SINGAPORE – Queenstown and Marine Parade will be the first towns to test initiatives aimed at making community spaces more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities (PWDs).
Led by SG Enable, the pilot starting in 2027 will work with grassroots organisations to make spaces such as parks and hawker centres more disability-friendly, while public education efforts will encourage residents to interact more confidently and respectfully with PWDs.
The two towns are the constituencies of Goh Pei Ming and Eric Chua, who are part of an inter-agency task force set up in December 2025 to strengthen support for PWDs and their families.
Goh, who is Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development, leads the task force, which on Oct 4 announced efforts to help PWDs live in the community.
Chua, who is Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, said his focus for Queenstown is improving accessibility and working on “finer details” such as ensuring pathways are wide enough to accommodate two wheelchairs.
A second initiative at Paya Lebar Quarter – a mixed-use commercial, retail and residential hub – will focus on creating employment opportunities for PWDs. SG Enable will work with mall operator Lendlease and its tenants to identify suitable jobs, with on-site job coaches.
Speaking at a press conference at the Enabling Village in Bukit Merah, Chua said the new initiatives aim to make inclusion a way of life in these neighborhoods, and not just through one-off activities.
“Inclusion should not mean creating separate spaces for persons with disabilities,” he said.
PWDs and their caregivers said living well was not just about having access to services, but feeling accepted and understood in everyday spaces, the task force noted in its report.
Some felt that interactions are difficult because of a lack of public understanding, while others worried about being judged because of their disabilities.
“The more opportunities we have to meet, work alongside, and get to know one another, the more naturally inclusion can become part of everyday life,” Chua said.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua speaking at a press conference at the Enabling Village on Oct 2. With him are (from left) Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health Rahayu Mahzam, Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of National Development Syed Harun Alhabsyi and Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Finance & Ministry of Manpower Shawn Huang.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Another focus is making major attractions more accessible. SG Enable will partner Sentosa Development Corporation to make the island a more inclusive leisure and tourism destination.
This could include workplace support, and visitor experiences designed with PWDs and their families.
Accessibility and universal design could also be integrated into future developments under the Greater Sentosa Master Plan.
Currently, more than 60 PWDs are employed across a range of roles on Sentosa, which is also home to Singapore’s first accessible beach track.
More support for independent living
The task force received feedback that some PWDs needed a longer pathway after leaving special education schools to develop skills for independent living and maintain a good quality of life.
Some who did not need full-time services at the various disability centres also said they wanted to remain active and connected to their communities.
To address this, more Day Activity Centres and Sheltered Workshops will progressively be converted into Enabling Skills Centres.
These centres will integrate programmes from both facilities into a single service, and offer a structured curriculum under the Enabling Skills for Life Programme.
The programme, piloted at some centres in 2025, takes a different approach to post-school support for PWDs. Beyond care and engagement, it helps them build everyday skills, independence and employability.
The converted centres will also support caregivers to reinforce the learning at home.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Ministry of Social and Family Development said it currently funds 33 Day Activity Centres and eight Sheltered Workshops, which offer 3,600 places. About 3,300 PWDs use these facilities, with about 600 individuals on waitlists since December 2025.
The network of Enabling Services Hubs, which brings social services, employment and other activities closer to those with disabilities, will also be expanded to 12 locations by 2028.
The first three hubs are in Tampines, Jurong West and Punggol, with a fourth planned in Marine Parade. Eight more hubs will be set up across Singapore.
From 2027, caregivers will also have access to information and help with navigating services including respite care, through eight sites including the three existing Enabling Services Hubs.
