It started off as a community project (Deaf Dragons) in 2012 – a full crew of Deaf paddlers using the sport of dragon boating to combat condescending attitudes of society towards Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). While the team achieved success in the sporting arena, the founders also uncovered a much bigger gap. The lack of awareness, education and opportunities for PWDs were clear limiting factors that restricted the progress of social inclusion.
The same duo, Ryan Ng and Debra Lam, decided more needs to be done to address this gap. Their solution became a social enterprise outfit named Society Staples with an ambitious vision of creatinga more inclusive future for PWDs. By utilising a myriad of channels, the team facilitates social inclusion through awareness and advocacy works, community events as well as training and consultancy projects. Their strength lies in pushing the envelope on current solutions, experimenting and prototyping different ways to solve the most urgent needs and gaps in the disability sector.
Having done over 150 events and impacting the lives of more than 15,000 individuals from all walks of life, Society Staples has since grown from strength to strength. In recognition of their good work, the company has received prestigious awards such as ‘Best for Disabilities Social Inclusion Advocacy’ by Worldwide Business Review in 2018 and ‘President’s Challenge Social Enterprise Start-Up of the Year’ in 2015 among many others.
The dream is for the company to fold because that would mean social inclusion has become so seamless and natural that there is no longer a demand for such solutions. Till then, Society Staples will continue to be at the forefront of advancing social inclusion, and the team is definitely onto something much bigger than its initial intention.
1. Job Description
If you are a hands-on person and possess both a hawk eye (so no detail nor information slips pass you) and ever-flowing creative juice (to create captivating experiences), we definitely want you!
Experience the adrenalin rush and great sense of satisfaction when you personally witness the event you have been working on coming to life. More importantly, you are THAT individual directly creating opportunities and raising awareness for persons with disabilities with every decision you make and every second of your time spent at work.
Just a heads up; this role is not just all fun. You have to be an awesome multi-tasker and a strong communicator with the ability to churn out quality work at great speed. After all, events is the heart of what Society Staples does and it is our main source of activity that facilitates a more inclusive society for persons with disabilities.
You cannot expect a less demanding job, right? Especially when you are part of the team pushing for change to make society ‘see’ that persons with disabilities deserve a shot in life.
2. Job Tasks and Responsibilities
Conceptualisation, Planning and Execution
- Assist and support events team on the full process of events planning – conceptualisation, planning, and execution
- Prepare event documents to facilitate the planning and managing of events
- Liaise and coordinate with relevant vendors to fulfil event needs andrequirements
- Conduct internal team briefing to get everyone up to date about the event andthe respective roles of each individual
- Arrange for required manpower per event and conduct briefings, if any
- Prepare and pack all required logistics for the event
- Step up and be a facilitator at events
Procurement
- Source event-related items and office needs from local and/or overseas suppliers/vendors
- Arrange and liaise with the appointed vendor for delivery, collection of items and payment
Tracking and Implementation
- Conduct After Action Review (AAR) upon event completion with involved parties
- Suggest pointers for improvement and ensure that it is being implemented by relevant parties
- Work within the constraints of the budget per event
Administrative Tasks and Others
- Documentation of feedback forms responses upon event completion
- Share results of consolidated feedback forms during bi-weekly team huddles
- Support the team in any other required tasks
3. What You Will Learn
Sharpen your event management skills- Learn the start to finish process of planning events of all sizes- Factors to consider when planning inclusive events and the accommodations to make to include Persons with Disabilities- Understand procurement processes and the best way to be resource efficient- How to multi-task and manage your time efficiently
Build up & hone your communication skills and stakeholder management- Be exposed to the art of maintaining fruitful relationships with partners and vendors
- Get training and feedback to be a better facilitator
- Learn how to work and engage persons with developmental disabilities using alternative forms of communication strategies
All about the disability and social enterprise sector- Get first-hand insights into the disability sector; the good, the bad and ugly- Hear and learn from different stakeholders about their perspectives on inclusion, how things are currently done or not done and why are things the way it is- Witness for yourself the back end of running and managing a social enterprise, and potentially be able to pilot something on your own too (if you prove you can handle it!)
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