Wednesday 23 October 2019

Making Equal Employment Opportunity Possible

Shared from - https://www.sunway.com.my/stories/making-equal-employment-opportunity-possible/


September 25, 2019

Turning 13 this year, the Sunway Job Training Programme continues to train students with learning disorder, allowing them to discover their potential as well as gaining working experience.


Speaking with 18-year-old teenager Muhammad Nur Aiman, one would not be able to tell that he has a learning disorder.

Although he seemed cool and collected, Aiman expresses his thoughts and feelings clearly — that he is a little nervous but excited about his upcoming interview with Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa.

This is not Aiman’s first encounter with Sunway Group. Prior to this, he had undergone a six-month job placement at Sunway Medical Centre under the Sunway Job Training Programme in 2017.

“I want to make my family happy. Having to earn my own income, I understand how difficult it is for my parents to put food on the table. I want tokeep on working, and keep providing for my family just as my parents did,” said Aiman, who is a member of a social enterprise, Generating Opportunities for the Learning Disables (GOLD).

Since 2006, Sunway Group has been collaborating with GOLD and SMK Bandar Sunway to organise the Sunway Job Training Programme annually.

Another GOLD alumnus, Bryan Wong, discovered his passion for baking after joining the programme. In 2011, he worked at Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa’s in-house Matahari cafe for six months.
Bryan, one of GOLD alumni.

Today, the 25-year-old proudly bakes cakes, scones, cookies, pudding, brownies and chocolate fudge at a hotel situated in Kuala Lumpur.

Individuals like Aiman and Bryan demonstrate that having a learning disability is not a barrier to working. However, the lack of opportunity is definitely a hindrance to their growth as individuals.

“It is challenging for individuals with learning disorders to find employment as most corporations have developed a stigma on hiring them. Many think that they are indifferent to their interests,” said Juairiah Hj Johari, founder and advisor of GOLD.

Juairiah Hj Johari, founder and advisor of GOLD

“People are intimidated because they fear what they don’t understand. Many are ignorant to an individual’s capabilities. If the public is educated enough, then there is nothing to fear. As the saying goes, ‘Tak kenal maka tak cinta’.


“If all of us can show sincerity in wanting to help, things can be better for them,” said Juairiah, who has 28 years of experience in teaching children with special needs.

Juairiah said the Sunway Job Training Programme provides students with learning disorders an opportunity to gain working experience and self-confidence which is important for them to gain employment in the future. The through this programme, it is easier for them to assimilate into the working world because they are able to know what is expected of them at the workplace.

Since its establishment in 2006, the programme has graduated 120 students from all walks of life.

Following the success, this year, the Sunway Job Training Programme has been extended beyond SMK Bandar Sunway to two other schools — SMK Kelana Jaya and SMK Bestari Sungai Buloh.

Another milestone in accordance to the success of the programme is the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation’s partnership with GOLD to organise the Special Education Conference 2018 at Sunway University.

Job Training Programme graduates receiving their certificates during the Special Education Conference 2018 at Sunway University after a 6-month long training.

“GOLD collaborates with Sunway because they understand the needs of the kids. Sunway always gives them opportunities to gain working experience. Most of the staff are very supportive, taking the time to understand more about the children,” said Juairiah.

One such Sunwayian is Sunway University’s School of Hospitality teaching fellow Ng Wan Cheng (Chef Cheng), who has been teaching GOLD students in pastry making since 2014.

“It’s important that we provide them with this job training
because they may not be as fortunate as students who
can afford to further their studies,” Chef Cheng said.
Chef Cheng believes that with proper training and education, the students have potential to excel at work, let alone live.

“We have new students to training with us every semester. Each student is different and you just have to be patient by demonstrating or reminding them to ensure they learn something and are interested in pastry making at the end of the 14 weeks,” said Chef Cheng.

Chef Cheng even went the extra mile to conduct a one-day baking course for the GOLD students at their office in Bandar Sunway a few years ago.

