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Malaysia Independent Living Association for Disabled (MILAD)
Our Services
Peer Counseling
We offer Peer counselling services which helps disabled people not only to accept their own disabilities, but also help to advocate for their rights as citizens who live in this society and as consumers of services. Thus, it serves to help disabled people recover their self confidence and develop a sense of self-reliance.
Independent Living Skill Training Programme
We provide training courses to help disabled people gain skills that will enable them to live more independently; courses include using various public transportation systems, managing personal finances, dealing with intensive and discriminatory behaviour by members of the general public and many other subjects.
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Information and Referral
With this initiative, our goal is to promote great opportunities for those in need. With access to the right resources, people can become empowered by their own abilities and gain the confidence to fulfill their potential. Learn more about our work by getting in touch with our team today.
Personal Assistance Services for the Disabled People
Long-term care for disabled people in this country traditionally has been provided through family members. Our Government has focused primarily on financing professional health care services provided through nursing homes and old folks homes or centres for the disabled. An alternative to these models of long-term care is the “Independent Living Model”, which is based on the provision of services by trained personal assistants in the disabled person’s home. We have developed a personal assistant services programme based on the Independent Living framework, discussed how covered services should be defined, how the program should be financed, whether the programme should use means testing, how eligibility and level of benefits should be determined, and what role the government should play in implementing the program.
Advocacy and Awareness
We provide advocacy work in terms of consumer advocacy, which involves centre staff working with persons with disabilities to obtain necessary support services from other agencies in the community; and also community advocacy, which involves centre staff, committee members, and volunteers initiating activities to make changes in the community or government policies or law that make it easier for all persons with disabilities to live more independently. We also plan programmes and activities to create awareness and to promote the philosophy of Independent Living to educate the general public for better understanding of the same.
In April 2019, we organised a press conference as a platform to voice out the grievances of the current and future disabled grab drivers affected by the existing law which prohibits the granting of Public Service Vehicle license to the disabled; at the same time we expressed our support to the Government for their assurance to address the said concern.
Access Audit and Consultation for Barrier Free Environment
Although the Government and private sector have the MS 1184:2014 as guidelines to provide accessibility for the disabled when constructing buildings and infrastructure, we believe only the disabled people themselves know best what they need and whether the requirements are met. As such, we also provide access audit and consultation services to the Government and private sectors to ensure that facilities such as ramps, walkways, slopes, toilets, service counters, elevators, entrances and the like are not only duly provided, but are also properly constructed in compliance with the disabled users’ requirements.
Disability Equality Training
We provide Disability Equality Training to the public and private sector bodies and other Non-Governmental Organisations as many of them have gradually realised that their work practices and policies fall far short of fulfilling the needs, rights and aspirations of disabled people who are their clients, customers, service recipients and co-workers. In order to change this situation, they need to turn to disabled people for input and guidance. From this realisation, it has resulted in growing demand for such training run by disabled people, which aims to help people understand the meaning of disability, identify changes in work practice, and plan strategies to implement change.
Work Centre
For people with disabilities who are illiterate, or who cannot endure long hours of labour or are unfit to join normal workforce, we give training and provide piecemeal jobs which are suitable for them. Jobs, though not permanent, help to build confidence and develop a sense of achievement in them. Through working, the disabled people are able to learn social skills and more importantly to discover their value and self-worth. MILAD serves as a short term training centre, a job agency to procure work/project from the private sector and at the same time function as a work centre for the disabled. We have currently procured a Ribbon Making Project from a company which engages the services of MILAD in making ribbons.
Community House
Community house for disabled people is to enable them to learn how to live in the community before they can move forward toward Independent Living and be fully integrated into the mainstream of the society. Our very first Community House has been set up in Puchong under the auspice of Lions Club Elite.
Transportation
Accessible public transport has always been a big issue for the disabled, especially the wheelchair users. Some public transport like MRT and certain buses are said to accommodate the disabled, however due to poor design in connectivity and very inaccessible walkways, many of the disabled are unable to enjoy such public transports. Currently there are a couple or so NGOs providing transport service for the disabled, however, priority is given to those going to hospitals only. The meager supply can hardly meet the overwhelming transport needs of the disabled.
To achieve inclusion and integration of the disabled in the community, transportation plays an extremely crucial role, our service helps to achieve the following objectives: -:
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Uphold the rights to freedom of mobility for the disabled.
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Equipping and empowering the disabled by attending the training and other services we provide.
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Enable full inclusion and participation of the disabled in the community.