Committee of Supply 2023 debate, Day 7: Alvin Tan on building community ecosystems for social impact
The Government is working with community partners to create ecosystems that can have a greater social impact. Examples include the SG Mental Well-being Network which was set up last July to de-stigmatise, raise awareness of and drive partnerships on mental health and mental well-being, as well as the longstanding Racial and Religious Harmony Circles which have strengthened ties and built trust among ethnic and religious communities. Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan said this in Parliament on Monday (Mar 6). Meanwhile, the SG Cares volunteer centres, which coordinate efforts to channel volunteers and donations-in-kind to meet local needs, have seen growing participation. In the past year, the total number of volunteers and beneficiaries rose by 67 per cent and 50 per cent respectively, meaning the centres have engaged 45,000 volunteers and served 340,000 beneficiaries. Corporate volunteering is also on the rise, with the median percentage of employee volunteering doubling from 25 per cent in 2017 to 50 per cent in 2021. Mr Tan noted that businesses can also contribute through mentoring, with the Mentoring SG Office having been set up to drive this. Young people will also be given more opportunities to gain important experiences, grow their networks and take on leadership roles through projects such as the Somerset Belt and OBS@Coney.
The Government is working with community partners to create ecosystems that can have a greater social impact. Examples include the SG Mental Well-being Network which was set up last July to de-stigmatise, raise awareness of and drive partnerships on mental health and mental well-being, as well as the longstanding Racial and Religious Harmony Circles which have strengthened ties and built trust among ethnic and religious communities. Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan said this in Parliament on Monday (Mar 6). Meanwhile, the SG Cares volunteer centres, which coordinate efforts to channel volunteers and donations-in-kind to meet local needs, have seen growing participation. In the past year, the total number of volunteers and beneficiaries rose by 67 per cent and 50 per cent respectively, meaning the centres have engaged 45,000 volunteers and served 340,000 beneficiaries. Corporate volunteering is also on the rise, with the median percentage of employee volunteering doubling from 25 per cent in 2017 to 50 per cent in 2021. Mr Tan noted that businesses can also contribute through mentoring, with the Mentoring SG Office having been set up to drive this. Young people will also be given more opportunities to gain important experiences, grow their networks and take on leadership roles through projects such as the Somerset Belt and OBS@Coney.
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