Asia Community Service

New Page 1

●Artist in Residence (AiR)

●One year Social Welfare Workers' Training Programme in Japan. Email acspenang@gmail.com for more details

● Vacancy: Looking for enthusiastic and committed staff to work with children with disabilities . Interested candidate please fill in the form and email to acspenang@gmail.com.

●Shop with Us:Visit our outlet stores at Armenian Street Penang

New Page 1

● On going - Skills Workshop Packages

New Page 1

GOVERNING BOARD

Asia Community Service was established in October 1996 in Penang as a non-profit organisation by its founder members Ms Khor Ai-Na, Ms Kong Lan Lee, Assoc Prof Dr Angeline S.B. Cheah (deceased June 2013) and the late Prof Ken Nakazawa (deceased July 2022).

The organization is currently run by a CEO and governed by a four member Board of Directors, namely

	Dato Gillian Y.K. Teh	Chairman
	Ms. Kong Lan Lee	Director
	Ms. Zurina Hayati Meah	Director
	Dr. Tan Liok Ee	Director
	Ms. Khor Ai-Na	C.E.O.

VISION & MISSION

The main vision is to empower people with special needs towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life in the society. The focus, however, is targeted towards young children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The main objective of the organisation then was to translate words into action. Hence the beginning of the service deliveries.

CHRONOLOGY OF SERVICES

1997 April	started First Step Early Intervention Centre in a rented premise in Medan Tembaga, Island Park
1999 October	First Step Centre moved to another rented premise in Minden Heights
2000 February	started Stepping Stone Work Centre in a rented premise in Taman Sri Genting, Balik Pulau
2000 July	started Riding for Disabled Activities in Penang
2001 January	started Step (Skills Training & Employment Preparation) Centre in Kompleks Sri Relau
2001 April	started Jom Mobile Toy Library with the donation of a Rusa Van from the Senuma family
2004 May	Stepping Stone moved to its new current building in Pulau Betong
2004 December	closure of Step Training Centre after trainees gained experience in outside job placements
2005 July	Mutiara Voice Self Advocacy Club was born
2006 November	Hosted the 1st National Early Childhood Intervention Conference (NECIC) in Penang
2007 May	Hosted the 2nd Asian Toy Library Conference in KL
2008 December	Jom Mobile Toy Library received a Toyota Unser from Jactim Foundation
2009 April	First Step Centre relocated to current premise in Gelugor
2009 May	First Step Centre stated a branch in Seberang Jaya on mainland Penang
2009 August	Signed MOU with Bold Penang for partnership in providing children's services
2010 March	started Pemancar House Respite Care Support Centre in Gelugor
2013 January	Introduce Job Coach services
2015 May	Jom Mobile Toy Library received new Proton Exora vehicle
2019 January	Started Independent Living Support Services (ILSS) in Balik Pulau
2020 April	in view of CV19 pandemic, Teletherapy services was started for First Step
2020 December	ILSS programme had to be closed due to the on-going pandemic
2021 July	Riding for Disabled Activities (RDA Penang) terminated due to the closure of the Penang Equestrian Centre.
2021 August	First Step SJaya Centre was closed due to the on-going pandemics

PARTNERSHIP

In the past few years, ACS has successfully carried out several joint projects with Bold Association for Children with Special Needs Penang. Due to the similarity of goals, objectives and common grounds in shared values and approaches on special needs and disabilities issues, both organisations see many more possibilities of pooling resources to synergize towards providing better services for the special needs population.

In 2009, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in August to formalize this partnership.

ACS is also a founding member of the National Early Childhood Intervention Council and plays an active role with its CEO in the position of the Vice President (2008 – 2016); as Honorary Secretary (2017-2018) and as Honorary Secretary (2018 - current) of the NECIC.

ACS is also a founder member of the Malaysian National Council of Toy Libraries (MNCTL) and as president, hosted the 2nd Asian Toy Library Conference in KL in 2007.

In the International scene, ACS’ CEO represented Malaysia as a Board Member of the International Toy Library Association (ITLA) for 12 years (1999 to 2014). We were also a Founder Member of the Asian Regional Network of Toy Libraries and acted as the Honorary Secretary from 1998 to 2016.

Sponsored hosting by: Exabytes Network Sdn Bhd