“My team and I taught these students how to bake Viennese cookies that they could sell to corporations, which could be used to generate sustainable financial income,” she said.

Ultimately, it is Chef Cheng’shope that the GOLD students who undergo the programme are able to land careers in the hospitality industry and be financially stable in the long run.

She believes that the programme speaks well of Sunway’s commitment towards corporate social responsibility as what Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO has always quoted, “Doing well by doing good.”

“People will look at Sunway and see it as an organisation that is socially responsible and gives a lot back to society. And that’s a noble thing,” she said.

In a snapshot:

  • Learning disabilities or learning disorder are neurologically-based processing problems that interfere with a person’s ability to learn basic skills such as reading, writing, counting.
  • These problems also affect higher level skills such as organisation, time-planning, abstract reasoning, long or short-term memory and attention.
  • According to the Department of Social Welfare Malaysia, there are 157,733 Malaysians with learning disabilities as of 2017.

Tuesday 16 October 2018

SEC 2018 - Special Education Conference 2018

The Special Education Conference 
The Conference was officiated by YB Hannah Yeoh, Deputy Minister for the 
Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development and Yang Berusaha 
Tuan Haji Salleh Mohd Kassim, Pengarah Pendidikan Selangor
Some of the Guest Speakers which included those from Australia and UK
(SEC2018), co-organised by Jeffrey Cheah Foundation of
Sunway Group and Generating Opportunities for Learning Disables (GOLD) held on 12 - 13 October 2018 at Sunway University was a great success.  The Conference Theme was "Nurturing Education through Smart Partnership" and its aim was to provide pathway to empower young adults with Learning difficulties.
The objectives of this inaugural Conference:
1. To create a platform to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solution adopted in the fields of Special Education and personal development;
2. To explore how to interface with difference educational professionals, parents and students to create an optimal teaching and learning environment;
Group picture of participants taken at the end of the two-day Conference



3. To provide the framework and education for all partners in creating collaborative synergy among schools, corporations, NGOs, government and community.
Without doubt the Conference managed to bring up a lively discussion on  the inter dependency of the four drivers which are Education, Networking, Industry Collaboration and Community Development for the Special Education. More than 300 participants which made up of all members of stake holders were present.
We believed that most of the participants of SEC2018 has benefited substantially from the discussions, which would translate into positive benefits to the people with special needs in the enhancement of their participation in the society.


Tuesday 14 August 2018

GOLD WON TWO PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS IN 2016



1. Social Entrepreneurship Amplify Awards
Receiving of the Award. From Left: Ehon Chan, Executive Director
Ashran Dato' Ghazi, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar, Chairman
Magic & Ghazali, Chairman of GOLD.

Social entrepreneurs can face a lot of difficulty raising financial capital.  As part of the government’s effort to raise awareness and support social entrepreneurship in Malaysia, MaGIC (Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre) has been mandated to support the sector through a dedicated social entrepreneurship unit and fund of RM 20 million.
Members of GOLD rejoicing during the Award giving Ceremony
in December 2016.
Magic are providing up to RM150,000 to Malaysia’s deserving social enterprises to help them increase their impact through new business capabilities and improved operations.
After a series of selection processes and due diligence, GOLD is most fortunate to be one of the five SE selected for the Amplify Award 2016.   However the amount that were being granted was dependent on the fulfilment of the timely deliverables of the milestones as determined by Magic.

2. IM4U Best Volunteer Initiative - NGO / NPO / Collective Award

Zabidi & Billy posed with the plaque awarding GOLD as the
Best Volunteer Initiative, NGO Award 2016

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Maybank Global CR Day 2014 - Inspiring Global Communities


