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Friday, January 29, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Change Makers
I have been thinking for the last few weeks. Who are the change makers for the deaf community in Singapore?
Perhaps I should get back to the question we have been asking many years ago: Is there a Deaf community in Singapore? Or are we just different kinds of Singaporeans (different races, language, religions) with diferent kinds of ability and (dis)abilities?
The fact that we are a Singaporeans, means our government is directly responsible for the well being of all of us. Our social freedom, our livelihood, our education, our families.
With that argument, if there is a Deaf community (Deaf, Hard of hearing, deafened, Families and friends of the above), who champions the Deaf Community in Singapore? Who takes the lead ? Who voices out the praises the community is achieving or warns of the wrong path the community is heading towards which may happen when a wrong or difficult decision is made?
Are the change makers of the Deaf Community the Deaf Associations (secular) or the Churches (religious). Or is it, along the way, policies of normal Singaporeans are implemented. The government with ministers, NMP, MP with some interest in the disabled community will make policies that may directly or indirectly benefit some members of the Deaf Community? Or we only survive as small groups with leaders of different interest group (eg sports, dance, art, hobbies, beliefs)? Like small herds of animals with a "white horse" that the rest will invariably follow. The only difference is that animals stay true to the group and rarely change group. They depend on one another for survival and will fight off any intruders who intends harm for the group. Whereas for all humans, we are blessed with the gift of "freewill". Thus we can change group, unlike the animals.
Won't such situations run a higher risk because the leader has no accountability to any organisation. Answers to no body. And thus the group members are at the mercy. Randomly awaiting the outcome or the decision of the leader. If the leader is passive, no change happens. If the leader is active, he or she moves and motivates the group. However such actions only benefit that particular group only and not the rest who are not in the group. The group also runs a risk depending on the moral upbringing of the leader. Sometimes evil intentions are not so clear and until it is too late, the group ends up engaging in destructive behaviour that may affect the rest of the community of how those outside the community can view them.
Does it matter if the world rushes on and the community makes no attempts to better itself. Or it is not important at all and we should just continue with our own lives?
Perhaps this question is not fair because as a community of individuals, we view the world from our own individual perspective. Generally, most of us will say "It can be better, HOWEVER I am NOT complaining. Since there are many of us who are worse off than the rest." There would be the few on the both extremes....."LG....Life is GREAT!".......or "Life sucks...I want to migrate".
So, is there a need for constant change? Has the Singapore Deaf Community "arrived"? Is there any way we have to actively change for the better or should it be left to random chance?
If there is no need for constant change, then we know that Deaf Associations and religious organisations catering for the deaf have done a great job to meet the general everyday needs of the community. Fun activities, activties catered more to personal development is the focus. Singapore Deaf Association works with the media and other volunteers to create Deaf Awareness daily to inform the rest of the Singaporeans about deaf people. Singapore education is world reknown. As long as a Deaf person wants to study, they will be given that opportunity to acheive the best that they can be. The healthcare in Singapore is also another good point. All Deaf people have the right to access good healthcare. State of the art hearing aids and cochlear implants are also readily available. Post surgical support like speech therapy is also readily available. It is up to the families to motivate the patient to go for further training.
What are the areas I feel still need improvement?
1) Deaf Livelihood. Those with parents who are not well off. Compared with the average normal Singaporean, are they still being marginalised? Within acceptable risk and considering the level of education they have achieved, are capable and trained individuals still deprived of getting the jobs they want?
2) We all accept that there are differential employment. For the same position, different people get different salaries. We know compared with those who didn't go to NS (national service) salaries are lower. We know that all women are entitled 3 months of paid maternity leave. Many family friendly companies are also giving paid paternity leave. Foreigners may be paid lower than the citizens for the same job that is offered to us. Are Deaf paid lower?
3) Deaf helping Deaf. Generally a Deaf person in need approaches another hearing person to help. The concept of Deaf helping Deaf is still a rarity. As a normal Singaporean would help another Singaporean in need. Would a deaf adult go out of his way to be genuinely concerned about another deaf child who is not related to the adult?
4) Is there a need to improve sign language? Many years ago, there was a group in SADeaf who is very keen to make sure sign language becomes the media of communication amongst the Deaf Community. Thus alot of effort is put in training the interpreters, bringing in foreign consultants to improve the language in the Deaf school and the country. Lately because of the growth of Cochlear Implant, there seems to be lukewarm response to the language. For any language, there is a constant need to improve itself so the generation of people can better communicate with one another. Furthermore, there are those who feel that CI is not suitable for those who are older or those who cannot follow a strict regime of post surgery speech therapy. These are the ones who still depend on sign language. That means for the last 15 years, apart from written language they are unable to express their feelings better since there are few new signs invented?
