ACE Homes 2022 – Uncovering the Hidden

Article written by Lee Shi Pian

ACE Homes is one of the exploratory projects that have budded within CAPT’s Active Community Engagement (ACE) Wing last year. In partnership with GoodLife! (Montfort Care), the aim of this project was to allow CAPTains to learn about more about the issue of hoarding in Singapore. When asked about the motivation behind embarking on this project, Project Directors – Tan Jia Le and Tan Yee Siew Jolene – explained that it was the hidden nature of this community and issue that spurred them into action. By connecting CAPTains with a community previously less heard of, they hope to form meaningful connections and bring about greater awareness of hoarding, as well as quell judgement towards the community.

Through befriending and learning more about decluttering, CAPTains connected with the community and gained a deeper understanding of hoarding issues. A CAPTain, Lewin Turqueza, recounted that it was daunting initially, “I’ve never encountered persons with hoarding issues before and I was very surprised when we first visited such a flat!” However, through regular befriending sessions, he got to know the community better and enjoyed warm conversations.

Today, his wish is for more CAPTains to be aware of the existence of this community and seek to understand them better. He also shared that, “Their hoarding behaviour arises from a myriad of reasons, many of which are out of their control.”

ACE Homes has created yet another link between CAPTains and a hidden community in our midst, revealing that there are always more bridges to be built, more stories to hear, and more perspectives to understand.