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International Women’s Forum Singapore: Empowering young women for a better future

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Home Resources Events International Women’s Forum Singapore: Empowering young women for a better future

Events

International Women’s Forum Singapore: Empowering young women for a better future

John Doe

They may come from disadvantaged families, juggling work with school, but that has not stopped them from pursuing their dreams or even helping others. For this, ten young women were presented with the 2016 International Women’s Forum (IWF)’s Education Grants on 30 September.

Managed by the Community Foundation of Singapore, the IWF Education Grants support young women who are currently pursuing a diploma or degree in local polytechnics or universities but face challenges in continuing their studies due to financial difficulties. Many come from low income families and need to work to pay school fees or supplement their household income.

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Recipients are selected for their academic performance, as well as resilience and aspirations. During the selection process, the Education Grants Committee also highlighted that despite their difficult circumstances, many of the recipients still found time to give back to the community by taking part in voluntary work such as befriending the elderly and mentoring young children and teens.

At the dinner reception held at CapitaGreen and hosted by IWF Singapore leaders including Dr Aline Wong, Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Arfat Selvam, Saw Phaik Hwa, Chong Siak Ching, Carmee Lim, Goh Swee Chen and Doreen Liu, recipients and mentors mingled and exchanged anecdotes and advice. The young ladies also took to the floor to share their struggles with work and studies, for some the responsibility of caring for ill or unemployed parents and above all their unwavering quest for further education.

The IWF women leaders applauded the strength and determination shown by the recipients and invited them to be ambassadors at the IWF Singapore 20th Anniversary Conference in 2017 so that they can continue to be an inspiration to others. As part of the mentoring programme, IWF leaders will impart guidance, career counselling and life skills to empower these young ladies for the future.

At the 20th Anniversary Conference, the organisation hopes to raise $250,000 to enable and empower even more young women to change the outcomes of their lives as well as their families’.

About the International Women’s Forum

The International Women’s Forum is a singularly unique organisation comprised of more than 6,400 dynamic women leaders in 34 countries and 75 forums around the world. IWF members span careers, cultures and continents, however, they are wholly aligned in their commitment to building better global leadership.

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, CHARITY STORIES, CHILDREN, EDUCATION, EVENTS, FAMILIES, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, SENIORS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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Events

Colabs: doing more for persons with disabilities

John Doe

As persons with disabilities reach age 18 and exit the school system, they face new life challenges, including living their desired life and gaining access to care and support. With a keen eye on identifying opportunities to improve the lives of these individuals, we kicked off the Colabs Disability series which focused on engagement pathways and employment through catalysing cross-sector collaboration.

As part of the series, participants were recently invited to the MINDS’ Idea Employment Development Centre to understand what a sheltered employment workshop in Singapore would look like. Made up of a diverse group, including social enterprises, corporates, philanthropic institutions, government agencies and non-profits, the group bonded over a common desire to learn and do more for persons with disabilities.

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The group took part in various work stations at MINDS, where they interacted and worked alongside their clients. On a daily basis, clients were engaged in a wide range of activities, from seeding, retail, craft and kitchen work, to the packing of edible gifts, bottled water, and disposable earphones.

Next, participants gathered to share their aspirations for persons with disabilities, and their ideas on how the current model of sheltered employment could be improved. For many in the room, it was an eye-opening experience and a great chance to explore opportunities to contribute and collaborate.

Within the context of the sheltered workshop, companies and philanthropists can:

Create greater variety in jobs in workshops, or increase the number of jobs available, by connecting sheltered workshops with potential employers to explore and implement job re-design matched to the abilities of persons with disabilities, or encouraging companies to outsource certain tasks to persons with disabilities (e.g. event decoration, gift preparation, logistics). Much of this can be enabled by education and outreach to potential partners.

Provide a variety of social activities outside of work tasks in sheltered employment workshops, through partnerships with existing non-profits.

Improve the financial sustainability of running sheltered workshops by funding wages or subsidies, providing pro-bono services or skill-based volunteering to sheltered workshops in the marketing of existing products such as bottled water, food and gifts.

