Youth with special needs and seniors get support at new community hub in One Holland Village
Published on
12 Feb 2025
Published by
The Straits Times
SINGAPORE – Novel therapies to help youth with special needs calm down during a meltdown will be researched at a new hub operated by Presbyterian Community Social Services (PCS), formerly known as Presbyterian Community Services.
These include the use of a room where the temperature is set at 15 deg C, as the concentration of oxygen is higher in a colder environment, which research suggests may enhance cognitive performance. In the cold room, trainers will create sounds using a specially designed crystal bowl to help calm the youth.
The research, conducted in partnership with universities both locally and overseas, will take place at A Good Place, PCS’ newly established community hub at One Holland Village designed to support youth with special needs and seniors.
The two groups are among the organisation’s key target clients, and it wanted to provide one place catering to both.
Mr Jonathan Kok, chairman of PCS, said: “A Good Place was conceived as a community hub where we can work with partners to better equip and empower those with special needs as well as seniors by offering them access to high-quality enrichment services at more affordable rates compared with commercial options.”
The hub, which cost $2 million to build, spans over 1,000 sq m and is located on the first floor of the mall. It is PCS’ largest facility to date. PCS also runs six active ageing centres and two senior care centres, as well as special needs programmes.
A Good Place’s opening ceremony was attended by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was the guest of honour, and 200 guests, including donors, volunteers, partners and staff.
It celebrated PCS’ 50 years of service and marked its change of name from Presbyterian Community Services to Presbyterian Community Social Services, to better reflect the work of the agency.
“(PCS) is a good example of how goodness begets goodness,” Mr Tharman said at the event.
“It started as a playgroup, and as a place for seniors to gather in the evenings and at weekends. And it grew. The volunteers grew, and now (PCS) is a full-scale social service agency running 16 pre-school centres, plus a whole range of other services, for individuals with special needs and the elderly in particular.”
PCS is an example of an organisation motivated by a particular faith that is committed to serving everyone regardless of race or religion, Mr Tharman added.
Dr Andrew Lim, executive director of PCS, said the new hub addresses a market gap for youth with special needs aged 18 to 30 to help them continue their learning journey, especially for those who may not be ready for employment.
The hub’s day activity centre programme, which is run by social enterprise Connexions, aims to help the youth learn life skills to prepare for their eventual employment in the workforce.
Mr Bryan Ong, 23, is one of the participants at the day activity centre, which operates from 9am to 6pm on weekdays. He has moderate autism and has been attending the centre daily for a month.
After his graduation from a special education school five years ago, Mr Ong worked as a waiter for a couple of months but was unable to keep his job. Mr Ong said he likes the centre because it allows him to make friends and play games. He likes to paint and participate in art activities.
In the programme, they are encouraged to be independent and responsible for washing their own plates and cleaning up after themselves.
Mr Ong’s mentor, Connexions director Clara Phua, 42, noted an increase in his level of independence after he joined the centre. “He used to be quite reluctant in doing the chores here, but now he is more receptive and engaged,” she said. She also added that Mr Ong is generally more socialised now, compared with when he first started.
Opposite the day activity centre in the community hub lie the activity rooms for seniors. Seniors visiting the centre can take part in programmes such as yoga, ukulele and dance.
Mr Simon Ang, 75, a senior who lives in the area, said he is excited about the new hub and that he looks forward to playing games with the other seniors. “This space is bigger and feels more spacious, compared with the ageing centre closer to my house,” Mr Ang said.
PCS’ Mr Kok said: “We want (A Good Place) to be a haven where individuals and families can find hope, healing and support, a place where they can thrive and reach their fullest potential.”
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permission.
Photo: The Straits Times
Written By: Tang Yi Qing
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