ADDENDA, MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH AND SPORTS

ADDENDA TO PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS AT THE OPENING OF:

THE SECOND SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT:

MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH AND SPORTS: DR VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN

Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports

MCYS is committed to supporting Singaporeans through these trying times. Our priorities are to: (i) provide hope and assurance for needy Singaporeans; (ii) boost the many helping hands that hold up our social safety net; (iii) strengthen our cohesion in the face of growing social diversity; (iv) enhance family resilience; and (v) expand services for an older population.

Providing hope and assurance for the needy

We will focus on: (a) those who are permanently unable to work and have no family support; (b) those who are usually able to cope in good times, but are thrown into distress by the economic downturn; and (c) dysfunctional families plagued by multiple and chronic problems. Our help measures are targeted and calibrated, so that we continue to encourage good work ethic and the role of the family as the first line of support, whilst aiming ultimately to achieve self reliance.

We will update the ComCare schemes so that they remain relevant and adequate. The quantum of Public Assistance has recently been increased. We will exercise greater flexibility to help those at the margins, and provide more financial support, especially to children from low-income and vulnerable families. We will facilitate the work of voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), Community Development Councils (CDCs) and grassroots organisations in reaching out and helping those in need. MCYS will provide more help for dysfunctional families through early identification of at-risk families, enhancement of the Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) scheme, and providing intensive case management. Training and employment opportunities will also be enhanced to help youths at risk re-integrate into society and remain crime-free.

Boosting Many Helping Hands

The Many Helping Hands is a key pillar of our social services to the needy. In the tough economic climate ahead, public donations may decline even while VWOs’ caseloads rise. MCYS has increased funding and provided a contingency fund to support the VWOs and self-help groups. Family Service Centres (FSCs) will receive more resources to improve service delivery and establish themselves as the community focal point for all families seeking help, especially the low income and needy. We are enhancing capacity and professionalising the sector through the accreditation of social workers and social service practitioners. We will encourage mid-career entrants to join the sector through the Professional Conversion Programme under SPUR. To further enhance public support for the charity sector, we will continue to strengthen the governance standards and encourage more transparency and accountability. We will implement a new programme, Singapore Cares, to offer more flexible volunteering opportunities.

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Bonding the community

In times of adversity, it is even more important to guard against threats to the fault lines of nationality, ethnicity and religion. We have also set up a National Integration Council (NIC) comprising members from the public, private and people sectors, to promote mutual trust and understanding across communities, especially amongst new citizens.

Sports is a powerful medium to rally the nation and bond communities. Preparations for the Youth Olympic Games 2010 (YOG) are progressing well. We have set up the Singapore Youth Sports Development Committee to provide more opportunities for youths to play and compete in sports. The Singapore Sports School will also offer a new six-year programme to provide more flexibility and more academic options for our students. Looking ahead to the legacy of the YOG, we will continue to make prudent investments in public sports infrastructure. We will also pursue the development of strategic projects such as the Changi Motorsports Hub.

We will continue to explore more opportunities to engage our youths, and cater to their wide range of interests. We have developed common spaces, such as *scape and the Extreme Skatepark, for youth to engage in recreational activities. We plan to leverage on the excitement generated from YOG to promote youth volunteerism, and will work with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre to facilitate youth involvement in such activities. To increase their level of civic participation, we intend to further engage youth in discussions on community and national issues.

Supporting families

MCYS will pay special attention to strengthening marriages, and ensure that the institution of family remains a cornerstone of our society. With rising divorce rates, we will help families manage issues arising from family breakdown, such as effective enforcement of maintenance payments. We will also study further ways to strengthen marriages, especially during current times when marriages are undergoing greater strain.

The Ministry will continue to implement and enhance measures to encourage marriage and parenthood. We will provide affordable and accessible childcare options to parents. We will also enhance investments in the care and early development of our children by providing more funding for the childcare sector, introducing measures to raise teacher quality and curriculum standards, and building research capabilities in early childhood development. We plan to facilitate the development of 200 more childcare centres in the next five years, and grow employment opportunities in this sector.

Preparing for older population

Given our rapidly ageing population, we will help individuals prepare for their later years, and assist families to provide care and support to their seniors. More daycare centres and seniors activity centres will be set up over the next five years. We will work with the Ministry of Health to ensure that long-term care services are available to seniors and their caregivers in the community and in their homes. For the large majority of elders who remain healthy in mind and body, they should have the opportunity to lead active, purposeful, and socially connected lives. The Council for Third Age will continue to champion active ageing.

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We will also ensure that vulnerable seniors receive adequate protection. The Mental Capacity Act will come into effect later this year with the setting up of the Office of Public Guardian. We will ensure that the Tribunal for Maintenance of Parents remains an effective deterrent against children who do not support financially needy parents.