Companies and philanthropists interested in understanding how to work together with MINDS can contact the Idea Employment Development Centre to explore possibilities.

If you’re interested in what can be done to support persons with disabilities and their caregivers, the DesignSingapore Council has published an ethnographic study documenting how persons with disabilities live, work and interact with society, along with an illustrated overview of services supporting persons with disabilities.

Some suggestions for collaborative solutions – based on the collective feedback of over 80 participants in the series – are outlined in the Colabs publication ‘A Call for Collaborative Giving: Bridging the Divide for Persons with Disabilities’ which can be downloaded here.

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, CHARITY STORIES, CHILDREN, EDUCATION, EVENTS, FAMILIES, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, SENIORS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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News

CFS welcomes new Chairman Christine Ong, succeeding Laurence Lien

John Doe

(From left) Catherine Loh, Christine Ong and Laurence Lien.

The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) welcomes new Chairman Christine Ong on 1 April 2019, succeeding outgoing Chairman Laurence Lien. The handover was announced at the CFS Philanthropy Forum 2019 held on 18 March.

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Signalling a new phase for CFS as the organisation looks to the future, Christine brings extensive experience spanning 30 years from the banking and finance industry, with key leadership positions in Citibank and UBS. She has long been involved in volunteering and mentoring in community regeneration, education and the arts. At UBS, she started a community affairs programme which raised $3 million to support various causes around the region including educating disadvantaged young people in East Java and saving children from being used as drug mules in the Mekong sub-region.

Christine is a current board member of Focus on the Family. She most recently served as Chairman of Arts House Limited and was previously on the board of The Esplanade Co Ltd (2015–2018).

Said Christine, “It is an honour for me to step into Laurence’s giant shoes at CFS. Laurence has not only built a successful organisation but his inclusive leadership has helped forge strong relationships with donors, partners and stakeholders.I am grateful for the opportunity to lead CFS which, over the years, has transformed how philanthropy is approached. As the organisation evolves to respond to an increasingly complex social landscape, I shall continue to build on the trust and meaningful relationships established between donors and charity partners to inspire even more giving and lead CFS into the next decade.”

Laurence was a founding director of CFS when it was launched in 2009, acting CEO from 2009–2013, and has served as its Chairman since 2013. He has been instrumental in introducing the concept of community philanthropy through donor advised funds to Singapore. He played a significant role in helping CFS grow to achieve 126 funds, raising over $134 million and disbursing over $71 million to over 400 charitable organisations in Singapore.

CFS CEO Catherine Loh remarked, “Under Laurence’s strategic leadership, CFS has grown tremendously and established itself as an organisation well-regarded for its community knowledge, professionalism and strategic approach to giving.”

Reflecting on his ten-year tenure at CFS, Laurence said, “When you start a venture in the non-profit sector, you don’t own anything. The rewards are not material but instead a personal satisfaction that comes from knowing you made a difference.”

He cited CFS’s phenomenal four-fold growth in 2018 as a fitting time for his departure, “CFS is really at an inflection point and it is a good time to leave on a high note. I am confident that with a good board and team already in place, and an experienced hand taking over as Chair, CFS will grow from strength to strength, and become a landmark in Singapore’s giving landscape.”

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John Doe

The competition was organised by City Harvest Community Services Association and received support from FUN! Fund, a Community Impact Fund jointly established by the Community Foundation of Singapore and the Agency for Integrated Care, with the aim of addressing social isolation among the elderly.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of National Development Mr Tan Kiat How attended the event. He encouraged the elderly to stay physically and mentally well, as well as urging them to participate in community activities and enjoy their golden years together.

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.
L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛：比赛限时反应要快

现年92岁的胡锦盛是最年长的参赛者。自2017年退休后，他几乎每天都到活跃乐龄中心报到，从此爱上了玩拉密，每次可玩上三个小时，在中心是“常胜将军”。

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, CHARITY STORIES, CHILDREN, EDUCATION, EVENTS, FAMILIES, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, SENIORS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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News

Singapore Tatler: Living Legacy

John Doe

More people are starting to think about philanthropy and giving back, instead of leaving it as a post-retirement consideration. Thio Shen Yi and Stefanie Yuen Thio, and Adrian and Susan Peh tell Singapore Tatler how they are making more strategic and effective giving through their private charity funds with the Community Foundation of Singapore.
Read more.

