Prevailing societal attitudes and a lack of opportunities severely limit the independence and inclusion of people with ID. Only 4% of persons with intellectual and physical disabilities receive education or vocational training (according to 2012 Census). Families with a member who has intellectual disability are among the most impoverished and marginalized in any community.

Children are seen as a form of social security in most parts of Asia. Children with ID have very few economic opportunities, as such their parents/caregivers do not see value in investing in their education or upskilling. This prevents regular school/vocational training attendance and even hinders their ability to form and maintain social connections. The lack of stimulation exacerbates disabilities and leads to marginalization, economic deprivation, and psychological distress, often for the entire family.

Currently, employment opportunities for people with ID occur on an ad-hoc basis, often without understanding of the adaptations needed to successfully onboard and retain persons with ID in the workforce and entirely lacking in monitoring and other long-term safeguards. We address these gaps through our Thrive Sheltered Workshop and Supported Employment programme.

In the 18 months since inception, we have placed young people with ID in competitive employment at Barista, HRMI and Kapruka and started training programmes at The Cakery, Aramex, TOS, Eliseo Salon, Kapruka and several local businesses to increase the work readiness of job seeker.