Latest news with #MinistryofSocialandFamilyDevelopment
Straits Times
30-07-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Financial and social help for low-income families in Singapore
Family coaches play a vital role in helping lower-income households in Singapore build stable futures, connecting them to various assistance schemes as they work through employment and housing challenges Listening, understanding and providing emotional support are the first steps to empowering families to take charge of their own journey, says family coach Angel Choy. When life gets overwhelming due to illness, debt or the daily grind of survival, it is easy to lose sight of the road ahead. After a cancer diagnosis forced Sarah (not her real name) to stop working in 2023, her elder daughter, then 24, dropped out of school to earn an income and keep the family afloat. Even then, the single mother had turned down help. 'She wanted her family to rely on themselves,' recalls family coach Angel Choy. 'But I told her that accepting support doesn't mean that you're taking advantage of the available schemes. It's to help tide her family over the difficult time, so that they can get back on their feet when she is healthier.' As a family coach with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) , Ms Choy, 49, works with various agencies to help lower-income families move towards stability, self-reliance and social mobility. She has seen firsthand how timely support, paired with encouragement and a shift in mindset, can help these families find the confidence to regain their footing. With Ms Choy's quiet persistence and reassurance, Sarah eventually accepted help through MSF's ComLink+ programme , a decision that marked a turning point for her family. Now in remission from cancer, Sarah, 51, is back at work, pursuing a career in retail. Her elder daughter, who is a desktop engineer, turned 26 this year. Her younger daughter, a second-year student at the Institute of Technical Education, is volunteering with a social service agency that supports youth well-being. The family, currently residing in a public rental flat, is working towards greater financial stability and eventually owning a place of their own. Empowering families, one step at a time Under ComLink+, eligible lower-income families with children are paired with a dedicated family coach. Together, they work towards goals in areas like employment, education, caregiving and housing. Family coaches identify and then connect families with various support initiatives through different agencies. These include non-profit organisations such as KidSTART Singapore as well as other programmes to ensure families receive all-rounded support. Many families deal with overlapping challenges, which lead to other hurdles. Financial difficulties, Ms Choy pointed out, are often just the tip of the iceberg. They may also face health issues and struggle with caregiving, among other stressors that pile up over time. 'Financial constraints are also a sign that there may be more barriers and obstacles coming their way,' she says. For instance, mismatched qualifications or having caregiving responsibilities often limit job options to gig or part-time work without Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions, leaving them with little savings or long-term retirement security. Some are single parents working long hours to make ends meet. They find it difficult to supervise their children after school or care for elderly family members' medical needs. 'It's important for us as family coaches to ensure that all their basic needs are first met before we try to tackle the bigger issues,' said Ms Choy. 'For example, some parents struggle to put food on the table, so that is the first thing we tackle. We support the child's well-being before we look into other issues like employment or the child's schoolwork.' Understanding these complex, layered challenges starts with providing emotional support and a non-judgmental listening ear to families. 'In Sarah's case, she realised that I was there to listen; not judge her or tell her what to do, but instead to work with her towards what's needed (for her family) at that point,' Ms Choy says. She is clear about her role: It 'isn't to do everything' for the families she supports, but to help them recognise their strengths and ability to take charge of their lives. 'We want to empower them to take steps to help themselves,' she explains. 'When their mindset shifts from negative to positive, you help them see possibilities – and that's when they realise they are stronger than they think and start doing more for themselves and their families.' Ms Choy switched careers just over a year ago to become a family coach, and she has already seen families go from barely surviving to excitedly discussing and planning for their future. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT Another family whom Ms Choy supported had wanted to apply for a Build-to-Order (BTO) flat, but the sole breadwinner, a mother-of-four, withdrew the application after discovering a shortfall in her CPF savings. With Ms Choy's support, the family of four was placed on ComCare assistance to help with household expenses. The mother was enrolled in the ComLink+ Progress Package for employment, which provided her with cash and CPF top-ups after she secured a stable job on her own and remained employed. Ms Choy recalled the woman's determination to clear her debts and set aside savings for her first home after learning about the ComLink+ Progress Package for home ownership. Under this scheme, every dollar that families voluntarily contribute to their CPF is matched with an additional $2 in CPF top-ups. Today, she is making steady progress towards owning a home and achieving financial stability. 