Courtesy of Singapore Tatler, October 2018

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Speaking after the association’s annual general meeting at Kallang Netball Centre on Friday, Liang-Lin, a fund manager for a US$7 billion (S$9.5 billion) firm focused on green real estate investments in Asia, hopes to bring her expertise to the table and increase the amount of financial support for Singapore netball during her four-year term.

The 53-year-old took over from Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jessica Tan, who has been the association’s president since 2012. Tan had reached the end of her tenure, which saw the national team make several breakthroughs, including a gold medal at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

Liang-Lin holds various appointments such as being Singapore’s representative to the G20 for Women appointed by the Ministry of Finance. She is also a board member of the Community Foundation of Singapore, which promotes philanthropy through facilitating the establishment of charitable funds.

She said: “One of the things that is overlooked when we look at philanthropy and fundraising is that sport is not really part of the things that people will automatically think about.

“Less than one per cent of the funds that we raise in the Community Foundation goes to sport. The values that sport brings need to be amplified more, so that corporates… see the need to support sport. I think that link needs to be stronger so that we get not just more corporate sponsors, but also they can come in for longer periods of time.”

While national agency Sport Singapore provides funding to netball, corporates can also do their part, she added.

She said: “If we play our cards correctly, we can get corporates to come in and hopefully support them, to see the wider purpose of sport and bring the nation together.”

She also hopes the association can be proactive in looking for financial support, adding: “We must work more strategically with governing bodies on educating corporates on the importance of really supporting sport.”

The former netball player also made references to the recent Women’s World Cup for football, noting the “ability for a game that focuses on women in the sport to bring global attention”.

She said: “I want that kind of trajectory of the limelight going to women’s sport. I think that is a trend that will continue, and I hope that netball will be part of that trend.”

Meanwhile, Tan was satisfied that she has achieved the three objectives she had set out to do when she came on board – to improve quality of play, build a fan base and create an ecosystem which involves coaches and players.

The 57-year-old added: “As much as I do feel sad about having to step down, but at the same time, leadership renewal is very important.

“I think Trina will help to galvanise the team together, and bring a lot of new perspectives and quality to the association.”

Join us in making an impact on Singapore sports scene! Reach out to us for more information.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction

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John Doe

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.
L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛：比赛限时反应要快

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, CHARITY STORIES, CHILDREN, EDUCATION, EVENTS, FAMILIES, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, SENIORS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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Events

Donor Learning Trip – St Joseph’s Home’s Inspirational Inter-Generation Programme

August 7, 2024

John Doe

At CFS, we work closely with over 400 well-governed charities to link donors to programmes that achieve meaningful impact. With our deep experience, we understand the importance of improving lives through community initiatives. St Joseph’s Home (SJH) is a good example of this.

About St Joseph’s Home (SJH)

SJH is a not-for-profit organisation set up by the Catholic Welfare Services in 1978 to provide shelter, care and love for the aged and destitute, regardless of race or religion.

Since then, SJH has innovated to pioneer unique models of care that meet the community’s evolving needs. This includes the hydrotherapy, night respite care for persons with dementia and the co-located Infant and Childcare Centre (ICC).

Set up during the covid-19 pandemic, Sayang Sayang Fund raised $9.7m over three years, supporting over 400,000 lives
应疫情设立 Sayang Sayang基金三年筹970万元惠及40万人

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Donations to CFS increased by 60% over the past two years
新加坡社区基金会两年多善款增六成

SJH’s beautiful premise is situated at the heart of the Jurong Innovation District. It has wheelchair-accessible playgrounds, walkways and community spaces such as Café Verona and Funhouse to encourage chance interactions. Spaces are also configurable to accommodate structured programmes that require more privacy and comfort.

