SINGAPORE: About 40 per cent of the feedback received via a new feature in the OneService app were new instances of potentially vulnerable people.
The Help Neighbour feature , which allows residents to alert agencies of people who may be in need, was piloted on Jun 30.
A total of 58 instances of feedback were received, with about 60 per cent of the cases already known to agencies, Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann said on Thursday (Sep 2).
"This means 40 per cent were new cases being added to the agencies’ radar," Ms Sim wrote in a Facebook.
The Help Neighbour feature is a collaboration between the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Municipal Services Office (MSO) and Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).
Residents are able to alert agencies without needing to remember the specific agency or hotline to contact, authorities said.
Feedback submitted via the feature will allow AIC, MSF and their partners to locate and reach out to persons in need more quickly through geotagged data.
When feedback is submitted, it will be channelled to the relevant agency to engage the person in need and provide the necessary assistance.
The collected information will only be shared with the agencies and their partners, the authorities said, and not with the public.
"The feature helps to preserve the dignity and privacy of persons in need by acting as a direct channel to connect these persons to agencies," they added.
Ms Sim said that this is "especially relevant" in cases involving complicated family dynamics.
"Public exposure can mean greater pressure on already strained family relations," she wrote.
"While the concerned stranger submitting the feedback may not be told confidential details, he or she will be assured that the person is being helped – which I believe is the core motivation why people make such social media postings in the first place."
The Help Neighbour feature focuses on four groups of people in need, including vulnerable seniors and rough sleepers. (Image: Municipal Services Office, Ministry of Social and Family Development and Agency for Integrated Care)
Residents will receive an acknowledgement message on the app and via email after submitting their feedback.
For cases related to injury, harm, or lives at risk, the Help Neighbour feature will alert residents to direct their feedback to emergency services such as the police first, the authorities said.
They also encourage residents to engage the person in need first, when it is deemed "safe and respectful" of the person’s privacy to better understand their needs.
"This allows agencies to provide quicker and more targeted help," they said.
The social service agencies will continue focusing on four groups of people commonly flagged by residents during the soft launch: Vulnerable seniors, rough sleepers, cardboard collectors and tissue paper sellers.
Users can also refer persons in need who are not in the four main groups via the "Others" category, the authorities said.
"We encourage residents to continue playing their part in building an inclusive and caring society by leveraging this feature to help persons in need," they said.
"With a rapidly ageing population, it would certainly help to have more pairs of watchful eyes on the well-being of seniors living alone or with limited family support," said Ms Sim.
Residents can submit details on the location and demographic of the person in need via the feature. (Photo: Municipal Services Office, Ministry of Social and Family Development and Agency for Integrated Care)
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The Help Neighbour feature , which allows residents to alert agencies of people who may be in need, was piloted on Jun 30.
A total of 58 instances of feedback were received, with about 60 per cent of the cases already known to agencies, Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann said on Thursday (Sep 2).
"This means 40 per cent were new cases being added to the agencies’ radar," Ms Sim wrote in a Facebook.
The Help Neighbour feature is a collaboration between the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Municipal Services Office (MSO) and Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).
Residents are able to alert agencies without needing to remember the specific agency or hotline to contact, authorities said.
Feedback submitted via the feature will allow AIC, MSF and their partners to locate and reach out to persons in need more quickly through geotagged data.
Related:
DIRECT CHANNEL TO AGENCIES
When feedback is submitted, it will be channelled to the relevant agency to engage the person in need and provide the necessary assistance.
The collected information will only be shared with the agencies and their partners, the authorities said, and not with the public.
"The feature helps to preserve the dignity and privacy of persons in need by acting as a direct channel to connect these persons to agencies," they added.
Ms Sim said that this is "especially relevant" in cases involving complicated family dynamics.
"Public exposure can mean greater pressure on already strained family relations," she wrote.
"While the concerned stranger submitting the feedback may not be told confidential details, he or she will be assured that the person is being helped – which I believe is the core motivation why people make such social media postings in the first place."
The Help Neighbour feature focuses on four groups of people in need, including vulnerable seniors and rough sleepers. (Image: Municipal Services Office, Ministry of Social and Family Development and Agency for Integrated Care)
Residents will receive an acknowledgement message on the app and via email after submitting their feedback.
For cases related to injury, harm, or lives at risk, the Help Neighbour feature will alert residents to direct their feedback to emergency services such as the police first, the authorities said.
They also encourage residents to engage the person in need first, when it is deemed "safe and respectful" of the person’s privacy to better understand their needs.
"This allows agencies to provide quicker and more targeted help," they said.
Related:
The social service agencies will continue focusing on four groups of people commonly flagged by residents during the soft launch: Vulnerable seniors, rough sleepers, cardboard collectors and tissue paper sellers.
Users can also refer persons in need who are not in the four main groups via the "Others" category, the authorities said.
"We encourage residents to continue playing their part in building an inclusive and caring society by leveraging this feature to help persons in need," they said.
"With a rapidly ageing population, it would certainly help to have more pairs of watchful eyes on the well-being of seniors living alone or with limited family support," said Ms Sim.
Residents can submit details on the location and demographic of the person in need via the feature. (Photo: Municipal Services Office, Ministry of Social and Family Development and Agency for Integrated Care)
Continue reading...