Another Week Beyond – 2322

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, Family

Dear Friend, Many years ago, a mother with 3 very young children came to our door seeking assistance. An older colleague who used to work elsewhere took me aside and heaved a sigh. She told me that she was the caseworker for this woman’s mother at her previous place of employment and it pains her to see this woman in the same situation as her mother. She also told me that I should be prepared to deal with alcoholism, violence, child neglect and perpetual crises. What I heard sounded like stereotyping but as a young worker, I took it that this …

Another Week Beyond – 2029

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Family Group Conference, Family Group Conference, Restorative Justice, youth

Dear Friends, Morris (AWB – 2026) was all smiles as he got onto a WhatsApp video call with 2 volunteer mentors. One is a psychologist running his own practice and the other, an operations manager at a health and wellness business.  Last week, the Court considered the supplementary report from his probation officer and he was given a 21-month probation order. He is to remain indoors from 10 pm to 6 am and will be electronically monitored for 6 months. He must also perform 80 hours of community service and his mother has been bonded to ensure his good behaviour and …

Another Week Beyond – 2024

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Employment, Employment, Family

Dear Friends, There is an African saying that if we educate a man, we educate one person but if we educate a woman, we educate a family. Men’s lack of involvement at home seems to be taken as a norm and if we look at our members who volunteer in their neighbourhoods, the majority are mothers.  So how do we make sense of such an observation?   Well, we think it is best to simply take the view that men are contributing, but in ways we are not aware of yet. Iskandar, 38 years old, is a father of 6 children. He lost his …

Another Week Beyond – 2017

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, community spirit, Family Assistance Fund

Dear Friends, When a single mother with 6 children aged from 5 months to 14 years old     realised that she had a problem with bed bugs, she cleared out her furniture. Exhausted and distressed, she called us asking   what more she could do to resolve the problem. She did not call just to ask a question, but to tell someone that she worries constantly about the safety of her children. She  also said she found it stressful ensuring that her children finished their schoolwork with the one computer and 2 handphones that they shared among themselves.  While we will ensure …

Another Week Beyond -2011

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth, Community

Dear Friends, “I am Generation Equality – Realizing Women’s Rights” is the United Nations theme for   International Women’s Day on 8 March. Thus, it was fitting that 16 teens commemorated the day with their mothers by attending a conversation with body building champion Melissa Sarah Wee.Mel runs her own dessert business catering for the likes of FB, Twitter and Spotify and while she has made a promise to share some recipes, she came to our premises to deliver a more important message. “You can be the most beautiful girl in the world but if you are unhappy with how you look, …

Another Week Beyond – 2009

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, Volunteers

Dear Friends, Thank you very much for responding to last week’s appeal to support those affected by the COVID-19 challenge.  Your notes and calls of encouragement are much appreciated, and several have also asked us how you may support our efforts as volunteers. After reviewing the feedback from our members in the next few days, we will come back with possible ways we can work together. Your generosity has enabled us to designate a fund of $6000   to 6 different localities we are working in.   The purpose of the fund is to provide a quick response to meet basic needs. So …

Another Week Beyond – 2008

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, Volunteers

Dear Friends, Like many others, we were heartened to read about the wave of help following an appeal by Food Bank Singapore for volunteers.  Obviously, not receiving a food bundle that one depends on would be a cause for anxiety even without this concerning Covid-19 climate.   Hence, we were glad to receive a truck full of groceries from the Food Bank yesterday and will be distributing them in the next days.  Volunteers have stepped forward to help and we have a responsibility to minimize their risk and to implement precautionary measures as best as we can considering the limited number of …

Another Week Beyond – 1949

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth

Dear Friends, In my note last week, I reflected on how we could honour parents as the child’s first educators.  I considered getting parents to teach music and other subjects that drew children’s attention to the strengths and beautiful things within their families, communities and culture. I also suggested using the stories of parents and families to convey values where appropriate.  In response to my pondering I received an email suggesting that one valuable lesson parents should impart is to simply ask their children regularly, “How was the world a better place today, because you were there?” It was a …

Another Week Beyond – 1947

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth, Community

Dear Friends, A study of 147,004 patients conducted by the Singhealth Regional Health System   reviewing the period 2012 to 2017, found that those who lived in rental housing were 1.57 times more likely to die in the period, compared with those who were living elsewhere.   Public rental housing was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality. This statistic hit home when we joined several neighbours to clean up a home in preparation for the return of an 8-year-old child who is on life-support after passing out while having a high fever.  This was an active boy who attended our reading …

Another Week Beyond – 1940

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth, Community

Dear Friends, A year ago, we broached the idea that   “Families, not services, lead change” (AWB – 1839) to several families and we are glad that 11 of them have signed up for the Community Independence Project (CII).  These families have been divided into 2 groups and they each received a tablet PC to login onto an online journal that tracks their efforts related to income and savings, health, education and skills, housing, leadership and connections.   CII is a new model of social assistance that focuses on equipping families with social networks, capital and autonomy to improve their lives independently. …