SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PROJECT:

100% PWD-RUN F&B OUTLET CONCEPT

BACKGROUND

“…Employers often resist employing a person with disabilities believing they will be
unable to perform their roles and/or that it would be too expensive. This attitude is
rooted in fear and stereotyping, focusing more on the disability than on the abilities of
the individual. Empirical evidence, however, shows that persons with disabilities have
high performance ratings and retention rates, as well as better attendance records
than their colleagues without disabilities. In addition, the cost of accommodating
workers with disabilities can be minimal, with most requiring no special
accommodation at all. Studies have shown that there are other benefits to employers
of persons with disabilities, such as improved workforce morale and increased
customer goodwill.”

(Extracted from “Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities”, 3 Dec 2007, UN International Day of
Disabled Persons.)

OBJECTIVE

1. The objectives of this project are (i) to demonstrate that a 100% PWD-Run1 F&B
Social Enterprise2 can be commercially viable3 and sustainable4, (2) with the end-
goal of proposing a sound employment model 5 that can be replicated in the F&B
industry, thus offers the potential to engage PWDs in Singapore widely6.

2. The objective of this proposal is to (i) define the “Human Capital Value Chain” that
forms the core strength and competency of the employment model, and (2) discuss
related issues to achieve viability of project.

ALIGNMENT WITH MCYS’S ENABLING MASTERPLAN

3. The Enabling Masterplan drawn up by Ministry for Community, Youth and Sports
(MCYS) in Feb 2007 advocates the “Guiding Principles of a Market-Driven
approach to employment”, as listed:

1
Refers to any F&B outlet that has its daily operations – and including management functions wherever
possible, run full-time by a ‘cross-spectrum’ of PWD . PWD refers to Person with Disabilities. They
include people with hearing impairment (PHI), intellectual disability (PID), visually handicap (PVH) and
physically handicap (PPH), and people with Autistics Spectrum Disorder and other learning disorder.
2
Refers to businesses that fulfill a social cause. They use business principles and methods to drive a
social change.
3
Refers to the conduct of a business that is not charitable in nature, can be profitable and offers market
competitiveness.
4
Refers to the business being self-funded from positive balance sheet and not from funding or grants.
5
Refers to a new but proven F&B business model that other investors/business-owners can replicate
into new initiatives.
6
Refers to employment of the PWD by hundreds, even thousands, once the proposed employment
model is latched on and proliferated.
 a. Work is the best form of self-reliance for any individual, and it facilitates
integration into mainstream society, and provides a sense of selfworth.

b. Employers should give PWDs equal opportunities at a chance in

employment.

c. Employment for PWDs should be made on a business case. It should not be

because of compassion, or corporate social responsibility. This can devalue
the contribution of PWDs and do not ensure their employability in a
sustainable manner.

d. Employers should recognise the merits and abilities of PWDs, and how they
can effectively contribute to the company as productively as possible.

4. The recommended Industries highlighted by the Employment Committee are in the

food-manufacturing sector, hospitality sector, food and beverage sector, retail
sector, logistics sector, information technology (IT) sector, and financial services
sector. These sectors all meet one or more of the three following factors that
ensure long-term prospects for employment:

a. Showing the most growth potential in the coming five years; or

b. Being the most stable regardless of economic highs or lows; or

c. Being most suitable for specific types of disabilities.

5. The F&B sector was selected for this project for it’s the more viable business to be
100% PWD-run, providing a spectrum of job scope that can tap into the different
capabilities from of different groups of PWDs. Besides, it is in a service industry
and thus has the greatest reach to connect the PWDs to society, achieving a truly
all-inclusive society where no one is left behind.

IMPETUS FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE RUN BY 100% PWD

6. Disability-friendly environment. According to feedbacks7 from Bizlink, the

employment agency for PWDs, more than 50% of unsuccessful job placements for
PWDs result from not skill-related issues but attitude-related issues. There are
enough evidence that the single biggest obstacle towards wide-scale PWD
employment in Singapore lies with expectation mismatch between employers and
PWD employees. Tackling this issue requires effective public education effort and
counseling on PWDs’ parts and these are easily said than done. Social enterprises
can thus provide a conducive business environment to smoothen out the issue of
expectation mismatch. From a morale viewpoint, ‘attitude problems’ and inter-
7
Conversation with the Employment Placement Division, Bizlink
 personnel conflicts common in an “able-disable” mixed workforce may be less
prevalent, as each PWD will quickly realize that they are inter-dependent within a
collaborative employment structure and can be more motivated.

