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Lianhe Zaobao: Nathan Social Work Award open for applications from Nanyang Polytechnic students

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Home Resources News Lianhe Zaobao: Nathan Social Work Award open for applications from Nanyang Polytechnic students

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Lianhe Zaobao: Nathan Social Work Award open for applications from Nanyang Polytechnic students

John Doe

纳丹教育提升基金”惠及人数及拨出金额多年来稳定增长，今年还为南洋理工学院社工系的学生增设助学金。

该基金是已故前总统纳丹在2011年9月19日推出回忆录《万想不到的征程——当上总统之路》时设立的，目的是帮助家庭经济有困难的学生获得良好教育。

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截至今年7月7日，该基金已拨出270万元，比去年同期的260万元多出了10万元。

自基金成立以来，共有1129名学生从中受惠，这与去年同期的近1000名相比，增加了15%。受惠者包括工艺教育学院、理工学院及大学学生，其中还有一些经济条件较差的前罪犯。

该基金通过教育和技能培训为他们提供支援。

另外，该基金今年增设“纳丹社工助学金”（S R Nathan Social Work Award），以纪念纳丹为社工领域留下的精神遗产。

纳丹毕业于设在新加坡的马来亚大学，以特优成绩考获社会学文凭，并在上世纪50年代担任医疗社工和海员福利官。他也在晚年时设立新加坡福利理事会，这个组织是国家福利理事会的前身，目前旗下有超过400个志愿福利团体。

“纳丹社工助学金”包含三个价值1500元的助学金，每年颁发给就读于南洋理工学院社会科学（社工）专业文凭课程、经济上有需要的学生。

助学金旨在帮助减轻这些学生的经济负担，让他们能专心完成学业。首批三名助学金得主将在今年12月公布。Read more.

Translation:
Nathan Social Work Award open for applications from Nanyang Polytechnic students

The S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund was launched on 19 September 2011 in conjunction with the publication of the late Mr Nathan’s memoirs, “An Unexpected Journey”.

Total amount disbursed since inception: S$2.7m compared to S$2.6m from the same period last year.
Total number of students the fund has supported since inception: 1,129. About 15% increase from the same period last year, where almost 1,000 students were beneficiaries.

The S R Nathan Social Work Award set up to honour Mr. Nathan and his legacy in the social work sector.
He graduated with a Diploma in Social Work from the University of Malaya and was a medical social worker and seaman’s welfare officer in the 1950s. In his later years, he also helped to set up the Singapore Council of Social Service, the predecessor of the National Council of Social Service which now oversees over 400 voluntary welfare organisations in Singapore.

The award comprises three bursary awards worth S$1,500 each, which will be presented annually to financially needy students in NYP’s Sciences (Social Work) course. First recipients of the award will be announced in December 2017.

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, CHARITY STORIES, DONOR STORIES, EDUCATION, FAMILIES, NEWS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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Stories Of Impact

Migrants Emergency Assistance and Support (MEANS) Community Impact Fund – Helping migrant worker in need

John Doe

The MEANS (Migrants Emergency Assistance and Support) Community Impact Fund helps migrant workers who are legally employed in Singapore under R passes, work permits or special passes. It provides immediate and short-term financial assistance to disadvantaged migrant workers by covering:

Medical care to ill or injured workers who are abandoned, abused, under threat or under fed by their employers or whose medical care is not covered by their employers.
Shelter and basic necessities to injured workers or those seeking redress against unfair employment practices such as violence at work or contract violation.
Transport cost for workers who need to go to the various authorities (like Ministry of Manpower or the police) to resolve their cases regarding unfair employment practices as well as workers seeking employment while assisting in investigations.

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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, DONOR STORIES, EDUCATION, FAMILIES, NEWS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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Stories Of Impact

Restoring the Mental Health of Girls Who Have Survived Abuse: HCSA Dayspring Residential Treatment Centre

Clara* was just fifteen when she attempted suicide for the first time. She had believed her father’s violence was normal. It was not until she spoke to a psychiatrist that she realised violence and sexual abuse were not something that happened in every family. On her sixteenth birthday, after a second suicide attempt, Clara entered Dayspring Residential Treatment Centre (DRTC).

Our teenage years are when we develop crucial social and self-management skills, a time when the foundation for a successful adult life is laid. Survivors of childhood trauma often grapple with its long-term effects throughout their lives, underscoring the critical need for early intervention.

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“Children are precious gems. For the ones who could not grow up in a safe and caring environment, they are placed into therapy group homes like HCSA DRTC. We work in teams to help the girls manage their trauma. I also do whatever simple ways I can in their recovery journey to help them see that the world is not as bad as it seems.”

