Giving Hope to the Community Inspiring the Next Generation and the Community Contents
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Society of Sheng Hong Welfare Services ANNUAL REPORT 2012/2013 Giving Hope to the Community Inspiring the Next Generation and the Community Contents PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 02 EXECUTIVE director’S message 03 ADVISORS & MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 05 ORGANISATION CHART 06 MILESTONES 07 THE SHENG HONG STORY 08 FAMILY SERVICE 11 STUDENT CARE SERVICE 22 CHILDCARE SERVICE 24 THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE 28 PUBLIC DISCLOSURE 29 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 30 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 37 Copyright © 2013 Society of Sheng Hong Welfare Services Published by Society of Sheng Hong Welfare Services (ROS316/99WEL) 237 Hougang Street 21 #01-406 Singapore 530237 Tel: +65 6289 5022 | Fax: +65 6289 8242 Email: [email protected] | www.shenghong.org.sg Produced by JMatrix Consulting Pte Ltd A Publishing and Communications Co. 14 Robinson Road #13-00 Far East Finance Building Singapore 048545 Email: [email protected] | jmatrix.co All rights reserved. All material printed in this publication is protected under the copyright act. No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without the prior written consent of copyright holder. Permission to use the materials may be addressed to [email protected]. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the publisher, who makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy and/or completion of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss of profit or any other personal or commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. PRESIDENT’S Message Service in Excellence Empowering staff to go the extra mile It has been 12 years since our inception, yet, here at decision that the review will not be limited to the social Sheng Hong, we continue to strive to ensure that our workers of the family service centre, but extend to all services remain relevant to the people we serve and employees of Sheng Hong. While MSF has provided interact with. We hope to use our resources in the most good funding support to meet the higher salary scale efficient way, while retaining our water-like quality of of the professional staff in our family service centre, the adaptability, as exemplified by Chapter 8 of the Dao Sheng Hong Temple has supplemented our funding De Jing. generously so that all the other staff’s salary can remain Over the years, both the social service landscape and competitive. We are indeed grateful for their generous the childcare industry have undergone rapid changes. support. Social service is not merely charity work, and childcare As we receive wider recognition in the social service is no longer just baby-sitting. Both have become service arena and are accorded more resources, our a much valued profession. I am glad to see that the immediate challenge is to look for the best ways to important roles of both the social workers and the meet the increased expectation of providing quality childcare teachers have received due recognition by and professional service. All of this, while my dedicated the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), leadership team and staff continue to commit and more resources become available for the upgrading themselves selflessly, invariably going the extra mile of social workers and childcare teachers. I believe this is to provide the best possible service to those under the right way to go as quality service will need quality their care. staff to deliver, and continuous education is one key In conclusion, the National Day Award that was aspect to ensure our staff’s knowledge and skills are presented to me in August 2012 – the honourable kept abreast with the latest developments in the social Public Service Award (PBM) – is a reflection of all the service and childcare industries. collective good work accomplished by everyone in Besides providing staff with continuous educational the Sheng Hong family over the past 12 years. With a opportunities, another key aspect in good human common aspiration to excel, I know we will continue to resource management is keeping our staff’s meet the rising expectations in the years to come. remuneration package competitive and relevant. With great support and encouragement from the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), we embarked on a thorough review on our staff salary in mid-2012. Mr Ling Kin Huat, PBM The Management of Sheng Hong has made a bold President 02 SOCIETY OF SHENG HONG WELFARE SERVICES EXECUTIVE Director’S Message The Love to Serve From being served to serving others In 2012, we see rapid growth and development in our social workers have to work closely with many both the social service and childcare sector. There is an more partners such as the Ministry of Social and increased expectation that the sectors will be manned Family Development, the Community Development by qualified professional personnel. Government has Council, grassroots organisations, school counsellors made available generous resources to train both social and medical social workers. More efforts were spent in workers and childcare teachers. However, the supply reaching out and surveying of community needs. of such qualified personnel always lags behind the Last year, the bulk of our resources were demand. There is an urgent need to vigorously recruit, channelled to helping the poor and the needy in the train and retain relevant personnel as they are the community. Besides providing them with financial backbone of our services. assistance, counselling support, we also run a variety I am grateful for the strong support shown by the of programmes to give such families additional help, Sheng Hong management in staff development and such as our project Rainbow Connection, KidsRead training. Last year, two of our experienced counsellors and Homemakers’ Kitchen. We are encouraged to acquired additional qualification of Graduate Diploma see very positive response and results from all these in Social Work. One of our staff has successfully programmes and activities. completed a Degree in Social Work and is promoted Over at our student care centre, we are very happy to Social Worker designation. Our childcare centre to see that the team has worked cohesively together Principal and I have completed a Master degree in Early and has developed many creative projects, such as art Childhood Education and Social Work respectively. Now, jamming, 3-D modelling, mini fun fair etc, to bring out about 70% of the professional front liners in our family the best qualities from our students. Life in our student service centre are armed with a relevant qualification care centre has been very interesting for our children. in social work. Another 70% of our childcare teachers Both parents and students have given a ‘thumbs-up’ for are equipped with at least a diploma in early childhood our service during the annual evaluation survey. education. We will continue to support our staff to In July 2012, our childcare centre reached a full attain the relevant qualifications in the near future in enrolment of 193 children for the first time. Our staff order to meet the changing landscape in the sectors. team has grown to a strong workforce of 33 staff as at Over the past one year, more than 2,000 clients have end March 2013. As the demand of childcare service benefited from Sheng Hong’s array of services through continues, the Sheng Hong management has planned our three centres. We continue to see an increased to expand its childcare service in the near future. It is demand for financial assistance for those who sought most encouraging to see the commitment shown by help from our family service centre. Problems presented the management in investing heavily in promoting by our clients have become more complex with many accessible and quality pre-school education among families facing multiple and chronic issues. Increasingly, the young ones in Singapore. ANNUAL REPORT 2012/2013 03 I hope to see new leaders emerging among our midst, inspired and ready to take on more responsibilities and work together with their colleagues and volunteers to unceasingly improve service quality to fulfil Sheng Hong’s mission in caring for the community. In the span of the last 12 years, Sheng Hong has and partners in the community for their support and developed a spectrum of programmes serving people contribution in one way or another. of all ages. In February 2013, with the support from In particular, I would like to thank our service the relevant authorities, Sheng Hong opened its recipients who have put their trust in us and allow us to fourth centre at Chinatown. The Life Point centre is a serve them in many different ways. Many of them have specialised project aimed at promoting proper planning also given back by offering assistance in one way or among the elderly in handling death and dying issues another, such as preparing food for our events, packing in the later stage of life. It is our pioneering efforts of goodie bags, contributing gifts and presents. Many in responding to the growing needs of the greying of them have become givers themselves, and move population in Singapore. beyond the receiving end. Moving forward, we will continue to train and equip In conclusion, I hope to see new leaders emerging our staff so that they will deliver a quality service in among our midst, inspired and ready to take on whatever capacity they are in. We will also consolidate more responsibilities and work together with their our new services such as Life Point and Homemakers’ colleagues and volunteers to unceasingly improve Kitchen. Besides, we will continue to build on the good service quality to fulfil Sheng Hong’s mission in caring works of the existing projects.