View source for Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore

{{Short description|Singapore voluntary welfare organisation}}
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{{Infobox company
| logo = Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore logo.png
| name = Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS)
| type = [[Nonprofit]]
| foundation = May 1962
| location = 800 Margaret Drive<br>Singapore 149307
| key_people = Chairman: Mr Augustin Lee<br>Chief Executive Officer:<br>Mr Kelvin Koh
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.minds.org.sg/}}
}}
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'''Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore''' ('''MINDS''') is a [[voluntary welfare organisation]] based in [[Singapore]], that provides services for the [[intellectually disabled]]. MINDS was founded in 1962, and remains one of the largest charities in Singapore. Over 600 staff and 2,400 beneficiaries are a part of MINDS. Two other organisations, the [[Association for Persons with Special Needs]] and [[Metta School]] were formed as an offshoot of MINDS.

==History==
In 1960, the [[Singapore Children's Society]] initiated several educational and training programmes for intellectually disabled children, leading to the formation of the Singapore Association for Retarded Children (SARC) in 1962.<ref name="sgrep">"[http://gtid.net/countryreport/CR1980(Singapore).pdf Country Report 1980 (Singapore)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108093813/http://gtid.net/countryreport/CR1980(Singapore).pdf |date=2017-11-08 }}", Group Training Course on Intellectual Disabilities.</ref><ref name="stgab">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20111029075550/http://www.stgabss.net/SpecialNeeds/index.php/sen-overview/timeline.html Special Education Timeline]", St Gabriel's Secondary Special Needs Centre. Archived from [http://www.stgabss.net/SpecialNeeds/index.php/sen-overview/timeline.html the original] on 29 October 2011.</ref> Medical social worker [[Daisy Vaithilingam]] was involved in the creation of the group.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0eW6CgAAQBAJ&q=%22Daisy+Vaithilingam%22&pg=PA130|title=Singapore Childhood: Our Stories Then And Now|last=Koh|first=Jaime|publisher=World Scientific|year=2012|isbn=9789814405799|pages=129–130|language=en}}</ref> Along with Vaithliningam, other participants in the creation of MINDS were Warren Fox, Ena Aeria, and Freda Paul.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gcu-bjRt74QC&q=%22Daisy+Vaithilingam%22&pg=PA261|title=Till the Break of Day: A History of Mental Health Services in Singapore, 1841-1993|last=Ng|first=Beng Yeong|date=2001|publisher=NUS Press|isbn=9789971692452|pages=261|language=en}}</ref> After running the pilot project with the go-ahead of the Singapore Children's Society, they applied for funding from the Rotary Club and received a grant of $10,000.<ref name=":0" />

Beginning with only two teachers and 26 students in a single classroom in Towner Road,<ref name="serve2">Vivi Zainol, "Serving the intellectually disabled", ''The Straits Times'', 27 August 2005.</ref><ref name="school2">April Chong, "Special school in Sengkang opens", ''The Straits Times'', 18 July 2009.</ref> the new association rapidly expanded over the 1960s, building special schools at Margaret Drive and [[Jurong]], a sheltered workshop at [[Geylang]], a residential home at [[Tampines]] as well as their main administration centre, Lee Kong Chian Centre.<ref name="sgrep" /><ref name="stgab" /> SARC started a subcommittee for services for those with less severe intellectual disabilities in 1971 and a youth volunteering group the year after;<ref name="stgab" /><ref name="myg">"[http://gtid.net/acmr_18/pdf/12.pdf MINDS Youth Group&nbsp;– Celebrating 35 Years of Volunteerism] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108094008/http://gtid.net/acmr_18/pdf/12.pdf |date=2017-11-08 }}", Group Training Course on Intellectual Disabilities.</ref> the subcommittee was split into an independent organisation, the Association for the Educationally Subnormal (AESN), in 1976.<ref name="matter">Mardiana Abu Bakar, "Minds over matter", ''The Straits Times'', 17 June 1993.</ref> In 1983 SARC launched the first early intervention programme in Singapore, prompting other organisations to follow suit<ref name="stgab" /> and set up an adjunct subcommittee that became Special Olympics Singapore.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20130809011009/http://specialolympics.org.sg/aboutus/aboutus.html About Us]", Special Olympics Singapore. Archived from [http://www.specialolympics.org.sg/aboutus/aboutus.html the original] on 9 August 2013.</ref>

