The vision of YSS

The vision of YSS is to transform the Malaysian Indian community towards self-reliance, dignity and progress within a modern and developed nation. It seeks to achieve this through its mission which is to `organise, motivate and mobilise the community’ through grassroots projects and programmes.

This is the second prong of YSS approach to its vision. The service and programmes it offers complement the research work undertaken. Services are implemented to tackle the root causes and promote empowerment and self-reliance of the target groups and individuals. And these are carried out at grassroots level through the partnership between YSS staff, volunteers, community leaders, local authorities and residents.

There is a wide and growing range of services which includes Community Service Centres; Computer Centres and IT Clubs; Neighbourhood Programmes; Self-Help Groups; and Youth Corps.

YSS partners include Government agencies like Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Program Pintas (Ministry of National Unity and Social Development): Pusat Rahmat (Ministry of Rural Development) and NGOs like Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) and Asia Pacific Development Centre.

One programme that has been successful and touched many lives is the Community Computer Centre where children and youths from deprived backgrounds can acquire basic IT skills and have access to healthy recreation and learning. Hundreds of kids have graduated and continue to belong to IT clubs. This will ensure they do not miss on IT.

Women who were once without power and hope now can join self-help groups that teach and empower them to acquire new skills to raise funds and save money. More importantly, these women have support to grow and be independent, self-reliant and empowered.

YSS partners include Government agencies like Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Program Pintas (Ministry of National Unity and Social Development): Pusat Rahmat (Ministry of Rural Development) and NGOs like Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) and Asia Pacific Development Centre.

One programme that has been successful and touched many lives is the Community Computer Centre where children and youths from deprived backgrounds can acquire basic IT skills and have access to healthy recreation and learning. Hundreds of kids have graduated and continue to belong to IT clubs. This will ensure they do not miss on IT.

Women who were once without power and hope now can join self-help groups that teach and empower them to acquire new skills to raise funds and save money. More importantly, these women have support to grow and be independent, self-reliant and empowered.

The problem of single mothers used to be a neglected one but now more than 500 such women from the community have been identified and are being assisted. With this, they now have hope for their children and themselves and an opportunity to come out of the cycle of poverty and marginalisation.

The woes of squatter residents are a major focus of YSS services. It is here that lies the breeding grounds for gangsterism, drug abuse, delinquency, domestic violence and other social ills. Networks are being formed to organise and coordinate activities.

Much of the daily work of YSS service staff centre around casework where they try to assist and counsel individuals, families and groups with their problems. These can range from birth certificates to jobs and housing, education and welfare aid. There is also a counselling service for Tafe College students and a Volunteer Training programme to raise more helpers.

The work is not concentrated in the Klang Valley and services are available in places like Perak and Johore as well. The programmes include women's services, Youth Corps, seminars and family gatherings. The strategy of YSS is not only to directly implement programmes and services but to serve as a trainer and motivator of others so that the programmes can be replicated in many more areas. This will be done through training modules, seminars and workshops, motivational and awareness sessions and also through volunteer and leadership programmes.

YSS will also mobilise party members to act as `social change’ agents within their communities and train community organisers who will monitor and evaluate local social issues. Community workers will also be trained so that they will be able to train and mobilise others.

Several Social Recovery Programmes have been introduced since the beginning to address the social issues and social ills affecting the community. This includes carrying out community surveys and analysis and implementing appropriate programmes.

In several areas, dialogue sessions and family days have been organised in response to problems related to youths and families in those areas. In neglected squatter settlements, projects like street lighting, water supply, rubbish disposal, community centres, and other services were provided.

YSS has also adopted a policy of working with partners in strategic areas. This enables it to tap and share the resources of other groups. For example, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) is helping identify hard core poor families in rural areas. Loans are then arranged for the groups to start small businesses. In Kuala Lumpur YSS works closely with City Hall which provides expertise in community organising, family counselling, IT, computer class and fundraising. City Hall has also space for computer centres in several areas.

The Education Department is another partner through the Schools Project launched in 1998. A preventive and awareness programme was conducted with several hundred students in attendance. Pusat Rahmat is a project of the Ministry of Rural Development and YSS works in a team with 11 other agencies here to address problems of urban poverty in Kuala Lumpur. The Asia Pacific Development Centre provides technical support to YSS to set up a micro-finance for women and low-income families.