'That's a positive sign – when they talk about their next steps,' she says. Supporting the next generation Many parents Ms Choy works with are also worried about not being able to give their children a good start in life. For those with young children, she would refer them to KidSTART Singapore . The organisation supports lower-income families with children up to age six. It equips parents with tools and knowledge to support their children's development through regular check-ins, home visits and community-led initiatives that promote positive parent-child interaction. Parents are encouraged to enrol their children in preschool , especially if they are unsure of how to support their child's development at home, says Ms Choy. Older children receive support too. Ms Choy has connected families with various community initiatives designed for their school-going children. For instance, programmes like Homework Cafe partner with both SG Cares Volunteer Centre and Punggol West Constituency Office to provide safe, supportive spaces for students to receive academic support. Another programme, Joyful Learning, run in collaboration with EtonHouse Community Fund Limited, Punggol Shore Constituency Office and SunCare SG, offers activities such as singing and storytelling to support children's early learning and confidence. Working with fellow family coaches, Ms Choy helps tailor support strategies that address the specific needs and challenges of each family. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT Ms Choy recalls supporting a mother who welcomed a new baby 10 years after the birth of her older child. Through KidSTART Singapore, the mother received guidance on early child development, while Ms Choy assisted in securing an infant care placement for her baby. It was heartening to observe the mother's optimism and can-do mindset in caring for her baby, Ms Choy says. 'The mum told me, 'I sing to my baby, I talk a lot to my baby about what I did today.'' With the added support and the mother's growing confidence, the child is developing well. '[The] baby now goes to infant care every day. She's very healthy, a little chubby – and so cute,' says Ms Choy, beaming into a wide smile. Stories like these remind her that a mindset shift can be uplifting for families. 'It is very rewarding when you see families break through these barriers, one by one, and start recognising their own capacity for all these changes,' she says. To families who are currently struggling, Ms Choy has this message: 'Things can get better. Don't give up. You are not alone – the government and the community are here to walk alongside you. Keep moving forward, and you'll start to see the difference.'
Business Times
28-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Employment agency for persons with disabilities – profitable from Year 2 while doing good
[SINGAPORE] Inclus, a recruitment agency specifically for persons with disabilities (PWDs), has been pretty busy in its seven years of operations, scaling and moving into new areas in which it can be of service. Its founders, Shaun Tan, Anders Tan (who are unrelated) and Arudra Vangal, knew from the start, in 2018, that their end-to-end integrated disability employment services outfit would be run on a social enterprise model instead of a purely non-profit one – in other words, they wanted to generate revenue while doing good. Inclus maintains a single bottom line rather than a double or triple bottom line, because its business model and social mission are intertwined. As Shaun Tan put it, the company has never wanted to be in a position of having to choose between the two. The pair, former schoolmates at the Singapore Management University, might have hit on something right, for the business was profitable from Year 2, drawing its revenue through fees from companies looking to hire PWDs. Inclus has placed more than 200 PWDs in roles in sectors, including finance and food and beverage (F&B), since its inception. It is an issue for PWDs to find – and keep – jobs. The Ministry of Social and Family Development's 2024 disability trend report indicated that in 2022/2023, the average employment rate among PWDs aged 15 to 64 was about a third (32.7 per cent), up from 28.2 per cent in 2018/2019. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Tan said: 'Their high level of unemployment is both a problem and an opportunity to be addressed at the same time.' The rise of artificial intelligence also adds some heat to the problem. Take Michael Ang, a 30-year-old with Down syndrome, but is high-functioning. He works in a restaurant in King Albert Park, and worries that AI would outdo him in productivity and quality of service. 'AI can work more hours and (won't) complain about being tired,' he said. A global survey of 11,000 executives, polled for the Future of Jobs 2025 report, found that 41 per cent of employers plan to downsize their workforce because of AI's potential to replicate job roles. With such findings in mind, Inclus is going beyond matching PWDs to employers willing to take them in – to taking steps to future-proof its job-seeker candidates. It is also helping businesses to tap the potential and benefits of inclusive employment. While Inclus has not leaned towards any industry in particular, it has targeted jobs in administration, logistics and engineering, because PWD placements in these sectors tend to be employer- and industry-driven, said Tan. Even when Covid hit, these industries continued hiring, he said. Technology for good Because some companies view employing PWDs as a box-ticking exercise, a tokenism, Tan said that Inclus 'asks a lot of questions' to ensure that companies are in it for the right reasons. The company is also mindful of its PWD candidates would have to fit in at their workplace. Potential employers, on their part, may expect a PWD's productivity to be on a par with that of other colleagues on the same salary. Recognising that PWD employees 'will take a bit longer to get up to productivity', Tan said Inclus provides training and job support through partnerships with organisations such as SG Enable, the focal agency for disability and inclusion. On the possibility that AI could take over the PWDs' roles in the workplace, Lim Lee Lee, general manager of social enterprise Collective Perspectives, is more sanguine, pointing out that 'AI cannot do all the functions for, or of, a PWD'. She said technology could instead be leveraged to improve lives. This technology could take the form of, for example, AI-powered speech-recognition systems for people with mobility or talking difficulties. 