| Ishan Ibrahim |
THE Back2Communities Convention officially kicked off yesterday at the Senate Room of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD)’s Chancellor Hall.
Organised by the newly established local community group Youth-Setter Community under the theme ‘Breaking Barriers to Special Needs Inclusion’, the convention is held from July 31 to August 3.
The convention is one out of 21 selected projects which have been awarded a United States (US) government grant and the only one from Brunei Darussalam. It is also part of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI)’s Seeds for the Future Initiative sponsored by the US Department of State.
In her introductory address to open the event, Youth-Setter Community founder Nur Amalina Munyati binti Ismail hoped the convention will inspire the local youth to take action and get involved in projects geared at increasing inclusion and recognition in society for individuals with different abilities.
Following up on her speech was Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Scott E Woodard who gave his own welcoming remarks.
He said, “The work done by Youth-Setter Community with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Special Olympics Brunei Darussalam (SOBD) and the Society for the Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER) Brunei generated not only beneficial programmatic outcomes but also provided opportunities for young people to provide leadership on important projects.
“The efforts by the Youth-Setter Community to advance disability rights and encourage an inclusive Bruneian community are commendable, as it gives a reminder that persons with disabilities have the same rights as all people – the right to non-discrimination, the right to equal access of opportunity and the right of inclusion – overall, the right to be full participants in society.”
He added that such basic principles formed the fundamentals of key legal documents such as the Americans with Disabilities Act which became law in the US in 1990, as well as the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, widely claimed to be the first major human rights document of the 21st Century.
Scott E Woodard said, “In the context of education, inclusion is the principle that individuals with special needs, especially children, should take part in regular classes and activities – just like children their age without special needs, allowing them to experience standard classroom education.
“Attending regular classes and spending time in standard classroom settings, even if not full-time, can help children with special needs better adapt to the rest of the world. This is a view shared by many experts in the field. The opportunity to attend regular classes will make it easier for the children to adapt to the real world later on in their lives.”
Scott E Woodard acknowledged the work done by the Special Education Unit at the Ministry of Education, which has continued with the implementation of their Inclusive Education Policy, ensuring all students regardless of ability to have access to the standard curriculum and facilities within selected schools in Brunei Darussalam.
He also elaborated on the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam’s role in supporting the work of inspiring young Bruneians leading the way in civic engagement, community empowerment and civil society.
“The US Embassy’s Public Affairs Section is actively recruiting promising Bruneians to be part of life-changing exchange programmes such as the Fulbright Programme, the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP), the Southeast Asian Youth Leadership Programme (SEAYLP), the YSEALI as well as the Global Entrepreneurship Summit,” Woodard said. “Currently, 308 Bruneians are alumni members of these programmes.”
According to Youth-Setter Community, the convention’s goals are to increase awareness on the challenges faced by special needs individuals and centres in Brunei Darussalam; to highlight achievements made by local special needs individuals; to inspire and implement possible solutions to bring about better social inclusion of individuals with different abilities in Brunei Darussalam; and instilling public accountability towards the special needs community within the country.
The convention’s participants comprising young leaders will be exposed to the daily education and social life of special needs individuals through volunteering stints at selected special needs centres, and produce a feasible action plan to combat the challenges faced by these individuals and centres in Brunei.
Various speakers have also been invited to deliver inspiring and motivational talks based on the topics ‘Attitudes Towards the Inclusion of Individual with Special Educational Needs’ and ‘Advocacy, Community and Youth Empowerment’.
The convention will next take place at SMARTER Brunei’s main branch and the Centre for Children with Special Needs (KACA).