7. Enterprise-oriented, not training-oriented. Presently, there are several SE

8
projects hiring PWDs with the objective to provide some sort of on-the-job-training,
supportive employment to the clients to prepare them for open employment
opportunities. They do not cater for long-term employment and PWDs are given
training allowances, without the typical work benefits. In all of these ventures, the
business hires just one group of PWD (PID, PHI, psychiatric disabled), numbered
from around four to tenths, often supplemented by staff without disability, hired or
in-house, many times more in numbers. This project aims to be the next higher
enterprise up the “employment value chain” capitalizing on successes of the
various training SE. Unlike the training SE, the business philosophy here is long
term employment for the PWDs, enterprise-oriented and profitability rather than
training takes center-stage.

8. Offers a sustained and stable demand. With the potential to replicate the success
of this employment model, a more assured demand for PWD in the open market
can be realized, as opposed to the rather disparate and fluctuating job openings in
the current F&B industry. This also benefits the training SE and institutes to stay
relevant and focus on their training regime. In an economic downturn, the SE offers
a more stable employment opportunity than commercial F&B where PWD staff are
usually the first to go.

9. Complementary skills. People with different disability have different talents

required for the different role in a F&B business. Individual handicap is made up for
by complimentary skill sets in a team. Lower productivity and versatility is made up
for by more headcounts. The central idea here is a deep understanding of the
capability and limitations of each PWD staff, and business KPI and work process
can be designed to work around the PWD.

“HUMAN CAPITAL VALUE CHAIN” - ASSESSMENT, TRAINING, SUPPORT

10. There are increasingly more Singaporeans taking up volunteer work in the past
decade, but the vast majority of them only volunteer with one group of VWO/PWD.
Cross-spectrum understanding of disabilities is lacking in the volunteer corp.
Similarly, there are many employers who are receptive to hiring PWD but lack the
understanding how they can tap this resource efficiently and effectively. This
project therefore offers the bridging expertise to bring employers and PWDs
together, and providing the “human capital value chain” to the job market forms our
unique strength and competency in this undertaking.

8
These setups range from sheltered workshops that open their door for commerce (e.g. MINDS Thrift
shops and MINDS Catering, MVS’s Café Bon Appetit) to “transition-to-open-employment”-type
operations (e.g. Metta Association’s Happy Arts Deli, IMH’s Barista Express Café).
11. The “human capital value chain” comprises of:

a. Assessment. This function refers to the vocational and psychological

assessment of suitable PWD candidates to be employed in the
D’Connection. As mentioned, attitude-related issues and expectation
management are touchy issues to be dealt with and pose considerable
strains to Bizlink today, which is currently the only setup tasked to handle
open employment for PWDs. We believe the respective VWOs can be
roped in to play a bigger role in this aspect. The VWOs are in the best
position to undertake vocational assessments for PWD candidates because
they understand the functional ability of their clients best and most of them
have the support of in-house occupational/physiological
therapists/psychologists. Working with VWOs and gaining their support is
therefore key to the success of the project.

b. Training. Training for PWD staff is especially critical to adequately prepare

them for the job. Upon successful application, a period of incubation, or pre-
employment, training should be conducted by VWOs to prepare the PWD
for actual employment. Mock-up training facilities should be set-up as
closely as possible to the actual workplace environment. Depending on the
exact F&B, arrangements can be worked out to share existing facilities such
as the “kitchen training centre” in Metta Welfare Association, MINDS or
“service training centre” in Café Bon Appetit in MVS for such trainings.
Training should not be restricted to equipment and work-flow training, but
should include the soft-skills like customer’s interaction, anger/frustration
control and management, grooming, inculcating positive work attitudes, etc.
Shared training resources and training by qualified training officers within
the VWOs can reduce the training cost bore by the business owner while
ensuring training effectiveness.

c. On-Job Support. During employment, there is the critical phase of

adjustment to the working environment. PWDs, their colleagues and
employers will also have to be provided with adequate support at the
workplace. Relevant training, job coaching, expectation management,
briefing to colleagues and consultancy to supervisors and employers should
be provided.

12. Another desirable talent pool to tap the human capital from is the graduate from
other SE projects who offers OJT training in the F&B business. In this way, the
100%-PWD F&B outlet creates a synergistic consolidation of this talent pool in
Singapore into a profitable enterprise.

POSSIBLE JOB-MATCH
13. According to Enabling Masterplan, the three groups of PWDs are sensory
disabled, intellectually disabled, and learning disabled. As this project belongs to
the service industry, it is easier to start with the sensory disabled and intellectually
disabled groups as springboards for more widespread PWD employment.

14. The suggested roles of PWDs in a typical restaurant operation are as follows.

PWD Limitations Suitable Roles Modifications Models

Required
VH Restricted - Counter staff Braille Register Touch Arts
Visual - Phone orders Nil Café @ SAVH
Coordination
ID Restricted - Cleaner Nil MINDS
Cognition - Food preparation Task break-down Kitchen
- Customer Service Nil
HI Restricted - Food preparation Visual alarms Café Bon
Communicatio - Counter staff Nil Appetit; KFC-
ns Braddell
PH Restricted - Counter staff Access space,
mobility - Customer Service handrails
* Other good models include Barista Express Café at Clifford Centre, set up by IMH
and Dignity Links Ltd, a SE company.

