SINGAPORE: Five more volunteer centres (VCs) will be developed across different towns in Singapore by the end of this year, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said on Friday (Mar 8).
The centres are community-based organisations across Singapore that have been identified by the Government to take on an enhanced role to recruit and develop capabilities of volunteers, curate volunteer opportunities and grow partnerships with stakeholders to meet the diverse needs of the town.
AdvertisementSpeaking during the Ministry for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) Committee of Supply debate, Ms Fu said: “These VCs will recruit, manage, and develop volunteers on a sustained basis, create volunteering opportunities based on local needs, and build partnerships with stakeholders.”
The five centres will follow the two pilot centres that have been established in Bedok and Jurong East.
MCCY said that location of the upcoming five VCs are being finalised, and the Government will share the information “when ready”.
Ms Fu said that the VC in Bedok, Filos Community Services, will be developing a volunteer engagement toolkit and framework to engage the stakeholders in to promote active volunteerism in the town.
AdvertisementAdvertisementShe added that the VC in Jurong East, Loving Heart Multi-Service Centre, has kickstarted “Neighbour Cares”, a programme to mobilise neighbours as volunteers to look out for lonely seniors who need befriending services.
MCCY said that the pilots showed that a dedicated effort at the local-level to grow the volunteer pool, build their capabilities, and coordinate the demand and supply of volunteers, was important to make a sustained impact.
It added that it will support the VCs by connecting them to available resources and expanding their network, developing their volunteer management capabilities, and sharing information to help them optimise and channel their resources more effectively.
Ms Fu noted that the Government will review the progress of these VCs before expanding its efforts.
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