Sally San Juan, Lead Mentor, DRTC

Child Abuse: A Growing Problem

Regrettably, cases of child abuse have been rising annually for the past decade. In 2021, the Ministry of Social and Family Development investigated 2,141 cases of child abuse, marking the highest number in 10 years.

The majority were cases of neglect, which jumped 143 percent from 375 cases in 2020 to 910 cases in 2021. Physical abuse, usually the most common form of abuse, was the second-highest form of abuse in 2021, and child sexual abuse cases also saw a 70 percent increase in 2021.

HCSA DRTC: Healing Trauma and Nurturing Futures

HCSA Dayspring Residential Treatment Centre (DRTC) was established in 2011 to provide a caring, safe, and therapeutic environment for teenage girls who have suffered neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.

DRTC’s beneficiaries include girls aged 12-18 assessed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) to have moderate to high trauma needs and who are facing persistent difficulties with behavioural and emotional issues.

By employing effective clinical therapies, the centre aims to help these girls become healthy individuals capable of successfully reintegrating into their schools, families, and society.

The girls live at the centre for 12 to 18 months and undergo a clinical programme that comprises three key phases to work through their trauma and restore their mental health.

The initial phase focuses on safety, stabilising the child while building trust and a sense of security. Following this, the regulation-focused treatment aids in teaching coping techniques to manage emotions and behaviours effectively. Finally, the beyond-trauma treatment provides tools to prevent relapses.

A value-based system guides each girl to align her actions with her values and aspirations, empowering her to take charge of her life. When she is ready to graduate, a six-month aftercare programme prepares the girl to rejoin her family, if it is safe for her. If her family home is unsafe, the programme prepares her to live with a foster family or assists her in transitioning to independent living.

An Urgent Need for Capacity Increase

As a certified Trauma Systems Therapy organisation, the most severe cases of complex trauma and abuse are referred by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) to DRTC.

Owing to the extensive resources and continuous, vigilant care necessary for these cases, MSF has imposed a limit, allowing DRTC to cater to a maximum of 12 girls concurrently. The operational expenses for maintaining this capacity amount to approximately $1.5 million annually.

With the rising number of child abuse cases and the urgent need for specialised trauma treatment services, DRTC is pushing to increase its resident capacity from 12 to 29.

To aid this expansion in services, DRTC will require additional funding and is calling for volunteers to help as befrienders and trainers.

“Caring for these young survivors is not just about healing wounds; it’s about shaping resilient futures,” says Gerard Wong, Senior Executive, HCSA Community Services. “We appeal to the generosity of CFS donors to join hands with us in expanding our outreach, impacting the lives of these young women, and offering them the chance to heal from adversity and rewrite their stories.”

Shining a Light on a Worthy Cause

CFS has supported DRTC since 2020. To date, CFS donors have contributed $70,000 to support the centre’s operating costs. The contributions go towards the salaries of therapists and staff, running costs of the residence, and food for the residents.

As testament to the programme’s impact, Clara says, “Dayspring turned out to be a strong pillar of support, helping me through difficult times in school and with my family. Even when I experienced suicidal thoughts, the staff never gave up on me and remained understanding and patient.”

“Surprisingly, when I saw my father for the first time after entering Dayspring, I was not angry at all. I felt at peace. I realised I had forgiven him. I told him that I believed he was a good person deep down. I understood: it is through forgiveness that we free ourselves and others from the invisible shackles that once held all of us down. This was when I knew how much Dayspring had changed me.”

Clara*

To find out how you can support HCSA DRTC, please contact CFS.

* ‘Clara’ is not her real name. Her full story can be found at The Birthday That Changed My Life.

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, CHARITY STORIES, DONOR STORIES, EDUCATION, FAMILIES, NEWS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

Stories Of Impact

Reading Odyssey – Building confidence and motivation through reading

John Doe

With recent changes to school-based assessments in primary schools, Singapore’s education system is looking beyond mere academic results to appreciate the importance of the joy of learning. In this vein, Reading Odyssey – a community-based project by Educational Psychology Service, SHINE Children & Youth Services – has been empowering disadvantaged children to enjoy reading with meaning, knowledge and understanding via this novel programme since 2013.

Supported by multiple donors from the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), Reading Odyssey currently collaborates with various community partners to run in seven centres across Singapore and serves 120 children from Kindergarten Two to Primary Six, many from lower income families. “Many of these children are two to three years behind their peers in their reading abilities and have limited learning support and exposure. They usually have low confidence and a poor academic self-image,” says Magdalen Loh, Reading Odyssey Captain and Lead Learning Specialist.