An Intergenerational Care Community

In August 2017, SJH pioneered Singapore’s first intergenerational community with an Infant and Childcare Centre (ICC) co-located in a nursing home.

Infants as young as two months old to children up to age six get daily opportunities lasting 45 to 90 minutes to interact with nursing home residents. Children and residents engage in activities such as shared newspaper reading, puzzles, LEGO building, singing and storytelling.

These interactions form part of the children’s curriculum, where they learn about culture, and pick up motor and literacy skills. They also form part of the resident’s daily care, which is made possible only because of the close collaboration between the ICC and the clinical team of SJH.

Our donors were recently invited to visit St Joseph’s Home and witnessed their recently-launched intergenerational art therapy programme. Joy was evident on the faces of both residents and children as they waved to one another.

Gladys and Nathan (children on the right) learning about the dragon boat festival with Mdm Quek* (resident on the left)

Intergenerational Programmes as a Therapeutic Intervention

With all the buzz around intergenerational programmes (IGPs), here’s what sets SJH apart.

Every programme has a therapeutic outcome and St Joseph’s Home Infant and Childcare Centre teachers work closely with SJH’s clinical team to develop IGPs that:

Resonate with both generations
Intentionally facilitate conversations and relationship-building
Have therapeutic outcomes such as improve mood and increased social wellbeing

Our visit coincided with the fifth of eight sessions conducted by an Occupational Therapy Assistant. Residents and children were collaborating on a calligraphy painting.

Mdm Tan*, one of the participants who had been hesitant to join social activities, is observed laughing and making eye contact with Estelle, the spritely five-years-old that she’s paired with.

Estelle (left) sharing a conversation with Mdm Tan* (right). She has learned to move closer to Mdm Tan as the resident is hard of hearing.

Another resident, Mdm Wee*, has shown remarkable improvement, eating better and faster on days when she meets the children.

It’s inspiring to hear about Mdm Wee’s progress. She used to take two hours for lunch, often breathless and discouraged, preferring to stay in her bedroom. Now, after just a few sessions, she’s more motivated, energetic, and engaged, even asking about the children. She can now finish her meal in half an hour

Imelda Anthony, Principal of St Joseph’s Home Infant & Childcare Centre

The donors of CFS witnessed the energy within the group and comfortable interactions. These took hours to foster, and cannot be justly put in words.

Developing such results is an art. It calls for a careful integration of the medical and psychosocial needs of the residents, their unique interests and the developmental stage and disposition of the child that they’re paired with.

Teachers need to be equipped with an understanding of the residents and constantly communicate with the therapist before and throughout the IGP to ensure that the therapeutic outcomes are met.

Intergenerational Programmes as Education

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” – Aristotle

Since its inception in 2017, the teachers at St Joseph’s Home Infant and Childcare Centre have focused on investing in the character of the children. Empathy, kindness, and respect are not just taught but also demonstrated.

Children observe the staff and teachers interacting with residents, learning to respectfully gain the attention of those who may be weak or frail. They also practise handling wheelchairs and being considerate in their movements and volume around residents.

During the IGP, children will progressively pick up the residents’ names, interests, or areas in which they might need help with. For example, children might help residents by repeating instructions closer to their ears or uncapping the tools that require more fine motor skills.

Intergenerational Programmes as an Innovative Care Model

As pioneers in integrating the preschool curriculum with elderly-inclusive activities, SJH has learned and experimented along the way, all while remaining committed to their vision of providing person-centred, dignified care.

Their experience has since inspired other organisations. Looking ahead, SJH envisions the intergenerational programme as an integrated part of person-centred, holistic care for elderly residents. They continue to experiment with various programme types and structures, monitoring their impact and collaborating with research partners.

How You Can Help

St Joseph’s seeks $150,000 annually to run the programme, which involves childcare teachers, music, art, and occupational therapists that serve 20 children and 40 to 60 elderly residents. To find out how to become a CFS donor, click here.

*Names changed to protect confidentiality.