Broadening Horizons: My Journey as a Special Olympics Malaysia Intern
I highly recommend the Special Olympics Malaysia internship program to anyone seeking a meaningful and impactful experience that combines professional development and a sense of purpose.
The time I spent at Special Olympics Malaysia for my internship from October 2023 to January 2024 was memorable as it was rich in experience sharing, guiding, and helping me discover my potential. I gained a lot of experiences and opportunities that I believe will forever influence and shape my professional life while fostering personal growth and development.
One of the events I coordinated was Unified Fitness Club, which brings people with and without Intellectual disabilities together to have a fun exercise session, fellowship, and non-competitive games. I saw improvement in our special athletes’ fitness status through this session held by the other coaches as well and everyone coming together brings such joy that makes you want to have a longer
session.
Also, I want to thank our National Director, Ms Lee Min, and National Coordinator, Ms Catherine for allowing me this opportunity to intern under Special Olympics Malaysia. I hope we can achieve our goal for 2024 this year!
“ Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” - Special Olympics Athletes' Oath.
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Special Olympics Malaysia for giving me the opportunity to undergo my industrial training. I have learned so much the past 10 weeks. Throughout the internship period, we have conducted several programmes including Young Athletes, Unified Fitness Club and Healthy Athletes.
Through these programmes, I have made new friends, created strong friendships and learnt to be grateful. Special needs individuals are indeed very special, they care and love you to the moon and back. I also admire parents of children with intellectual disabilities as they have to go through so many hardships just to bring out the best in them. I hope for Special Olympics Malaysia to have continuous support from the society as well as to give intellectually disabled community a chance to participate in sports and physical activities.
Working with Special Olympics Malaysia, the lessons and experiences that I have gained were unforgettable. It has been a great opportunity to work at Special Olympics Malaysiaandexploring in this field. I have learneda very valuable lesson which is to treat everyone equally.
The best moment that I have encountered in the journey in Special Olympics Malaysia was during the Healthy Athletes Program in Melaka. One of the athletes in Melaka participated in the event. I met this sweet kid on 14/10/2023 during Hari Sukan Negara in Putrajaya. When I touched his head when I was talking to him, a few minutes later he kept putting my hand on his head.
Few weeks later, we met again in Melaka, where the first thing he did was he took my hand and rested on his head. A simple action like this touched me. As the saying goes, “Little thing matters”!
Special Olympics Malaysia is a family where you will never be left out. All the joy and love is waiting for you there.
My internship at Special Olympics Malaysia, spanning from October 30, 2023, to January 7, 2024, was a profound and enlightening journey. Working closely with this remarkable organization, I gained invaluable insights into the world of inclusive sports and the transformative impact it has on individuals with intellectual disabilities.
My responsibilities included coordinating events, assisting in training sessions, and engaging with athletes, coaches, and fellow interns. Witnessing the unwavering determination and boundless enthusiasm of the Special Olympics participants was both humbling and inspiring. The organization's commitment to fostering an inclusive environment was evident in every interaction, emphasizing the power of sports to break barriers and create a sense of belonging.
This internship not only enriched my professional skills but also deepened my understanding of the significance of inclusivity and empathy in society. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to Special Olympics Malaysia's noble cause and carry the lessons learned into my future endeavors.
It was a memorable and valuable time during my internship at Special Olympics Malaysia from October 2023 to January 2024. There were many precious memories and experiences gained during the internship.
My time at Special Olympics Malaysia was a great learning opportunity that helped me discover my potential. I gained valuable experiences that I believe will forever influence and shape my professional life while fostering personal growth and development. I’m also grateful to be able to participate in one of the big events, Healthy Athletes.
Healthy Athletes provides free health screenings and education to Special Olympics athletes in a welcoming, fun environment. Another event was Unified Fitness Club, where I assisted Sean in planning, organising, and managing the programme. The Unified Fitness Club offers and unites people with and without intellectual disabilities to have a light and enjoyable exercise session together to promote inclusivity and fitness. Lastly, I would like to express my appreciation to my supervisor and National Director, Ms Kok Lee Min, and Ms Catherine Yong, who provided me with the opportunity to undergo my internship at Special Olympics Malaysia.
“The more valuable aspect of sport for most people - with and without disabilities - is the enjoyment derived from playing sports and the training associated with them to maintain and improve one’s performance or that of the team.” - Special Olympics Malaysia.
