and, in the process, strengthen our Singapore Core. The second thing we can do is to provide opportunities to explore possibilities. A life by design requires deliberate exploration. Time and space must be given to explore. My friend Mag was in the real estate industry for 20 years before making a switch to become a speech therapist. This was not an overnight choice. As she crossed her 10-year mark in the industry, she could not see herself doing this work for the rest of her life.”
“A life by design starts when a person's passion and skills intersect with the needs of the world – also known as "finding your niche". Here is what I notice when one is operating in their niche. You know who you are and who you are not. You are energised by what you do and you know the people group you are called to serve. When a person finds his or her niche, learning is no longer out of necessity, but a desire. Discipline flows naturally. You can continually seek out new opportunities to grow so that you can give your best, whether it is at home front, school, work or the community. You make these places better than when you first found it. The second question – how might we empower a life by design? Mr Speaker, may I propose three ways we can empower individuals to live a life by design. The first is to clarify possibilities of growth at every age and life stage. I have shared recently about a colleague of mine who, 10 years ago, then in her late 40s, joined our team. Her question during the interview was "Am I too old to start a new career in a new sector?" We assured her, "Your age qualifies you. It is precisely your age and your experience that we value." Today, at 58, she is flourishing at work. Her experience, competence and who she is, are impacting lives, honouring both people and results. We continue to cheer her on, believing for even greater years ahead of her! We often hear this: "You are too old to do this" or "You are too young to do that". There never seemed to be a right age. But if we do not see age as a barrier but rather as a qualifier, then there is nothing stopping us in exploring new possibilities for our lives. We do not have to be afraid. Your age qualifies you.”
“Mr Speaker, may I express my appreciation to the President for her thoughtful Address to our nation. May I also thank our residents in Telok Blangah Division for welcoming our team and I. Mr Lim Hng Kiang has served our nation with distinction over the past 29 years, and our residents and I appreciate him so much and we propose to build on his work. What a privilege it has also been to work with a team of committed volunteers and leaders across the West Coast GRC. To the Public Service agencies and NGOs who often go the extra mile to support the needs of our people, we thank you. The Singapore we have today is a nation by design. At the SUTD Ministerial Forum in 2018, our Prime Minister Lee noted that nothing we have in Singapore is by chance. Our racial harmony, economic growth, international standing are the products of deep deliberation of issues, leading to options that were proto-typed, tested and delivered. Without using the term, our founding fathers employed design thinking approaches to overcome the many impossibilities to be the Singapore of today. The challenge of re-inventing Singapore continues. I believe we now have the opportunity to become a nation by design, not just through the collective efforts of our leaders, but also by the collective efforts of a people empowered to live a life by design. What does it mean to live a life by design? And how might we empower our people to do so? These are the two questions that I would like to explore this afternoon. The first – a life by design. In the past 25 years, serving in the corporate and social sector, I remain energised by two things: to see every youth succeed and to see adults flourish in all that they do.”