- The “Cones of Kindness” activity was a first-of-its-kind beneficiary-for-beneficiary programme designed by Certis to bring together its two key corporate social responsibility (CSR) partners to promote awareness and bonding between both organisations.
- The programme involves a hands-on ice-cream making workshop for the youth from Boys’ Town’s Residential Services and clients from SPD’s Day Activity Centre.
- Led by Certis volunteers, this first-ever joint activity with both Boys’ Town and SPD is part of the Youth for Change programme organised in partnership between Certis and Boys’ Town, and marked the launch of the fifth edition of the Breaking Barriers partnership between Certis and SPD.
For the first time, Certis organised a beneficiary-for-beneficiary programme and brought together 30 youth from Boys’ Town’s Residential Services and 17 clients from SPD’s Day Activity Centre, who came together with 20 Certis volunteers on 4 September 2024 to participate in an ice-cream making workshop at the Boys’ Town Campus.
The workshop was designed in close tripartite partnership between Certis, Boys’ Town, and local disability-focused charity SPD, to provide an accessible hands-on learning experience and meaningful engagement opportunity for the SPD clients and Boys’ Town youth to bond over a meal and sweet treats.
Through this partnership, the youth from Boys’ Town were given the unique opportunity to not just learn the art of ice-cream-making, but to also play their part in being agents of positive change in society by engaging with and learning more about SPD’s clients. The participating group of clients from SPD’s Day Activity Centre, with whom Certis volunteers have established close ties over years of partnership, have physical and intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder.
Prior to the workshop, the Boys’ Town youth and Certis volunteers attended a disability awareness learning session conducted by SPD, where they learnt about some challenges persons with disabilities may face and how to interact respectfully and meaningfully with them.
This activity was part of the Youth for Change programme, organised in partnership between Certis and Boys’ Town. The programme aims to foster personal growth and community impact through a series of service-learning activities, focusing on two vital pillars of environmental stewardship and supporting underserved communities.
The activity also marked the launch of the fifth edition of the Breaking Barriers partnership between Certis and SPD, which aims to integrate persons with disabilities into society by creating opportunities for them to learn and practice community living skills, and will include activities such as adaptive fitness sessions, bowling, and brownie-making.
Since 2020, the Breaking Barriers programme has instilled hope and positivity across the community by empowering and engaging persons with disabilities across various activities. Over the years, the programme has introduced a wide range of activities for Certis staff volunteers to build lasting relationships with the SPD clients through consistent and long-term outreach.
SVP and Head, Group Communications & Marketing at Certis, Robin Goh, said, “This is the first time we have brought two of our CSR partners together for an engagement activity. It was extremely heartening to witness the multiplier effect of doing good and paying it forward to uplift other disadvantaged groups in the community. Certis is proud to have the honour of facilitating this joint activity, and we are grateful to have such a strong and supportive network of partners as we work towards making the world around us better and ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities and background, can thrive and be an integral part of our community.”
Mr Abhimanyau Pal, CEO, SPD, said, “In supporting persons with disabilities over the last 60 years, we have come to appreciate the collective impact that diverse communities can make when they come together to collaborate. Today’s event, organised by Certis, exemplifies this very spirit of partnership, fostering an environment where everyone can learn from, grow, and support one another. Together, we can build a more inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
Dr Roland Yeow, Executive Director at Boys’ Town said, “Boys’ Town Residential Services is grateful for this meaningful collaboration between Certis, SPD and Boys’ Town to benefit different vulnerable communities. Our Residential youth had a meaningful experience learning more about the challenges facing persons with disabilities, whilst also having the opportunity to connect with SPD clients as a form of service learning and giving back to the community. We look forward to the future activities of the Youth for Change programme, which will provide greater exposure to our Residential youth to other underserved communities, whilst encouraging their personal growth as individuals.”