'So instead of viewing AI-powered tools as a threat, we need to embrace and learn to work with them. AI-powered tools are compliments and cannot replace the work entirely.' To prepare the younger generation for an AI future, Inclus is also supporting students with special-education needs through internship placements. In this new area, the company works with institutes of higher learning and specialised secondary schools to arrange for the internships for PWDs aged 17 to their 20s. He added that while Inclus began with adult employment as its focus, the team knew that it had to 'engage them earlier in their lives, when they are (still in school or even) as early as when they get diagnosed'. 'This is so that we work with them as early as possible, with employment and independent living as the end goal.' The company is looking to expand its presence in Asia, and is piloting an after-school care centre in Penang, Malaysia. Tan said: 'The numbers (of PWDs) will not be going away or dropping, and employing (this group) is one of the ways (businesses) can stay relevant in the longer term.' Inclus was one of the 24 companies awarded the DBS Foundation Grant in 2023, and it is using the grant to build a mobile app to scale its outreach.
AsiaOne
26-07-2025
- General
- AsiaOne
Why I said 'I do' at 26 — even before most of my friends thought about it , Lifestyle News
When I signed our marriage certificate at 26, I didn't think I was doing anything radical. After all, I was viewing almost-weekly Instagram stories of my Junior College schoolmates tying the knot, so it seemed like plenty of my peers were getting hitched. But according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Social and Family Development's Family Trends Report 2025, the median age for first-time grooms in Singapore in 2024 was 31.1; I was five years below that. And for brides it's 29.6; my wife was 24 when we were solemnised. For us, it's been six months since we locked it in (aka joined in holy matrimony). Looking back, it wasn't a teenage impulse or a fairytale moment. It was a decision born out of long-term commitment, practical SG realities like BTO eligibility (gotta maximise those gahmen grants), and, perhaps unexpectedly, my in-laws. My now-wife and I had been together for close to five years before we tied the knot. We'd already weathered university life, job hunting, and the awkward early-20s phase of trying to figure ourselves out. But when it came to living together or planning a trip for just the two of us, we hit a wall. Her parents — loving, kind, but firmly traditional — had strong reservations about cohabitation before marriage. And so, between wanting a life together and respecting her family's values, we made a choice: we got married. It wasn't some grand proposal with hundreds of rose petals and a drone show over Marina Bay (ok but it was still a super fancy omakase in Japan). Just two people who decided they were ready, even if it was earlier than what is typical. 'Finally!' - but also, 'wah, so fast ah ?' While our closest friends were unsurprised, with their cheeky "finally lah " and "I already guessed" reactions (after all, we had been dating for close to five years), the occasional " wah , so fast ah ?" or "what's the rush?" comments from colleagues and acquaintances reminded us that our timeline was not exactly the norm. To be honest, the external chatter didn't cause us to second guess our decision; if anything, we were even more sure of it because it made us realise "actually, ya hor , what are we even waiting for?" Plus, I wouldn't say less enthu comments were "bad". The people who implied we should give it more thought or pause first didn't come across as unsupportive, it was more like checking if we had "double, triple confirmed" this momentous decision. Checking if we had the financial means to afford the coming big purchases (wedding, honeymoon, house, renovation), the maturity to weather the good and bad as a married couple when we were barely in our mid-20s, whether our careers were stable enough, and all the usual conservative Asian brakes installed on any big decision. On the contrary, while the external chatter didn't really faze us, our moments of doubt did give us pause. As two young working adults, we were not exactly rolling in disposable income. Our wedding reception at the end of this year will be intimate and modest (no swanky hotel ballroom), our BTO flat will not be ready until 2028, and our careers are still in their early stages. And my biggest worry: Would I be a "good enough" husband? Still, none of those worries outweighed the clarity I had about one thing: I wanted to do life, and everything that comes with it, with her. Marriage made the man I grew up an only child. That meant that before marriage, I was still living at home, eating my grandma's cooking, not being the one in charge of buying groceries, and relying on my parents to settle all my insurance needs. Post-marriage, I had to research insurance needs for my wife and myself (thankfully we have a super solid financial adviser), learn when the best supermarket deals are (discounted "must use by same day" proteins), and settle all the admin stuff. And while I'm still me, I'm also someone else now: a teammate, a planner, a provider (and occasional