Network October HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL SENIOR VOLUNTEER MONTH 2019

Issue 5 | October | 2019 e- Network October HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL SENIOR VOLUNTEER MONTH 2019

NSVM 2019 continued to promote volunteerism among Singaporeans. We had the participation and support of over 50 Social Service Agencies, corporate partners and government agencies. We are pleased to share that the total turnout for the NSVM 2019 Opening Ceremony was over 2,000 and over 300 volunteers were mobilised including students, corporate and senior volunteers. There was also extensive media coverage by CNA, Berita Mediacorp, Lian He Zao Bao, Shin Min Daily, Business Times, 8world, Chinese Radio News (Capital 95.8). We had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth to grow senior volunteerism in Singapore as part of the SG Cares national movement. Through this MoU, SG Cares will help develop RSVP Singapore?s capability to grow the number of volunteers aged 50 and above, and help them embark on a meaningful journey through curated volunteer opportunities with community partners, including local SG Cares Volunteer Centres.

SG Cares will also expand RSVP Singapore?s network to engage baby boomers upstream at their workplaces, and introduce them to volunteering opportunities. The target is to outreach up to 30,000 baby boomers in the first year. Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth was the Guest-of-Honour and witnessed the signing of the MoU. View photos of our event here and here.

Championing:

9 Bishan Place #08-02 Junction 8 Office Tower S(579837) Issue 5 | October | 2019 e- Network October HIGHLIGHTS

Our volunteers had fun carrying out craft activities with the clients of Alzheimer's Disease Association - ADA and helping them write thank you cards for their caregivers as part of the International Day of Older Persons celebrations on 14 October. Our thanks to volunteer Josie for coordinating the activity and to our RSVP MDOP volunteers for befriending and encouraging the clients. RSVP's volunteers and staff in front of the Alzheimer's Disease Association New Horizon Centre. View more photos of the event here.

RSVP was part of Singhealth's President's Challenge Finale event on 12 October. Our heartfelt thanks to our Line Dance Activity Circle and Fun Walkers (bottom) for representing RSVP at the event, and to our volunteers and staff (top) for your help at our booth. We managed to take a photo with Mdm Halimah Yacob, who is the Guest of Honour for the event as well as our Patron. Silver Volunteer Fund (SVF) is one of the beneficiaries adopted by Singhealth, and RSVP Singapore is proudly supported by the SVF. Thank you Singhealth for allowing us to be a part of the event. You may view more photos of the event here.

On 5 October, 16 corporate volunteers from F.T.M.S accompanied 45 children and teenagers from PERTAPIS Children?s Home and Boys Town to embark on an enriching farm tour around Ground Up Initiative (GUI). After the tour, participants got the chance to pick an herb and mix the soil for their personal potted herb. Everyone was then treated to a scrumptious plant-based lunch cooked by the chef volunteers of GUI before we celebrated the birthday of the ?October babies?. It was a well-spent and meaningful Saturday! 2

9 Bishan Place #08-02 Junction 8 Office Tower S(579837) Issue 5 | October | 2019 e- Network October OUTREACH EVENTS

RSVP has been busy in the past two months, participating in a plethora of roadshows to increase awareness of the organisation and promoting our IT courses.

- 5 Sept: Industry Guru Networking Event - People's Association - 19 Sept: "Be A Volunteer" - Life Stage Conversations with Seniors at Yew Tee CDAC - 26 Sept: Effective Assets Management in NPOs Talk at National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre - 28 Sept: Merdeka Generation Roadshow at Tiong Bahru Plaza - 1 Oct: "Be A Volunteer" - Life Stage Conversations with Seniors at Bukit Panjang CDAC - 5 Oct: Merdeka Generation Roadshow at Hougang Central Hub - 6 Oct: Outreach booth at Radin Mas CC Re-opening Launch - 12 Oct: Merdeka Generation Roadshow at Kampong Admiralty - 12 Oct: SingHealth President's Challenge 2019 Neon Fun Walk - 14 Oct: DIY International Day of Older Persons @ ADA New Horizon Centre - 17 Oct: "Be A Volunteer" - Life Stage Conversations with Seniors at Ang Mo Kio CDAC - 18 Oct: Social Service Tribe Career Dialogue - 19 Oct: Merdeka Generation Roadshow at Yew Tee Hard Court - 20 Oct: Merdeka Generation Roadshow at Wisma Geylang Serai - 24 Oct: DIY International Day of Older Persons @ Metta Day Rehabilitation Centre - 26 Oct: Merdeka Generation Roadshow at Teck Whye Hard Court - 31 Oct: IT talk for Elderly Engagement Programme at Queenstown NPC

Chairman Koh Juay Meng at speaking at the Industry Guru Series Volunteer Chan Pit Seng sharing about volunteerism at Yew Tee CDAC on 5 Sept. Photo credit: People's Association with other seniors on 19 Sept.

Minister Chan Chun Sing with our volunteers and ED at the Merdeka President Halimah Yacob with our staff and volunteers at the Merdeka Generation roadshow at Tiong Bahru Plaza on 28 September. 3 Generation roadshow at Wisma Geylang Serai on 20 October.

9 Bishan Place #08-02 Junction 8 Office Tower S(579837) Issue 5 | October | 2019 e- Network October EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

With a wide range of ad-hoc volunteering opportunities through collaborations with other voluntary welfare organisations and charities, our volunteers can always find something they enjoy volunteering in.

