Strengthening Social Service Delivery

Work in Parliament this week.

My short Speech on STRENGTHENING SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY BY DENISE PHUA (MSF CUT 2021)

Singapore is not short of kind people. During the COVID pandemic, we witness many acts of kindness to support especially the lost, the least and the last in society. I work with some of the best social service professionals in MSF and some of the dedicated grassroots and non-grassroots volunteers in my division and Central District.

Despite this, there are still gaps in the last mile of social service delivery that need to be addressed.

CO-ORDINATION

A common sight on the ground especially in rental housing estates is an overlap of services such as the free distribution of food, masks and groceries; health screening and home cleaning.

During a recent long weekend before the Lunar New Year, I met 6 groups, some regulars and others adhoc, distributing lunch bento boxes to the same group of rental residents.

Is there a more effective way of co-ordination so that there is overlap; less wastage and better allocation of precious resources?

COMMUNICATION

It is not uncommon to read from social media anecdotes of vulnerable such as the homeless, tissue paper sellers and ‘beggars’ especially outside places of worship where devotees can be more prone to give.

Yet, having worked with the Social Service Offices, my CDC team and volunteers such as friends from Mummy Yummy Singapore, Homeless Hearts of Singapore and @Keeping Hope Alive 让希望活下去; I know that many current help channels exist.

Can the MSF facilitate a national communication plan at both strategic and tactical level, so that many more know where to get help or to help signpost where help can be obtained? My Central CDC would be a willing partner.

COMMUNITY LINK or COMLINK.

Sir, COMLINKs are piloted to strengthen the delivery of social services for especially families in rental housing estates. The pilots bring together various service partners to provide holistic solutions.

In Central District which I oversee, there are many elderly singles and couples living in rental flats.

I seek to know if ComLink can be scaled to not only include these households even though they are technically under the Ministry of Health’s Agency for Integrated Care? Would it be possible to find resources that can look at the entire rental housing block and not only specific profiles?

You can watch my full speech here: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/committee-of-supply-2021-debate-day-6-denise-phua-on-improving-14342020?