"Reaching Out, Because We Care!"
This is a Motto strong believed and upheld by the YP Community.

It was the 3rd time YP Community and friends of YP have organized this fun skating outing within a year for the students from Pathlight! This time it was led by Mark See Soon Hong, YP Chairman from Bukit Gomak Branch on 22nd May 2010. It was also a followed up after both successful skating outing with the students on 13th March 2010, leading by Lee Yan Peng, YP Chairman from Yew Tee Branch and 7th November 2009, leading by the Hong Kah Regional Branch. It was great that not only YP Community was able to create volunteering opportunities for the YP Comrades; we have also fulfilled the wish of the students, teachers and friends from Pathlight to bring them out for skating at least 2 to 3 times annually when we first started the project.

The following are articles on the 2 previous outings :
YP Community Project - Skating with Students from Pathlight, 7th Nov 2009
YP Community Project-Skating with Students from Pathlight, 13th Apr 2010

Pathlight is a special school offering mainstream academics to students with autism. It is also the first autism-focused school in Singapore that offers a unique blend of mainstream academics and life readiness skills.

Autism is a developmental disorder that is characterized by difficulties in 3 areas – social interaction, communication and flexibility in behavior. Some are verbal whilst others are not. Autism is usually diagnosed after the first 2 to 3 years of age. It is not a physical disability and many people with autism look normal in appearance but are socially awkward and may behave differently from typical children.

This might be the 3rd time students from Pathlight had skated in East Coast Park, but it was certainly the first time they were skating on the “wet skating road” after the down pour. Nevertheless, this had not stopped their enthusiasm and their excitement. On the contrary they enjoyed this different “terrain” and the volunteers indeed were more cautions and stayed closer to them at all times.

  

With all these meaningful and enriching experiences YP Comrades gained, YP community will continue to engage more members and friends of YP not only volunteering but also create awareness and opportunities to the various sectors they could experience and gain knowledge too.

  

We hope to see you in the upcoming projects!