Building Confidence and Community

When 23-year-old Gabriel Ong first joined the Institute of Technical Education (ITE)’s Higher Nitec in AI Applications, he struggled to express his feelings and thoughts clearly. Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), he also found it challenging to build deeper connections with his peers and preferred doing things on his own.  

Caption: Gabriel enjoying ice cream together with his mother, Ms Alice Tan.  

Ms Alice Tan, Gabriel’s mother, shared that she constantly worries about her son’s future. “I was worried about Gabriel’s transition to ITE - will he be able to cope with the new environment and make new friends?  Upon graduation, will he have difficulty finding employment?” With help from ITE’s Learning Support Specialist, Gabriel was referred to join TOUCH Youth Enablement (TYE)’s Aptitude Buddy Club (ABC) in Year 1. The ABC programme aims to help bridge the social, emotional and employability gaps of students with special education needs in ITE. 

Navigating Friendships and Growing in Confidence 

Through ABC, Gabriel was given the opportunity to attend workshops to hone his social emotional skills, learn teamwork through Service-Learning projects, and gain hands-on experience in navigating work environments through industry exposure.  

Caption: Gabriel (2nd from right) together with seniors from TOUCHpoint@Geylang Bahru after completing a Service-Learning activity on tote bag making. 

“When Gabriel first joined ABC, he could not articulate his thoughts well and lacked confidence. When faced with a problem, he would always seek repeated confirmation to ensure he was on the right track. With consistent assurance and encouragement, Gabriel was slowly able to grow in his confidence and express himself better when navigating social situations,” shares Fitzgerald Gan, Gabriel’s mentor from TYE.  

Caption: Gabriel (left) together with his TYE mentor Fitzgerald.  

Since joining ABC, Alice has also seen a change in her son, “The activities at ABC gave Gabriel the opportunity to mingle with his peers in an inclusive and supportive space. I could see that he not only enjoyed the activities but also grew in his confidence to speak up, work in a team, and make new friends!” 

Caption: Gabriel taking part in a dragon boat activity with his friends from ABC. 

Becoming Future-Ready 

ABC has also helped Gabriel prepare for a smooth transition into the workplace and eased his mother’s worries about his future. For example, during Career Readiness workshops, students get to learn interview skills, resume writing and personal branding. During the school holidays, students can also join Industry Trainings to learn new skillsets through interest groups such as music, barista, leadership and adventure, and more, to boost their employability.    

Caption: Gabriel learning how to do latte art during the Barista Interest Group.  

“Programmes like the Career Readiness Workshops and Industry Trainings like adventure learning and cooking, were well thought out and suitable for Gabriel. I was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the ABC Milestone Celebration and Family Bonding Event, where I had the chance to create a dish together with my son. We enjoyed the time spent together and it was a happy surprise for me to discover Gabriel’s talent in making dough for spaghetti!” shares Alice.  

Caption: Gabriel and his mother making pasta and cupcakes during the ABC Milestone Celebration and Family Bonding event. 

As someone with a keen interest in music, Gabriel enjoyed the music interest group especially – where he learnt how to play basic notes and strumming patterns on the guitar. Through the 2-day programme, Gabriel learnt how to strum along to different pop tunes and even put on a short performance for his classmates.  

Caption: Gabriel learning the basics of guitar (left) and preparing to perform a song with his friends (right).  

"I enjoyed learning to play the guitar with my friends. I am proud that I can now strum the tune to 'Hey Soul Sister' by Train!" shares Gabriel. 

Thriving in a Professional Environment 

As part of his course studies, Gabriel was attached to TOUCH Young Arrows (TYA) for his 6-month internship, where he had to practice and apply the skillsets learnt in school. During his internship, Gabriel supported TYA in updating client and volunteer data, maintained the database for 24 clubs across Singapore, and helped with photo documentation and categorisation.  

Caption: Gabriel (middle) together with his colleagues from TOUCH Young Arrows.  

Thanks to ABC’s structured programme which provided Gabriel with a nurturing environment to learn teamwork in a collaborative setting, Gabriel successfully completed his internship. With guidance from his job coach Fitzgerald, he was also able to communicate well with his colleagues and supervisor, seek clarification appropriately, and express himself with more confidence.  

Lorraine Chee, Gabriel’s supervisor from TYA shares, “Gabriel did a great job during his 6-month internship. He is an honest and hardworking young man. If given the right opportunity and equipped with the right skills, I believe that he will thrive and be a huge asset wherever he goes.”  

Gabriel’s journey exemplifies the transformative impact of ABC. Through ABC’s comprehensive approach, Gabriel has blossomed into a self-assured and confident individual, showcasing the power of community support in fostering personal growth and future readiness.  

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TOUCH Youth Enablement runs youth engagement centres in the three Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Colleges in Singapore. Through our youth engagement centres located on campus, we run regular programmes aimed at enabling youths to pursue personal growth and progress, build resilience and be future-ready. Our mentoring strategies are to engage, enrich, and empower students. 

Story published in 2025.