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SINGAPORE : Businesses that wish to jump on the pro-family bandwagon, or enhance their existing pro-family initiatives can now apply for a grant from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.
From 1st April, successful applicants to the Pro-Family Business Grant can get up to S$20,000 as 50 percent of the co-share costs.
The new initiative is part of efforts to make businesses in Singapore pro-family.
A study in 2005 by the Ministry of Community Youth and Sports found that households with young children spend S$1.5 billion annually.
And families are drawn towards places with children- and elderly-friendly facilities and services.
To help companies become pro-family, a S$2 million Pro-Family Business Grant has been launched to help defray infrastructure, staff training and consultancy costs.
The grant will be disbursed in two phases.
Successful applicants will get 20 percent of the money upon approval.
The remaining 80 percent of the grant will be disbursed upon completion of the pro-family project and when the outlet gets the Pro-Family Business Mark.
Making a business pro-family can be as simple as putting in comfortable couches for customers to take a rest or having trained service staff who are sensitive to the needs of families, especially those with young children.
To date, 2,538 business outlets have taken up the Pro-Family Business Pledge, but the Making Businesses Pro-Family Workgroup is seeking to double this to 5,000 over the next 12 months.
Forty businesses ranging from retail to food and beverages, attractions, leisure and even a hotel and a travel agency have also been accredited with the Pro-Family Business Mark.
Mrs Mildred Tan, Co-chair, Making Businesses Pro-family Workgroup, said: "Even those who... have received the Mark are still eligible to apply for the Grant and it's up to S$20,000. The grant today will allow them to seek assistance from business consultancy, from infrastructure development, training development - all the various service orientation."
Cathay Cineplex is one company that has received the Pro-Family Business Mark.
Last year, it spent S$50,000 on staff training and putting in a pro-family environment to draw young children and the elderly back into the cinemas.
Suhaimi Rafdi, President, Business Operations, Cathay Organisation Holdings, said: "What we've done is we've enhanced the movie-going experience by giving them an area where they can park their strollers, an area where they can change their diapers in an orderly manner as well as to leave a little bit of light in the auditorium when the main feature is running. This is to ensure that the kids feel very comfortable in coming back to the big screen and enjoy the movie as how it was intended to be."
Cathay made Tuesday a 'Mom and Tots' day where kids under 7 years of age can watch a movie for free if they are accompanied by a parent.
Suhaimi Rafdi said: "The returns were very attractive because we saw 30 percent increase, with mothers and children coming back to the big screen on Tuesdays. We've increased 10 to 15 percent in revenue, depending on the movies that's being released. This has benefited Cathay as a whole and we'd like to extend this to all our other multiplexes across the country."
Cathay plans to apply for the grant to help defray the S$50,000 it intends to spend this year on making all its multiplexes pro-family.
Businesses can download the application form from Making Businesses Pro-Family website at www.mbp.org.sg. - CNA/ch
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