Perhaps I should get back to the question we have been asking many years ago: Is there a Deaf community in Singapore? Or are we just different kinds of Singaporeans (different races, language, religions) with diferent kinds of ability and (dis)abilities?
The fact that we are a Singaporeans, means our government is directly responsible for the well being of all of us. Our social freedom, our livelihood, our education, our families.
With that argument, if there is a Deaf community (Deaf, Hard of hearing, deafened, Families and friends of the above), who champions the Deaf Community in Singapore? Who takes the lead ? Who voices out the praises the community is achieving or warns of the wrong path the community is heading towards which may happen when a wrong or difficult decision is made?
Are the change makers of the Deaf Community the Deaf Associations (secular) or the Churches (religious). Or is it, along the way, policies of normal Singaporeans are implemented. The government with ministers, NMP, MP with some interest in the disabled community will make policies that may directly or indirectly benefit some members of the Deaf Community? Or we only survive as small groups with leaders of different interest group (eg sports, dance, art, hobbies, beliefs)? Like small herds of animals with a "white horse" that the rest will invariably follow. The only difference is that animals stay true to the group and rarely change group. They depend on one another for survival and will fight off any intruders who intends harm for the group. Whereas for all humans, we are blessed with the gift of "freewill". Thus we can change group, unlike the animals.
Won't such situations run a higher risk because the leader has no accountability to any organisation. Answers to no body. And thus the group members are at the mercy. Randomly awaiting the outcome or the decision of the leader. If the leader is passive, no change happens. If the leader is active, he or she moves and motivates the group. However such actions only benefit that particular group only and not the rest who are not in the group. The group also runs a risk depending on the moral upbringing of the leader. Sometimes evil intentions are not so clear and until it is too late, the group ends up engaging in destructive behaviour that may affect the rest of the community of how those outside the community can view them.
Does it matter if the world rushes on and the community makes no attempts to better itself. Or it is not important at all and we should just continue with our own lives?
Perhaps this question is not fair because as a community of individuals, we view the world from our own individual perspective. Generally, most of us will say "It can be better, HOWEVER I am NOT complaining. Since there are many of us who are worse off than the rest." There would be the few on the both extremes....."LG....Life is GREAT!".......or "Life sucks...I want to migrate".
So, is there a need for constant change? Has the Singapore Deaf Community "arrived"? Is there any way we have to actively change for the better or should it be left to random chance?
If there is no need for constant change, then we know that Deaf Associations and religious organisations catering for the deaf have done a great job to meet the general everyday needs of the community. Fun activities, activties catered more to personal development is the focus. Singapore Deaf Association works with the media and other volunteers to create Deaf Awareness daily to inform the rest of the Singaporeans about deaf people. Singapore education is world reknown. As long as a Deaf person wants to study, they will be given that opportunity to acheive the best that they can be. The healthcare in Singapore is also another good point. All Deaf people have the right to access good healthcare. State of the art hearing aids and cochlear implants are also readily available. Post surgical support like speech therapy is also readily available. It is up to the families to motivate the patient to go for further training.
What are the areas I feel still need improvement?
1) Deaf Livelihood. Those with parents who are not well off. Compared with the average normal Singaporean, are they still being marginalised? Within acceptable risk and considering the level of education they have achieved, are capable and trained individuals still deprived of getting the jobs they want?
2) We all accept that there are differential employment. For the same position, different people get different salaries. We know compared with those who didn't go to NS (national service) salaries are lower. We know that all women are entitled 3 months of paid maternity leave. Many family friendly companies are also giving paid paternity leave. Foreigners may be paid lower than the citizens for the same job that is offered to us. Are Deaf paid lower?
3) Deaf helping Deaf. Generally a Deaf person in need approaches another hearing person to help. The concept of Deaf helping Deaf is still a rarity. As a normal Singaporean would help another Singaporean in need. Would a deaf adult go out of his way to be genuinely concerned about another deaf child who is not related to the adult?
4) Is there a need to improve sign language? Many years ago, there was a group in SADeaf who is very keen to make sure sign language becomes the media of communication amongst the Deaf Community. Thus alot of effort is put in training the interpreters, bringing in foreign consultants to improve the language in the Deaf school and the country. Lately because of the growth of Cochlear Implant, there seems to be lukewarm response to the language. For any language, there is a constant need to improve itself so the generation of people can better communicate with one another. Furthermore, there are those who feel that CI is not suitable for those who are older or those who cannot follow a strict regime of post surgery speech therapy. These are the ones who still depend on sign language. That means for the last 15 years, apart from written language they are unable to express their feelings better since there are few new signs invented?
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