The chidren who attend Parklands Special School are all mentally challenged and some are also physically challenged. Most are from underprivileged backgrounds and are therefore youth at risk. One of the major problems is employment once these children leave school. It is also difficult to provide them with the suitable sheltered environment in which they can earn a living. Thus, a creative partnership has been established between Parklands Special School and Living Waters Ministries to help address these problems. Living Waters Ministries provide skills training in a variety of fields and successfully promote income generating, sustainable projects, empowering all youth at risk.
The proposal is to enable the children with mental challenges to become skilled and empowered through practical skills, such as sewing, woodwork and arts & crafts. It is proposed, through this Matching Grant application, to purchase Industrial Sewing Machines, Industrial Over lockers; Woodwork Equipment such as a Scroll Saw, Planer, Router, Orbital Sander, Blower, Belt and Disc Sander and Table Saw; and Art Equipment for Silk Art, Fabric Painting, Mosaics, Pottery, Lino Printing, Card Making and Fine Art Materials for both Living Waters and Parklands Special School.
The students will learn the more elementary skills, taught by the teaching staff at Parklands Special School, where they will produce basic line items. The talented students will then be chosen from each age group and sent to Living Waters, where they will receive more intense skills training from dedicated volunteers who are experts in their craft. Similar projects are already successfully in operation at Living Waters with abused women and children and with street children. Living Waters will provide the marketing and business skills needed to create a sustainable developmental project.
This creative partnership will enable these mentally challenged young people to learn essential skills, whilst giving them an opportunity to create an income. This opens the door for employment for them after school life. |
