Discussion Forum

23 May 2012, 5.32PM

7 comments & replies |by REACH Administrator | Learn and Earn

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted that self-help groups have a vital role to play in improving the social mobility of families. At the 20th anniversary dinner of the Chinese Assistance Development Council (CDAC) yesterday, he called on such groups to help ensure that families have the opportunities to move up the socio-economic ladder.

The CDAC was set up to look after the educational needs of the less well-off in the Chinese community, and there are existing groups for the Malay, Indian and Eurasian Communities as well. CDAC has been offering help not just to students from low income families with poor grades but to any student from a low income household, regardless of grades.

PM Lee noted that community efforts such as those by self-help groups exist alongside the Government’s programmes to create an inclusive society. He said, “How we fare as a nation depends on how Singaporeans respond to our challenges, individually and as a community.”

He also gave his assurance that the Government is doing its utmost to preserve social mobility, through GST vouchers for low income families and special schemes such as the Workfare and Special Employment Credit for low-wage and older workers.

For more details, read the Straits Times’ article ‘PM: Self-help groups vital for mobility’.

Do you agree that self-help groups can aid social mobility? What other avenues can self-help groups explore to help Singaporeans?

998 views | 7 comments & replies |

Sort By :

Guest

26 May 2012, 12.46AM

I agree.
Too many self help groups and information is not being shared so outreach is actually not effective. Worst most of the time they use volunteers so even less effective. Worst those being paid make use of volunteers to do the outreach. So govt don't have to spend a lot of money, you see.

Try calling North East CDC hotline in the daytime and you see if anyone picks up the phone and you know how things are on the ground.

Guest

29 May 2012, 10.13AM

CDAC and Town Council are all alike- Out to make profits from EVERYONE.

50 cents or $1 per person per year from Chinese= estimated $2.8 million.
What is the portion they disburse out a year???

Guest

1 Jun 2012, 11.23AM

What do you mean by your second statement? Can you please enlighten me? Thanks

Fat MaMa

REACH Administrator

1 Jun 2012, 7.00PM

Dear Guest,

Reply from CDAC is appended below for your information, please:

==========

Every year in the past three years, more than 60,000 students, workers and families benefited from CDAC programmes. For 2012, $25 million has been budgeted to benefit 64,000 students, workers and families.

Regards,
Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC)

(Guru)

Maybe

24 May 2012, 2.28PM

There are 2 obstacles to its success.

1) Are the administration staff really putting in effort and time to reach out and help those who applied?

Or just merely doing their paid routine job?
And for conveniency, just turn away application?

2) There are also Singaporean that concern much with pride and "face" which is an asian culture.

They would rather complain and hatch hatred against the government than to be deemed as beggar.

Should these self-help organization retrieve information from IRAS or CPF Board and
offer mandatory help instead of waiting for application?

Guest

26 May 2012, 3.31PM

I think there are many good social welfare schemes to help the poor and unfortunate but some of them just fall thru the cracks becoz it is simply impossible for social worker or grassroot volunteers to reach out to everyone.

However it is compulsory for every children to receive primary school education so maybe as part of value inculcation, children should learn to be compassionate to the less fortunate and take this opportunity to let them know that there are schemes to help these people.

Guest

28 May 2012, 3.51PM

My name is N.Veerasamy and one of the reach feedback register person. I know our respectable Prime Minister Mr Lee Shien Loong, He has help many people when I appeal a case to him. Being an anonymous volunteer with some time to spare I noted its the social welfare office that is reluctant to help people.One of them is MCYS itself. Being the umbrella of many social welfare organisation they sometime treat people unfairly. My heart felt heavy to say this as on many occasions I have commended MCYS for its hard work but now it seems they are not the same good people all the time. They are not prepare to help the people and come with lame excuses.

Firstly, my request to the Prime Minister is to start at home all the hard work and you will see results. Help does not look around for people who need it but when people look for it through volunteers like us it is not there. It's not volunteer cannot reach out to people but its the officials who is a parrot and keep repeating the same rules.

I have a hope programme applicant and got rejecetd because he has three young children. But in another case I noted a friend who is in his 40's with 3 children is enrol into the hope programme and how is that possible.

Is MCYS treating its applicant fairly?

Remember the anger will face the leaders as the officials in their respective office is speaking to the public on their behalf and if help is not render than eventually its not the official who will suffer but the leaders.

We are running out of time and social assistance is the only strongest force to bring back the confidence of our government. The medicine is always the same for both person its going to be sweet or sour the choice starts from the government not the people for sweet. If their plights are ignore than sour is the only medicine the government gets later.

The people thought wisely and gave their mandate to the current government for many trusted years but their mindset is changing when they are abandone for good.