Since the term "[[intellectual disability|retarded]]" had acquired negative connotations and the organisation had started services for adults, SARC changed their name to the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) in 1985.<ref name="namechange">"Minds to help disabled grow with the times", ''The Straits Times'', 12 June 1985.</ref> In 1987, the organisation benefitted by being primarily funded from [[The Community Chest of Singapore]],<ref name="serve2"/> and in 1993 MINDS became the largest voluntary welfare organisation in Singapore, with AESN in second place.<ref name="matter"/> Relocation of the MINDS special schools, from premises of closed-down primary schools to new buildings with customised facilities, began in 1998.<ref>"A school to put Minds pupils at ease", ''The Straits Times'', 25 September 1998.</ref> The association started their first social enterprise, a car washing service along Pasir Panjang Road, in 2001.<ref>Lee Hui Chieh, "Intellectually disabled wash cars for wages.", ''The Straits Times'', 4 September 2001.</ref> Their residential homes and training centres were merged into the MINDSville@Napiri centre, which opened in 2007,<ref name="ville2">"Trusteeship scheme for kids with intellectual disability taking shape", Channel NewsAsia, 14 April 2007.</ref> and the relocation programme was completed two years later.<ref name="school2"/>

They run four [[special schools]] and a centre called MINDSville@Napiri which offers therapy and [[residential care]]. Other MINDS services include [[sheltered workshop]]s, [[social enterprise]]s, and [[day activity centre]].  MINDS generates yearly expenses of 21 million Singapore dollars, as of 2005.<ref name="serve2"/> In 2022, MINDS opened the Minds Hub (Central) on Queens Road to provide a variety of services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=cue |date=2022-11-16 |title=New one-stop hub offers services for people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-hub-in-queen-s-road-for-those-with-intellectual-disabilities-and-their-caregivers-to-access-services |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Activities ==
MINDS operates four special schools for intellectually disabled students between the ages of 4 and 18. These schools provide life skills training, such as personal grooming and money management, as well as exposure to common tasks through outings. Students receive physiotherapy, pre-vocational training, and basic instruction in mainstream academic subjects, like languages, mathematics, art, and science. MINDS also offers sheltered workshops where individuals are trained for simple sorting and packing jobs and helps connect them with potential employers.

The MINDS Trusteeship Scheme allows parents of intellectually disabled individuals to deposit savings into a trust account, overseen by a public trustee. After the parents die, MINDS ensures the funds are used for the beneficiary's caregiving. Other services provided by MINDS include counseling, behavior therapy, and rehabilitation, which are primarily offered at their integrated service center, MINDSville@Napiri. The center houses a nursing home for adults with high support needs, a home for intellectually disabled children from broken families, and a hostel for clients who require less-intensive care.

Additionally, the MINDS Youth Group consists of volunteers who conduct weekly educational, social, and recreational activities for approximately 170 intellectually disabled individuals.

== Awards ==
MINDS has won several awards, including the 2001 President's Social Service Award from the [[National Council of Social Service]] and the 2010 Singapore Health Award (Gold) by the [[Health Promotion Board]].<ref>"[http://www.ncss.org.sg/presidents%20award/pastwinners2001_myg.htm President's Social Service Award Past Winners&nbsp;– MINDS Youth Group] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909043703/http://www.ncss.org.sg/presidents%20award/pastwinners2001_myg.htm|date=2011-09-09}}", National Council of Social Service.</ref><ref>"[https://www.hpb.gov.sg/HOPPortal/health-article/HPBSUEXTAPP1_4021960 Gold Awards Recipients 2010]{{dead link|date=February 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}", Health Promotion Board.</ref>

==Management==
The organisation is headed by Chairman Augustin Lee and chief executive officer Kelvin Koh,<ref>[http://www.childrenscharities.org.sg/member.html Member Societies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228192316/http://www.childrenscharities.org.sg/member.html|date=2012-02-28}}, Singapore Children's Charities.</ref> who lead a 15-member executive committee with 10 subcommittees that meet monthly to discuss problems and plan new programmes.<ref name="matter" />

To support events and advocate for the inclusion of People with Intellectual Disability (PWIDs), MINDS is supported by over 4000 volunteers, including corporate and non-corporate members.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://www.minds.org.sg MINDS official website]

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[[Category:Disability organisations based in Singapore]]
[[Category:Singaporean voluntary welfare organisations]]