Bellwardians spent half a day at United Voice as part of our CSR team event
Holding on to Bell Ward’s principles in giving back to society, we visited United Voice and spent half a day with the talented and wonderful young adults as part of our Q2 team event.
Registered in July 2005, United Voice is the first society in Malaysia that is led by persons with learning disabilities. Through the years, United Voice has been an advocate to ensure persons with learning disabilities are given the right to be part of the community, to work, to socialise, to contribute and to be respected as individuals.
During our visit, we participated and work side-by-side with the United Voice members to design greeting cards, bake cookies as well as to weave products. This is part of the Employment Project created by United Voice in 2003 for its members to provide employment for its unemployed members. The project is a social enterprise that produces greeting cards, bookmarks, t-shirts, weaving products, key chains, magnets, cookies and business cards. The products of this project are showcased in United Voice’s Gift Shop and Art Gallery, and their signature cookies include Betty’s Shortbread, Choc n Nut, Almond and Laksa Cookies. The goal of the Employment Project is not just to create employment, but also to create awareness to the public on the potential of persons with learning disabilities. Eventually, it is United Voice’s hope that more people with learning disabilities will be employed in the open market.
We also visited the Art Gallery, and the artwork displayed are just amazing! United Voice has 8 talented artists who produced artwork that attracted art collectors and clients from the corporate sector.Even though it was a short visit, it was indeed an eye-opening experience for us. It reminds us that no matter in what situation, we all should exercise self-advocacy and be positive and grateful for the things we have in life. We are all born different, but we are all born with some talent that we can build on.
If you like to contribute or to find out more information about United Voice, feel free to visit their website http://www.unitedvoice.com.my/index.html