We will be joining hands with Maybank on 27 September 2014 for its 5th Maybank Global CR Day with the theme, “Inspiring Global Communities”.
The Maybank Global CR Day is unique as it is a day set aside for Maybank employees to highlight on the same day to the community at large, the long-term sustainable Corporate Responsibility (CR) initiatives that Maybank employees are implementing in and around the world. On this day, each of the 20 countries where Maybank has presence will showcase its respective sustainable CR initiatives to create positive impact in the communities that Maybank serves.
Maybank employees under Group Human Capital (GHC), are hosting a three day Maybank Charity Bazaar in conjunction with Maybank Global CR Day. The event highlights just one of amongst the many initiatives that they are partnered with the NGO of their choice. Other LD NGOs are also invited for this three day platform to create stronger visibility for the LD community within the society, particularly the support system for the LD community.
Details of the GHC Global CR Day initiatives and Maybank Charity Bazaar are as follows:
Date     : Friday, 26 Sept 2014- Sunday 28 Sept 2014
Time    : 10.00 am  - 10.00 pm
Venue   : Mid Valley Megamall South Court, Ground Floor
Come and join us at this CR initiative. Meet the LD community and Maybank employees to learn more about the LD community and Maybank’s CR initiatives. Show your support to a good cause by purchasing the LDs’ products and craft. Your generosity goes a long way to improve the well- being of the LD community.
See you there!

Sunday 14 September 2014

Maybank GOLD Charity Bazaar – GLOBAL CR Day 2014

Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) through its Department Group Human Capital will be organizing the MAYBANK GOLD CHARITY BAZAAR CARNIVAL at South Court (SC), Ground Floor, Mid Valley, Megamall.   Particulars of this event are as follows:

Date: 26 - 28 September 2014
Venue: South Court, Ground Floor, Mid Valley Megamall
Time:  10.00 am - 10.00 pm

In this carnival, Maybank in association with GOLD and 10 other non-governmental organisations (NGO) hope to raise fund to help Children and People With Learning Disabilities such as Autism, Down Syndrome, Slow Learners etc.   This project is organized as an activity of Maybank Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), all proceed from the sales and other commercial activities will be donated back to the organizations concern.

Syabas to Maybank, as this is one of a kind such assistance is afforded to the Learning Disabled Communities to set up Social Enterprises. 
 
Representatives of NGO meeting with Maybank Croup Human Capital Officials  at GOLD Centre
Members of public are welcome to come to see for yourself various interesting products of that are produced by the Learning Disabled.   Do come to support this eye opener events, thus lending hands to the success of setting of Social Enterprises for the Learning Disables.  

The list of NGO that are involved in this 3 days event:
·       Persatuan Kelainan Upaya Pembelajaran (GOLD)
·       Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang (PKIK)
·       Persatuan Keluarga Orang Bermasalah Pembelajaran (PERKOBP)
·       United Voice
·       Persatuan Sindrom Down Malaysia (PSDM)
·       Kiwanis Job Training Centre (KJTC)
·        Beautiful Gate
·       St Paul Church
·       Biji Biji Initiatives
·       Ecocentric Transitions
·       Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB)

“We make a living by what we get,
But we make a life by what we give.“

Winston Churchill

Friday 18 January 2013

Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Brings Social Enterprise To Hearts of GOLD

Jeffrey Cheah Foundation has announced collaboration with the GOLD to develop a social enterprise business model for the learning disabled towards the course of transforming education for the special need children in Malaysia.

Under the collaboration, Sunway University's newly established Sunway Institute for Social Entrepreneurship (SISE), on behalf of Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, has plan to assist GOLD to develop program and business plans that will equip children with learning disabilities with skills that will sustain them through life.

AdministratorJane Poh,  for the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation at the signing ceremony with En Mohd Ghazali, Chairman of  GOLD, witnessed by Sharzede Salleh Askor, General Manager, Group Corporate Communication, Sunway Group

Sunway's relationship with the GOLD started with the special needs school in SMK Bandar Sunway.
GOLD is a non-profit organization.  The Foundation's goal is to assist children with learning disabilities and enforce the skills learn under the Malaysian school curriculum. GOLD ultimate objectives is to create more work and social opportunities for children and young adults with learning disabilities 
Onto a good start: Social Enterprise Set-up to equip children with life and business skills under the collaboration of Jeffrey Cheah Foundation and GOLD