Articel by the Social Entrepreneurship Forum

There is a wonderful article about the Dialogue in the Dark exhibition in Singapore (www.dialogueinthedark.com.sg) by the Social Entrepreneurship Forum. The exhibition is running since October 2009 and 14 blind and visually impaired guides now lead the visitors through the completely dark environment: “We want to change mindsets. We want to promote empathy, and not sympathy, for the visually-impaired.” (Glen Ng, Project Manager, Dialogue in the Dark Singapore)

To read the whole article go to http://www.seforum.sg/2010/02/19/seeing-in-a-new-light/

my first blog entry

thanks to dialogue social enterprises for giving me this platform to share with more people from around the world about dialogue in the dark. this is officially my first blog post, and i hope i will be able to at least make 1 post a week to talk about my experiences in dialogue in the darkk.

will be busy with my singing work this too weeks, but will be back in action at ngee ann poly in the morning next friday. looking forward to it. miss the people and also the environment.

 

other methods of contacting me:

webpage:

http://www.weiliankelvin.com/

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/KelWL

Thank you Singapore

I spent the last 3 weeks in Singapore together with my dear friend and fellow Master-Guide Pepe from Mexico and Claudia, our Project- Manager from Germany.

(Pepe & me)

Even though I have travelled a lot in the past seven years, training guides for Dialogue in the Dark (DiD) literally all over the world, it always amazes me to meet new people with whom I can share knowledge, practical skills and overall the belief that visually impaired people CAN DO.

The local guides from Singapore have been wonderful colleagues for me. Sharing the same values like enjoying the life the way we are and having a common goal- the change of mindsets towards diversity- made me soon feel to be with friends other than “just” at work.

I learned from my Singaporean friends to be open to learn at any time and feeling honoured to receive any feedback furthermore integrating it in practise right away – Thank you dear Singaporean friends!

Our host – Njee Ann Polytechnic staff – together with the 17 interns were very supportive all the time – thank you!

Good luck Dialogue in the Dark Singapore and welcome to the global family of Dialogue in the Dark!

(Daniela Dimitrova, Manager Human Resources, Dialogue Social Enterprise)

Meet our new Guide Kelvin (DiD Singapore)

We welcome our 14 new guides and are looking forward to work with them for Dialogue in the Dark Singapore! One of our new guides is Kelvin. He had the honor to guide the very first tour in Singapore. This is what motivates him: “Prior to taking part in Dialogue in the Dark, I have always been kept updated about this exhibition and its program through fellow blind friends who also joined this program. I hope by taking part in the program on my part, I can not only improve myself but also help introduce/promote Dialogue in the Dark to a lot of people and help them understand that living in the dark is not as scary as they thought.”

In his personal blog, Kelvin writes about his experiences in everyday life as a professional guide and last but not least as a celebrity, being spokesperson for visually impaired people in Singapore due to his successful career as Singaporean popsinger: weiliankelvin.com/blog/

DiD @ Ngee Ann Polytechnic University

The whole Dialogue Social Enterprise team is happy to announce the opening of Dialogue in the Dark Singapore. This exhibition is our first one in an educational institution (Ngee Ann Polytechnic). During the last weeks, our project managers Claudia and Daniela trained 14 blind and visually impaired guides who will work for the exhibition now. Student interns from Ngee Ann Polytechnic will be managing the daily operation of the exhibition.

We already have a first blog post from a social entrepreneur who visited the new Dialogue in the Dark exhibition in Singapore: Dialogue in the Dark – so many lessons from the blind (and not-so-blind too)

DiD opens in Singapore (Ngee Ann Polytechnic University)

The first Dialogue in the Dark tour in Singapore started on 14 October 2009 at 9:25- 5 minutes in advance because everybody and everything was ready!!!

I (as a project manager) am very happy with the whole staff – guides, students and Ngee Ann staff Members, they are all very committed and do a wonderful job preparing Dialogue in the Dark Singapore. Guides are well trained, exhibition is ready and dark, pre- and postactivites are planned and tested from now on with Ngee Ann staff or Ngee Ann students, and the constructor was around everyday to check or to help with small details which still needed to be adjusted.

We selected after the first 8 days of intense training 14 guides who will work with us. Daniela and Pepe our two master guides are doing a brilliant job in training them! The students are working in two shifts and in every shift you find: 1 welcome host, 2 at the ticket counter (one will be later in charge of the shop & merchandising), 2 at the bookingline, 1 responsible for pre-activities and 1 responsible for post-activities.

What makes me more than happy is that you can already speak of the Dialogue in the Dark team Singapore, all are cooperating and working together!

After two days of trial tours we already have wonderful feedbacks from the visitors such as: “You’re voice was such a calming and reassuring presence in the dark. Thank you for being such a wonderful guide!” or: “Hey, you are such an inspiration beyond what words can express. You have taught me to see with my ears, nose and hands and feet. But most importantly you have taught me to see things with my heart. Thanks so much for all you do!”

Dialogue in the Dark at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore – Learn to see! I wish you all the best!

(Claudia Bade, Manager Content Development, Dialogue Social Enterprise)