Below are the 27 one-time events/projects we conducted from September to October:

- 4 Sept : Create with Me at Home for the Aged Sick - 9 Sept: Snow City Learning Journey with Mentoring Programme (CSR event with Pon Asia) - 10 Sept: Snow skin Mooncake Making Workshop with Enriching Lives of Seniors Programme (CSR event) - 10 Sept: Packing at Shan You Wellness Centre - 10 Sept: International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) DIY at Metta Day Rehabilitation Centre for the Elderly - 11 Sept: IDOP DIY at Singapore Association of The Visually Handicapped - 14 Sept: National Senior Volunteer Month 2019 - 17 Sept - 18 Sept: Silver Infocomm Fiesta 2019 - 17 Sept: Clean Plate Campaign - 17 Sept: Befriending at NTUC Health Nursing Home (Geylang East) - 18 Sept: Learning Journey to Science Centre (CSR event with Credit Suisse) - 19 Sept: Food Preparation at Willing Hearts - 20 Sept: Cook with Me at Home for the Aged Sick - 20 Sept - 21 Sept: Silver Infocomm Fiesta - 25 Sept: IDOP DIY at Filos Community Services - 25 Sept: IDOP DIY at Hope Centre - 27 Sept: Food Packing at Food Bank Singapore - 30 Sept: IDOP DIY at St Luke's Eldercare (Changkat) - 1 Oct: IDOP DIY at Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital - 1 Oct: Mailer Insertion at Boys Town Singapore - 2 Oct: Urban Farming with (CSR event with Credit Suisse) - 5 Oct: Farm Tour and Kampung Lunch (CSR event with FTMS) - 8 Oct: Clean Plate Campaign - 24 Oct: DIY IDOP at Metta Day Rehabilitation Centre for the Elderly - 24 Oct: Food Sorting at Shan You Wellness Centre - 30 Oct: Charity Bags Giveaway (CSR event) - 30 Oct: Befriending residents from Brighthill Evergreen Home at Changi Village

Volunteers at New Town Primary School for the Clean Corporate volunteers after a snow skin mooncake Corporate volunteers packing goodie bags for National Plate Campaign by Food from the Heart. workshop with beneficiaries. Senior Volunteer Month alongside RSVP volunteers.

9 Bishan Place #08-02 Junction 8 Office Tower S(579837) Issue 5 | October | 2019 e- Network October MEDIA COVERAGE

7 Sept: CNA938, Interview with Marie and Lik Kwok on senior volunteerism 11 Sept: Capital 95.8FM, Interview with Juay Meng and Lik Kwok on senior volunteerism 14 Sept: 8world, MCCY? RSVP? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (MCCY signs MoU with RSVP Singapore to encourage senior volunteerism) 14 Sept: Chinese Radio News, Signing of MoU between RSVP Singapore and MCCY 14 Sept: Channel NewsAsia, Volunteer work helps seniors feel healthier, happier: Study 16 Sept: Business Times, Growing Singapore?s pool of senior volunteers 24 Sept: The A List, Let Ah Mah and Ah Gong explain art to you 1 Oct: MCCY Website/Speech by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth at the Charity Governance Conference: Charities to gear up for larger roles in the society 3 Oct: Lianhe Wanbao, ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? (Claims that employees treat senior volunteers as free labour) 12 Oct: Channel 8 Mediacorp, A Conversation with Minister 2019 ? ? ? ? ? ? Episode 3 12 Oct: Seithi Mediacorp, Deepavali Exhibition on Physical Health

Senior Guiding volunteers after filming for The A List's Volunteers Marie and Lik Kwok on CNA938's Our Town Chairman Juay Meng and Volunteer Lik Kwok filming for short video on SAM Mini Mobile Museum. with Presenter Susan Ng to share about National Capital 95.8FM to share about National Senior Senior Volunteer Month. Volunteer Month. STAFF MOVEMENT

RSVP Secretariat is pleased to welcome Ms Lee Wan Tian as Senior Associate, Volunteer Learning (VL). Wan Tian will be supporting VL together with Ms Judy Tan and Ms Dianty Binte Din.

We would also like to thank Ms Grace Low for her service and contribution to Volunteer Learning and Cyberguide during her time with us. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

9 Bishan Place #08-02 Junction 8 Office Tower S(579837) Issue 5 | October | 2019 e- Network October

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

Allan Ho Jenny Liew Ng Song Kiang Chong Cheng Shen Lim Peng Koon Soh Lye Peng Elaine Wong Loo Leong Imm Thong Keng Wai Jessie Tee Neo Hock Peng Yeo Aai Gin

ABOUT RSVP SINGAPORE

RSVP Singapore The Organisation of Senior Volunteers is an Institution of Public Character and the National Centre of Excellence for Senior Volunteerism under the patronage of Mdm Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore. Established in October 1998, our vision is to make every senior a volunteer. To achieve this, our mission is to develop senior volunteers and provide meaningful opportunities to serve the needs of the community. With over 2,500 members, RSVP Singapore serves more than 200,000 beneficiaries each year, including the mentally disadvantaged, at-risk children from low income families, as well as socially isolated seniors through its community service programmes.

Championing:

9 Bishan Place #08-02 Junction 8 Office Tower S(579837)