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One of the root causes, adds Magdalen, is lack of exposure. Due to complex issues in their family backgrounds, these children do not have wide learning opportunities, or have difficulties accessing help.

Unlike academically-focused tuition centres, Reading Odyssey focuses on inspiring interest in reading and offering opportunities for exposure and building confidence. Another key objective is to help children understand the meaning of words and knowledge. Here, reading is used as a tool to expose the child to the wider world. Genres are intentionally varied; children are exposed to topics, from robotics to the environment, that may be beyond their scope of interests. Materials are targeted to each child’s ability, and the programme incorporates a guided reading approach involving helpful guided questions for volunteers and children to discuss.

Improving a child’s confidence and inner motivation may not be an easy task, but with time and dedication, the programme has seen rewarding results. In the past years, more than 70% of participants showed an increase in confidence from observable behaviours across its centres, and more than half showed improvements in their reading age or reading levels. “Many of the children are motivated to come regularly. They want to learn more once they know they have improved,” says Magdalen.

Part of the programme’s success is due to its volunteer-driven model and close partnership with the local communities to identify those in need. Each child is matched one-on-one with a trained volunteer, who partners the child to work purposefully through the text and stories. Such exposure and engagement, says Magdalen, helps build confidence and increases their understanding of the different topics.

“With confidence in learning, even if you are a weaker student, you dare to approach someone older and not feel embarrassed. With inner confidence and motivation, you will find ways to help you improve,” she expresses.

With increased demand from the ground, Reading Odyssey is looking to scale its centres from seven to ten by 2021, and increase its reach by 50% to 180 children. Plans in the works include formalising its volunteer training, events to deepen a sense of its community and developing new games and testing tools to enhance the programme’s impact.

Ultimately, the goal is to offer an avenue for disadvantaged children to access opportunities beyond their personal circumstance. Magdalen expresses, “We want to do our part to use stories to help children ask questions and think about the wider world. When their motivation is innate, they can help themselves in the long run.”

Photos: SHINE Children & Youth Services

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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, DONOR STORIES, EDUCATION, FAMILIES, NEWS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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Stories Of Impact

The Spooner Road Project – Reaching children and youths at the margins

John Doe

For vulnerable children and youths from disadvantaged families, daily life is often filled with myriad challenges. Many ‘troubled’ children and youths become at risk for delinquency and fail to complete school. Naturally, most of them don’t realise their full potential and may suffer from poor self-esteem or mental health issues.

As one of the few social work agencies with an added competency in educational psychology, Students Care Service (SCS) has an established track record of tackling issues faced by children and youths living at the margins. Today, it reaches over 6,500 children and youths each year through its centres and intervention programmes.

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The unique challenges faced by one community along Spooner Road captured SCS’s attention, and led them to start the Spooner Road Project in mid-2015. At a recent site visit, the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) and other partners observed the dedication and efforts that are steadily impacting the Spooner Road community.

Located in an enclave of public rented flats in central Singapore, the Spooner Road centre is housed amidst a transient, vulnerable community of over 300 families. Many families often arrive here after losing their home due to financial issues. The physical isolation of these flats, which once served as the dormitories of railway workers, means everyday resources from healthcare to Family Service Centres (FSCs) are not easily accessible here. To help alleviate the difficulties faced by these families, CFS’s donor UBS funded a Foodshare programme where packed groceries were delivered to their doorsteps.

Many of the young living here struggle to access resources to support them as they learn and grow, exacerbated by the lack of spaces for play and constructive supervision by their caregivers.

To address the issues faced in this complex environment, the Spooner Road Centre offers a conducive, homely space for the young to spend time. The centre runs a range of supervised play sessions, study skills sessions, student football and special events, helping to keep these children and youths engaged in positive activities and decrease their risk of delinquency.

Another key area of impact is addressing the school readiness of the children living here. With some falling as far as two years behind their peers, the team at SCS identifies candidates for its Reading Odyssey Programme to help increase reading ability. SCS Social worker Tok Kheng Leng highlights the importance of these timely interventions, “When children first go to school already lagging behind their peers, it’s difficult for them to catch up. One side effect is they start to misbehave. It’s then a downward spiral of being labeled as deviant child.”

In early 2018, the team is looking forward to further bolster their existing efforts in improving school readiness. It’s looking to pilot a new programme, based on recent research, to empower students from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve academic success. As Centre Director Lee Seng Meng explains, “We’re excited to be piloting these new strategies. If we can garner positive results, it would be very helpful when we work with other communities facing similar challenges.”

Photo: Students Care Service.