New school for those with autism to foster inclusive communities, promote independent living
Admiral Hill School will be integrated with amenities in the community. It will also have live-in programmes so students learn life skills
SOCIAL service agency Rainbow Centre opens its third purpose-built special education (sped) school on Thursday (Oct 3).
The Admiral Hill School in Sembawang will take in 300 students with autism. It is the first school to be designed with a “Social Town” concept, which aims to integrate the students of the school with the local community through shared spaces and inclusive programmes.
The school’s enrolment brings the total number of clients served by Rainbow Centre to almost 2,500. Besides Admiral Hill School, Rainbow Centre also runs schools in its Margaret Drive campus and Yishun Park campus.
Tan Sze Wee, executive director at Rainbow Centre, said: “We are driven by the idea that sped schools need to be more integrated with mainstream communities. Having been in this sector for 20 plus years, I have observed that our education system is very segmented by disability type...
“While this (segmentation) facilitates the delivery of our curriculum to our students with similar needs, it hampers inclusion efforts because it segments our youth population. We are doing what we can, as a sped school, to create more opportunities for people to come together.”
She envisions a shared space with food and beverage outlets, a marketplace, and educational activities and workshops where the public can learn more about persons with disabilities.
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A central idea in this concept is bringing on board “like-minded” partners in various sectors, from food to education to the arts, as well as grassroots organisations.
Fauziah Ahmad, senior consultant of special projects at Rainbow Centre, said the Social Town may also be where Rainbow Centre students and alumni can experience internships and find jobs.
The Social Town is expected to start operating next year – designers for the town are now being sought.
Good Life Boarding
The Admiral Hill School includes an apartment-style facility for students aged 15 and above called “Good Life Boarding”. It teaches independent living skills, such as cooking, cleaning, bathing, household chores and laundry.
Tan said: “The idea came when we saw that parents may underestimate what their children can do at home. We wanted to provide this boarding experience, where children can be independent – even if it’s just for one or two nights – so they can learn daily living skills, as well as social skills.”
The 10-week programme comprises after-school training and a stay-in residency, where students stay overnight on three occasions.
At the beginning, students and their family members come up with a set of goals based on each individual’s needs and abilities. The coaches visit the student’s home to see what can be customised, based on their home environment.
Progress is tracked before the programme, after it ends, and one month after.
Rainbow Centre is now in the second run of its pilot for Good Life Boarding, with up to four students in each programme.
Tan said: “I think it has been heartening to see the students actually learn the skills that enable them to be helpers at home. It’s also about them gaining confidence in their abilities.”
Fauziah added: “Because of the intensity of the programme, the smaller ratio and the involvement of the parents, the progress of the students is actually faster.”
Vocational skills and real-life scenarios
The Admiral Hill School has several learning spaces that simulate real-life situations.
For example, one space teaches mobility and travel skills with a replica of a bus and train station, where students learn how to operate EZ-Link card top-up machines and navigate public transport, such as entering and exiting a train.
They also pick up vocational skills, such as packing, logistics and harvesting vegetables. This not only teaches them how to follow instructions, but also promotes collaboration with their caregivers, given that many of these skills can also be used at home.
The school has a cluster of demarcated classroom spaces with common areas, so teachers can choose to combine their classes and run joint activities. This way, the students can interact with their peers from other classes and build communication and social skills.
Fundraising through art
Separately, Rainbow Centre aims to raise S$250,000 through an exhibition. “Curio: A World of Wonders” will run from Oct 5 to 12 at Objectifs, a visual arts space in Middle Road. The art showcase features 45 artworks by students from Rainbow Centre’s Artability talent art development programme.
To promote and raise awareness of the need to be inclusive of those with disabilities, Rainbow Centre will run educational programmes for the public, including guided tours of the exhibition, learning journeys, a panel discussion and inclusive art workshops.
The funds raised will go towards special student care and adult community programmes, as well as research and development.
Admission to the exhibition is free; the 45-minute guided tour is priced at S$10 a head.
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