MINDSville @ Napiri
Introduction
Situated at Lorong Napiri, MINDSville@Napiri is one of the residential homes run by the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) to cater to the needs of the intellectually disabled. The home aims to maximize the potential of intellectually disabled persons by helping them to live as independent a life as possible. With the belief that they too have the right to take their place in society just like any another person, the home seeks to promote public awareness and acceptance of persons with intellectual disability.
Residents and volunteers together
What we do
Every Saturday, our volunteers gather at MINDSville to interact with the residents of the home and work hand in hand with fellow volunteers from Terra Hope (a project under MINDS Youth Group) to help the residents develop motor skills and independent living skills through a range of enriching activities such as art and craft, music, exercise and food preparation
Celebrating the birthdays of residents born in June
Besides regular visits, we organize and hold special events to celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Christmas, as well as various outings such as urban Amazing Races and the viewing of fireworks. Every year, we have camps to further enhance bonding between residents and volunteers too.
Mid-Autumn Festival 2009 – Residents and volunteers
Of course, MINDSville is also a place to meet fellow volunteers from NUS and Terra Hope and make new friends with others who share the spirit of volunteerism! Join us to be part of our big family!
Come join us!
Where:
MINDSVille@Napiri, 7 Lorong Napiri, Singapore 547533
(In Hougang, behind Bowen Secondary School, near Gracehaven Salvation Army and AWWA).
Heading from Ang Mo Kio? Take bus services 25, 55, 74, 132, 147, 165, or 854 and alight at
Hougang Ave 8, Blk 634. From Serangoon, alight at the bus stop opposite Blk 634.
When:
Our regular visits are held every Saturday, 3.30 – 6pm
Regular visits follow the order of Funfit 1 (Arts & Crafts and Food Preparation), Tea break, Funfit 2 (Games and physical activities), and end with a short debrief of the day’s activities.
Contact:
Volunteer’s thoughts:
- Raghav Fatehpuria
- Agnes Thng
- Singapore Flyer
15th May 2010 - MYG Family Day
4th April 2010 - Chinese New Year Celebration
6th Feb 2010 - Koh Soon Swee - Chairperson
- Yeat Qi Zhen Silvia - Vice Chairperson
- Tan Sik Yin - Tan Sik Yin
- Agnes Thng - Programmes Head
- Zeng Linlin - Welfare/Programmer
Initially, I join Mindsville because of its location. Not that the feng shui is better, it just that Mindsville is very near to where I stay. After some time, I realized I have grown attached to the place because of the cute residents and nice members.
However, I must confess that I have actually thought of volunteering at other homes instead of Mindsville after a few trips. I always thought that volunteering is equals to helping, improving their quality of living and stuffs like that. But after the few trips, I felt rather helpless. I felt that I am actually not of much help to the residents. One fine day, I finally straightened out my thoughts and realized that volunteering is not all about how much help I can give but also how much joy I can give.
Why the change in my thoughts? It was just because of a casual remark by another volunteer.
This was what he said: " The residents are always very happy when we come. They are happy not because of what we can do for them or what we did for them but just because WE CAME! ".
On the surface, many people would think that volunteering is about giving. However, I feel that I gained more that what I have given. After all the volunteering session, I learn to be more patient towards others and most importantly, I got to make many friends through these volunteering sessions. I am really glad that I did not give in to my silly thinking and continue volunteering at Mindsville.
At the Matriculation fair, I was informed of the NUS CSC and was touched by the initiatives taken by the club to help people who required help. After receiving blasts of email from the CSC, I was convinced that I could make some difference in the lives of other people, in my own way. Mindsville was the name which caught my attention and I had decided that the coming Saturday I was going to Mindsville @ Napiri.
Mindsville aims to help those people who are intellectually not so well off as we are. Being there amongst them was a joy. We arrange activities for the residents which intend to simulate their mental capacity as well as some physical games. Other fellow volunteers, though some of them may have been working for years, are very friendly and approachable. At the end of the day, joy of seeing the large smiles on the face of the residents is impossible to express in words. After volunteering at Mindsville, I realised that “Kor Kor” - (brother) means much more than a mere word!