dishwasher). Essentially, a better version of myself that was, and still is, shaped by partnership, not perfection. I don't mean this in a cliche "marriage forces you to grow up" way. Rather, it gave me a reason to. When you're dating, you can still float around each other's lives. One night, maybe a month after we got married, I came home from work and found my wife sitting on the couch, unusually quiet (she's usually a yapper-cino). She had had a long day-something about a tough client, back-to-back meetings, and barely time to eat lunch. I was tired, too, but instead of letting her marinate (wallow) in her funk and retreating to my usual decompression routine (doomscrolling TikTok, or mindlessly Youtubing), I sat next to her, pulled her feet onto my lap, and asked, "Want to talk or nah ?" She said, "not really," so I understood that she just wanted to be allowed to unwind and babied. I ordered our favourite dessert, put on a favourite Mr Bean episode (she loves Mr Bean), put away the laundry, and just accompanied her till she felt more recharged. It sounds like such a small thing. But it was the first time I realised: this is what building a shared life looks like. It is not about dramatic gestures or constant romance. It is about showing up, not just when it's convenient, but when it matters. It is about adjusting your rhythm so that it matches someone else's, even if only for a night. That moment shifted something in me. I stopped thinking in terms of "my time" or "my space." I started thinking in "ours", and how I should always create a safe space for her where she can just drop everything and relax. Six months in Now, half a year later, while my friends swipe on dating apps and contemplate whether to DTR ("define the relationship"), I spend my evenings making dinner with my wife, going on long walks, or debating whether to watch the last season of Squid Game or rewatch Modern Family for the fifth time. It's quieter, yes, but it's also fuller. Do I think everyone should marry early? No. Honestly, I never even thought I would. In my teens and early 20s, I imagined myself following the Singapore script: build your career, settle down closer to your 30s, do the usual dance. But love doesn't always follow timelines. And in our case, the circumstances, the history, the values, they all made sense. I don't romanticise early marriage. It's hard work, and it asks things of you that you might not feel ready for. You learn that love is not just a feeling, but something you nurture every day. It asks for patience when you're both tired and irritable. For generosity when one of you is having a tougher week. For maturity when making decisions that shape your future as a unit. And sometimes, it asks for faith, that even if you do not have it all figured out, you will figure it out together. It may be tough at times, but I also don't regret it. Not for a second. Because when you find someone you want to come home to, build a life with, and grow alongside — not just despite your age, but because of where you are in life — you find that marriage isn't about settling down. It's about growing up, together. [[nid:718596]] This article was first published in .
Business Times
24-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Business Times
Housing a critical issue for youth who age out of care
[SINGAPORE] Adam (not his real name), was faced with the prospect of not having a home at the age of 21. He admitted that the notion of not having a guaranteed place to sleep was a 'scary one'. A Ministry of Social and Family Development report in 2024 indicated that around 500 children and adolescents in Singapore are in out-of-home residential care due to abuse or neglect. While most eventually re-integrate with their families, a small number – around 30 a year – are unable to do so, and would age out into independent living by the time they turn 21 years old. Cindy Ng, director of Melrose Home, Children's Aid Society (CAS), said: 'Thirty may seem like a small number, but each one represents a young person whose challenges ripple beyond themselves. As the years go by and this group grows, the impact – on their lives and the people around them – becomes even more significant. These are not isolated experiences; they shape our communities and ultimately, our society.' Hence, the Thrive21+ was piloted in 2022 with partners such as CapitaLand Hope Foundation to support care leavers' transition into independent living was beneficial for this group of people, which includes Adam. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Thrive21+ is a three-year long programme for this group, termed as care leavers, aged 17 and above. The programme aims to help them develop in the areas of educational attainment, asset-building, employment and financial literacy, among other things. The project consists of a year-long independent living preparation (year 1) and a two-year housing programme (years 2 and 3). Under the housing programme, participants rent an apartment together and co-pay the living expenses for years 2 and 3 with the support of social workers. 'This is to reduce (the) cliff effect for the care leavers as they re-integrate into society,' Ng added. Towards the end of the programme for the inaugural batch of beneficiaries, a survey was conducted by Quantedge Foundation (QFS), in collaboration with Children's Aid Society, of Thrive21+, with a focus on the housing initiative component. Survey findings announced on Wednesday (Jul 23) suggested that the housing programme has helped participants attain life skills in several areas. Notable improvements were observed in categories such as money management, health and housing. 