Top 5 Social Service Sector News Updates in Q1 2019
More funding, skills support & awareness in Singapore
With just three months into 2019, it is gratifying to learn of the numerous new initiatives and focuses of Singapore’s leaders in shaping and structuring the social service landscape to raise awareness and provide more support to various organisations.
Here are 5 top stories we picked out:
1. More Funding for Social Service Programmes
Source: Channel News Asia
A $580 million commitment by Tote Board over the next 4 years to support programmes for vulnerable groups is indeed a heartwarming news for the social service sector. Administered by the National Council of Social Services (NCSS), grants for various social services programmes are expected to roll out over the next 4 years.
2. Greater Support for Children with Special Needs
Source: The Independent SG
Disability — an invisibility. It is time for people to change their perspective on people with special needs. The Government and various Ministries are moving towards providing more educational and developmental support for differently-abled persons. This year, anticipate greater and more governmental funding support to render assistance to families and children with special needs so that professional help and development can be sought.
Check out this amazing organisation who is currently supporting differently-abled persons: Foreword Coffee
3. Enlarging pool of professionals in the social service sector
Source: The Straits Times
2019 — the year of social enlargement for the social service sector. As the needs of the social arena increases, so will there be more professionals to meet various societal needs. In conjunction with efforts to enhance skill sets, more professionals will be yielded into this field as well.
All that being said, the social sector is embarking on a renewed path towards targeting and tackling social issues with people who will be trained for the job.
With the increase in social service sector professionals, bantu Workspace provides the best management system to support the upcoming volunteer recruitment to target societal problems efficiently and effectively. See how we are supporting capability building for the social sector space!
4. Increased Skills Support for Social Service Workers
Source: The Straits Times
Minister of State for Social and Family Development, Sam Tan, is ready to equip professionals with relevant and up-to-date set of skills to deal with the mounting challenges in the social service sector. Looking into development for various careers of social service professionals, Mr Tan expresses that demographical changes and new problems will be the core of the structures of training programmes.
To all Volunteer Managers and Social Service Workers, anticipate greater skills support to help you manage conditions and situations better.
5. Increased Calls for Mental Health Awareness
Source: The Independent SG
A rising problem to tackle — mental health concerns. Instead of perceiving mental health as a societal bane, steps are taken to prioritise conversations and support which can be given to people affected. While statistics on persons with affected mental health is on the rise, there is optimism in steps which can be adopted in changing perspectives and approaches towards people with mental health conditions. A space to watch as more conversations and attention is generated in providing support and solutions to address mental health problems.
