SINGAPORE - More than 900 caregivers of people with special needs, who were not in any caregiver support group previously, have been helped over the last two years.

This group is part of the more than 3,900 caregivers of people with special needs whom Project 3i has helped since its inception in 2021.

The project was started by support group CaringSG.

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee gave these latest updates on Project 3i at the National CARECarnival on Saturday, held at the Enabling Village in Lengkok Bahru.

The carnival is led by SG Enable and CaringSG. It is part of the National CARECarnival and Conference held in November to strengthen caregiver support.

On Saturday, various social service agencies and social enterprises set up booths at the carnival and conducted workshops and talks sharing resources for caregivers and their loved ones.

Said Mr Lee: “To many families, caregiving is an act of love and sacrifice. We don’t question the need to do so. It is also an intense and stressful commitment.

“You are not alone in this journey. Please connect with fellow caregivers, who I’m sure will share their experiences and tips with you.”

There will be two similar carnivals held at Kampung Admiralty on Nov 18, and Heartbeat@Bedok on Nov 25, helmed by the Agency for Integrated Care and the National Council of Social Service respectively.

In his speech, Mr Lee highlighted the achievements of Project 3i, a network to provide caregivers with shared resources.

The group behind it, CaringSG, was started by caregivers of people with special needs during the Covid-19 pandemic to support one another.

Project 3i provides dedicated buddy services for caregivers, and offers professional support such as therapeutic and counselling services, among other forms of support.

The caregivers who were not in any support group previously had loved ones who may have been receiving help, but the caregivers themselves were not.

Starting with two pilots in Boon Lay and Kampong Glam, Project 3i has since expanded to four more districts: Bukit Batok East, Nanyang, Pioneer and Telok Blangah.

Mr Lee, who is also Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration, said a recent evaluation of Project 3i by the Centre for Evidence and Implementation revealed that caregivers gained more knowledge and understanding of the caregiving journey through the project.

They also became more connected to the community, and their family situation improved.

Over 100 community volunteers and experienced caregivers have been trained to support fellow caregivers.

Mr Lee said that as our society ages and caregiving becomes more complex and challenging, having a community of support for caregivers is very important.

For some caregivers, there is nothing else in their life but giving to the people they care for, he said.

He reminded them to take care of themselves, so they would be in a better position to care for their loved ones.

Ms Farah Juwita, 44, is a mother of six children whose youngest son, Ilhanshah, 10, was diagnosed with autism six years ago.

She said she was heartbroken and did not know where to find support. Social workers linked her up with professional help, which was helpful, but Ms Juwita said she always wanted to connect with fellow caregivers.

Ms Juwita, a housewife, said: “I know professionals know a lot, but I wanted to hear from a fellow caregiver who has been through it. Professionals are trained, but the feelings are different.”

Whenever she went to classes to learn how to better support her son, she would speak to other parents and understand their experiences. She learnt a lot from them when they talked about how their children did not want to sit down for a haircut, or the things their children also liked.

Today, she is a volunteer with Project 3i and is a buddy to several caregivers of people with special needs. She said: “Sometimes, for caregivers with newly diagnosed (loved ones), they don’t need answers. They need a listening ear and the assurance that they are not alone, that someone is in the same boat with them.

“Remember, it’s not wrong, and it doesn’t make you weak to reach out and ask for help.”