'Crucially, the initiative has cushioned some of the shocks that come with transitioning to independent living, providing safety and stability for participants to get their footing right. Not worrying about accommodation costs also allowed participants to pursue their interests and focus on work,' stated the survey, titled Where Reintegration Is Not An Option. The research, 'the first of its kind in Singapore – asks a crucial question: What happens when a young person leaves care but doesn't yet have a stable place to live?' said Alvin Goh, executive director of Children's Aid Society. Improving lives One of the ways suggested that the participants' lives can improve is through housing. The report stated that the dynamics of the free market often do not favour vulnerable individuals such as care leavers as they tend to have fewer resources and support systems. In a tight property market, landlords can afford to be selective, preferring tenants who have a track record of reliability. Eight survey respondents indicated that they were earning money (including allowance from National Service), with the average monthly income being S$1,137, and the median being S$800. This means they could expect to spend around 48 to 69 per cent of their income on rent alone. This makes the financial cost of renting the most significant barrier facing care leavers seeking to rent, noted CAS staff interviewees. 'This is because care leavers can expect to pay S$538 per person in rent in the open market, minimally. In comparison, renters can expect to pay around S$800, minimally, for co-living spaces. In line with expectations, the survey respondents were generally less confident about being able to rent a unit in the private market.' The study said that to effectively facilitate the transition of care leavers into independent living, it is essential to facilitate access to stable housing. Both government and community organisations can play a role in this. 'This could involve facilitating access to public rental housing, providing longer-term stable financial assistance, and partnerships with private landlords to ensure care leavers are given a chance to rent,' it stated. 'The goal is to create a system that proactively facilitates housing stability for care leavers so that they are not completely subjected to the vagaries of the free market.' Minister for Education Desmond Lee, who is also patron of the organisation, said: 'The study's findings show that the journey of care leavers is rarely straightforward, and we need a sustained effort across all of society to support them to overcome the challenges they face.'
Business Times
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Subsidies and grants for some 20,000 people miscalculated due to processing issue: MOH
[SINGAPORE] About 20,000 people received the wrong subsidies and grants owing to a processing issue in a government means-testing system. The Ministry of Health (MOH), which manages the Household Means Eligibility System (Homes), said on Jul 21 that corrections to the subsidy and grant levels of those affected are in progress. The ministry added that it has completed a reassessment of the affected individuals' subsidy tiers. The majority of those affected received more subsidies and grants than they were entitled to, said the ministry. They will not have to return the excess subsidy or grant amounts that have already been paid out. Those who received less than they were entitled to will have the difference topped up by government agencies, said MOH. They will receive the reimbursement payments by November. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up MOH said it will adjust the means-test and subsidy tiers of affected individuals to the intended levels from Jul 21. Homes uses income information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore to means-test individuals with business income. It provides means-testing results for selected subsidy schemes across the government. Explaining the processing issue, MOH said that, in January, Homes could not appropriately account for the business income of some people after changes to data processing timelines. This caused miscalculations in the means-test results of these individuals and members of their households between Jan 1 and 27, said MOH. It added that the roughly 20,000 affected people represent less than 3 per cent of all individuals means-tested during this period. MOH said about 19,000 people were affected for schemes under MOH, while around 1,000 individuals were affected for other schemes under the Early Childhood Development Agency, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Ministry of Education and Infocomm Media Development Authority. The MOH schemes affected by the processing issue are: Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) Subsidies for CareShield Life or MediShield Life premiums and Additional Premium Support Subsidies for long-term care services Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund Equipment Rental Scheme Home Caregiving Grant ElderFund Subsidies at public healthcare institutions for day surgery, inpatient services, specialist outpatient clinics, polyclinic drugs/vaccines and community hospital services Schemes by other government agencies affected by the processing issue are: Early Childhood Development Agency's pre-school subsidies and early intervention schemes Infocomm Media Development Authority's DigitalAccess@Home Scheme Ministry of Education's Higher Education Bursaries and Kindergarten Care Additional Subsidies Ministry of Social and Family Development's Enabling Transport Subsidy, Taxi Subsidy Scheme and Assistive Technology Fund Agencies will reach out to inform those impacted by the processing issue progressively. These individuals do not have to take any action on their part, said MOH. In a similar incident in 2019, about 7,700 people who applied for and renewed their Chas cards in September and October 2018 received inaccurate subsidies after a computer system miscalculated their means-test results. The Straits Times has contacted MOH for more information. THE STRAITS TIMES