‘Management’ Roles Suitable PWD

Supervisory PH, HI
Accounts PH, HI
P&A PH, HI
Marketing VH, PH, HI

COMMERCIAL VIABILITY

15. Commercial Viability is the key to the successful takeoff of the Project. Employers
should recognize that the PWDs pool can offer cost-effective human resource and
be as productive as person without disabilities, if they are matched to the correct
job scope. To make them even more versatile workers, minimal workplace
adaptation or job-scope tailoring is necessary. For example, in a F&B business, a
PPD on wheelchair can be assigned to the counter staff, but if ample access
spaces in-between the dining tables are catered, he can double up as a server.
Similarly, a PID need not only work as a cleaner, but assist in food preparation if
the preparation process is broken down into smaller and simpler tasks. The cost
that goes into workplace adaptation and job redesign can reap positive ROI as
increased staff versatility translate to reduced manning level and improved per-
capita productivity.

16. Remuneration-wise, PWD staff should be paid competitively to help them achieve
financial independence, and not a “token sum” in some sheltered workshops
 presently. However, the higher operating cost that goes into workplace
modification, and reduced versatility/productivity of the PWDs should justify their
discounted wages, and should in no way be passed to customers. Pricing strategy
should be competitive and market-driven, and not charity-driven.

17. Vocational and psychological assessment and pre-employment training should be

taken up by the occupational therapists/psychologists from the respective VWOs,
or Bizlink. This will drive down staff training cost to the minimal for business
owners.

FUNDING

18. Social enterprise is gaining grounds in Singapore, spearheaded by MCYS and IE

Singapore, MTI. For this Concept exploration, it is proposed that the ComCare
Enterprise Fund (CEF) disbursed by MCYS funding for 80% of the total project
cost (capital plus first year operating cost) up to $300k. This seeding fund is
essential to entice private business owner to fund the balance 20%.

19. CEF differs from other government funding such as Open-Door Fund (disbursed by
IE Singapore, MTI) or ADVANTAGE scheme (disbursed by WDA) in that it is a
seeding fund for new social enterprise, and is not a incentive scheme for existing
business which hires PWD jobseeker.

BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT

20. A credible business plan has to be drawn up to offer a viable business proposition.
The business planning can come from either volunteers with related business
experience or professional business development consultants.

21. In this Project, the “human capital value chain” consisting of functional
assessment, job matching, workplace modification or job tailoring should form an
integral part of the business plan development stage, with consultation from
qualified specialists and facilitated by the project team.

TIMELINE

22. This is a long-haul project that involves untested principles and many
stakeholders. Key project milestones as follows.
 - Source for biz - Work out biz - Establish - Commence
owner plan, including training and operation
- Bring in VWO design of work support structure - Follow-on
sponsors process and - Identify PWD support
- Work out biz/ workplace staff, incubation - Progress Report
ownership adaptation training at and fine-tuning
structure - Apply CEF training facilities
- Sign MOU

6M 3M 12M 12M

MOVING ON…

1. Speak to Cooperative Society for the Disabled (Mdm Karim) to understand their
objectives and if this project can be pursued under their business ownership.
2. Speak to and learn from people who had similar SE experiences, e.g. Happy
Arts Deli in Metta School, MVS Food & Catering,
3. Source for experienced business team, or interested business owners.
4. What is the key success factor or main selling point of D’Connection? Health-
food, unique customer’s dining experience?

RESOURCES

1. MCYS Enabling Masterplan: Equalising Opportunities for Employment Report.

http://www.mcys.gov.sg/enablingmasterplan/report/EM_Chapter4.pdf
2. MCYS’s Media Release on Social Enterprise Committee –
http://www.ips.org.sg/events/Roundtable/Roundtable_Venture_Philanthropy_30
0307/MCYS%20PR.pdf
3. ComCare Enterprise Funds’s FactSheet and Business Plan Template
a. http://www.mcys.gov.sg/MCDSFiles/download/CEF%20Factsheet.pdf
b. http://www.mcys.gov.sg/MCDSFiles/download/Business%20plan%20tem
plate.doc
4. SE Companies –
a. Social Innovation Park - http://www.socialinnovationpark.org/
b. Dignity Links Ltd – Barista Express Café

APPENDIXES

1. Metta happy Arts Deli

2. MINDS SE & Kitchen
3. Bizlink
4. Barista Express Café
5. KFC Braddell
6. Society for Physical Disability
Metta Happy Arts Deli Visit

The Deli in Simei employs 4 person with Mild Intellectually Disabled (MID) at the
time of visit, and about 10 staff. We spoke to Mr Nandana Koh, the Assistant
Director for Enterprise.