What if their dependents are still little children? What if these children have a disability or are special needs kids? Do they stand a chance at living a fulfilling and meaningful life without their parents?
These were the thoughts running through the mind of child psychologist Megan Wood, 29, who works primarily with kids and adults with special needs.
“Who is going to teach them the skills they need so that they can find jobs? Who can they turn to if they are financially unstable?” These are the questions posed by Kuala Lumpur-born Wood during a phone interview with FMT recently.
Living in Seremban, she said there weren’t many vocational schools for adults with special needs in her area unlike in the Klang Valley.
Wanting to make a difference in the lives of these individuals, Wood felt that an academy that taught them specific skills would be ideal in getting them ready to face the job market and become financially independent.
She proposed the plan to her colleague Thinesh, a behaviour therapist, who liked the idea so much, he agreed to be her business partner in the Thoughtful Minds Academy (TMA) that opened last year.
Today TMA designs programmes and activities that cater to the personal and vocational requirements of adults with special needs. Among the activities are the teaching of basic computer skills, baking and even folding laundry.
There are nine students enrolled in the programme at present. The majority of them are autistic while the others have learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and even cerebral palsy.
Initially, running the vocational and boarding school gave Wood a sense of satisfaction. She was happy to teach her students skills they could use on a daily basis. However, it was only when her students stepped into the working world upon graduating from her academy, did she realise the discrimination they were up against.
“How is it fair that she only gets a RM400 salary? That’s below the minimum wage. That was when I decided I wanted to open my own café to help these adults gain jobs,” she said of a recent graduate of hers.
Taking inspiration from the Autism Café Project in Subang Jaya run mostly by autistic children, Wood envisioned a cosy eatery in Seremban where her students could work under the supervision of a few teachers.
She named the café The Social Brew, and together with the help of her mother Catherine, it was opened last September. Some notable snacks are their homemade chicken pies, selection of pasta and muffins. Among their more popular beverages are fragrant tea and cendol latte.
Two TMA graduates now work at the café, taking orders and interacting with customers.
They also have basic skills in meal preparation and can handle simple calculations, all of which they learned at the academy.
Wood said she hopes to offer employment to other “low-functioning” graduates of TMA who are currently learning simple tasks like packaging cookies to be sold at the café.
“The others need more training before they can adapt to the café environment. So, more activities are given to them before they can work there,” she said.
Splitting her time between running the academy and keeping an eye on the café can be rather exhausting, but Wood is powering on as it has been a rewarding experience thus far.
She said it still gives her great joy that her students now enjoy a better quality of life thanks to the skills they have learned at the academy.
For more information on Thoughtful Minds Academy, click here.
Thoughtful Minds Academy
30, Jalan RK 4/7,
Rasah Kemayan,
70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
Contact: 012-882 6269
The Social Brew Cafe
Jalan Dato Kelana Makmur
70200 Seremban,
Negeri Sembilan
Business hours:
1pm-7pm: Monday to Thursday
Contact: 016-361 1031
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