salt_2006_05_06 by SALT NVPC

No. 15 May-Jun 2006

Hear Them

Roar

Women Make A Difference

The IMC Recommendations What NPOs Have To Say Courage Under Fire Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Up With the Courage Fund? Legacy of Giving OCBC Bank Governance Guru Benedict Cheong Talks Shop

For Volunteers, Donors and Nonprofits

contents

SALT No. 15 May-Jun 2006

departments

On the Cover Celebrity beauties with a social conscience – Denise Keller, Sun Ho and Eunice Olsen are flexing their celebrity muscle to help further the mission of women’s group Women Make A Difference. MICHELLE BONG checks in with the sisterhood on page 19. Cover photography by Wee Khim with assistance from Van; styling by Johnny Khoo.

The bulk of the Inter-Ministry Committee (IMC) recommendations on the regulation of charities and Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) post-NKF saga will come into effect on 1 July. What are the implications of toeing the line and how are the affected agencies responding to the recommendations? IMELDA LEE puts her ear to the ground.

Fighting the Good Fight

Now that SARS is no longer a threat, what’s to become of the Courage Fund, asks MICHELLE BONG?

salt Shakers and movers

Prime Mover

CEO of NCSS, Benedict Cheong, speaks candidly to IMELDA LEE about how the badly pummelled charity sector can pull through its dark days to walk the straight and narrow path.

letter from salt

Mailbag

News Briefs

A wrap-up of events, programmes and activities in the People Sector. People movements Appointments and new postings in the People Sector.

Volunteer Profile Saying you want to save the world these days will earn you funny stares, but full-time Eco volunteer Wilson Ang is still bent on pursuing his ideal.

10 People Sector People For NYAA’s executive director James Soh, it’s not about the accolades (even if it is an MBE from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II) – it’s all about transforming young lives.

11 Walk the talk Local banking giant OCBC Bank continues to build on its founder Dr Lee Kong Chian’s legacy of giving.

24 salt and pepper To fully understand social entrepreneurship, you have to free your mind and let go of your assumptions, says Pamela Hartigan, managing director of The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

25 Calendar

WILLIE CHENG argues that volunteers are worth a lot more than the money they save a nonprofit organisation.

26 Scene and Seen 28 a DASH of salt

May-Jun 2006 S A LT •

L e tt e r

f r o m

salt

SALT is a nonprofit magazine with a managed circulation for members of nonprofit organisations, grantmakers and companies in Singapore. Those interested in receiving a copy, please email salt@nvpc.org.sg. We regret that the print run prevents fulfilling all requests. International readers please email subscriber requests and mailing details. There will be an annual postage and handling charge for all international subscribers.

Editor Suzanne Lim

Contributors Michelle Bong Eric Lie Imelda Lee Wong Sher Maine

Publishing Consultant and Media representative Epigram SALT is published bi-monthly by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre 7 Maxwell Road #05-01 Annex B, MND Complex Singapore 069111 Tel: 6550 9595 Fax: 6221 0625 Website: www.nvpc.org.sg Email: salt@nvpc.org.sg Copyright is held by the publisher. All rights reserved. Production in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The views and opinions expressed or implied in SALT are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Printed by Fabulous Printers MICA (P) 033/11/2005 To advertise, please call Cynthia Tay at tel: 6292 4456 Email: cynthia@epigram.com.sg

here is a lot of good work coming out of the charity sector and SALT’s pages cannot adequately convey the hum. Take for example Centre for Fathering, which is continuing to grow its Eat With Your Family Day signature campaign, now into its fourth successful year. New activist group Women Make A Difference is making waves with its fundraising efforts to support the cause of women and children, and the National Youth Achievement Award’s long-serving executive director, James Soh, was awarded an MBE for his work by no less than Queen Elizabeth II during her recent visit to Singapore. Unfortunately, all the good work being done is somewhat over-shadowed by the continuing noise over the NKF saga. With civil suits being filed against it, this noise is not going to go away for some time yet. In the midst of all these goings-on, let us not forget that the charity sector is still quietly going about doing its work. And not just doing its work, but attempting to do it well in the new climate of increased public scrutiny around governance and management practices of nonprofits and charities. Already, the hiring of top level staff has become more rigorous, and certainly board members are asking more probing questions of management. The bulk of the recommendations by the Inter-Ministry Committee on the regulatory framework for charities will kick in from 1 July onwards. Find out how nonprofit sector professionals have responded to these requirements and best practice guidelines in our story on page 12. With increased calls for greater transparency and accountability of charities, we also tracked down Dr Lim Suet Wun, CEO of Tan Tock Seng Hospital and chairman of the Courage Fund’s working committee to comment on the (quiet) disquiet over the large amount of surpluses in the Courage Fund’s kitty, some three years after the SARS outbreak. Read what he has to say on page 16. In the light of all this, it seems only fitting that our Shakers and Movers interview for this issue is none other than Benedict Cheong, CEO of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS). NCSS is widely acknowledged as the forerunner amongst all sector administrators in promulgating good governance practices amongst constituent members, with Benedict as its chief governance guru. His insightful interview starts on page 20. On the topic of doing good well, this is the focus of NVPC’s National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Conference 2006. It is a significant collaboration with Singapore Compact for Corporate Social Responsibility which is also launching its inaugural CSR conference. Make a date with it on 13 and 14 July. We are all quietly doing our part to strengthen the giving scene in Singapore. Reflecting on Women Make A Difference’s tagline ‘I am woman, hear me roar’, I dream of a day when the voluntary and charity sector will not just hum, but roar.

Tan Chee Koon Chief Executive Officer National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

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MAILBAG

Do you have Something to share? We welcome your letters, news of upcoming events and pictures. Please send them to SALT, 7 Maxwell Road, #05-01 Annex B, MND Complex, Singapore 069111; or email salt@nvpc.org.sg. Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Letters and articles may be edited for space and clarity.

The Usual Suspects

n the above article in your recent Mar-Apr 2006 issue, I agree with NMP Eunice Olsen that there is no shortage of talent and that training is needed to groom the next wave of leaders. In fact, I was quite astonished to find several fresh graduates starting brand new NGOs without much experience and often duplicating existing organisations that are probably short of talent like theirs. It would have been better if they had pooled their resources and consolidated for strength. NVPC can play the role of matchmaker by actively advertising or talent scouting by “engineering” scenarios, such as the proven successful “tea party” model, that can help attract talented and altruistic people to come forward. Typically, local organisations are risk averse and they keep going back to the usual suspects for the safety of their established branding. This usual suspects syndrome is not limited to unpaid board members. I have observed that even key staff members of organisations have been moving from one organisation to another within the sector, perhaps due to a shortage of talent in the sector itself. We can get larger eco-diversity by developing new talent in this industry, but this can only happen by identifying, grooming and appreciating talent, instead of merely buying into the “brand safety” of existing ones. Jack Sim, Founder World Toilet Organisation

Embracing Social Enterprise

found Mrs Tan Chee Koon’s Letter From SALT in your Jan-Feb 2006 to be a thought-provoking read, along with the various articles in that issue. For Metta Welfare Association (and I am certain for many others), 2005 has been an extremely trying year. The future environment for welfare and nonprofit organisations is more challenging than ever, and funding is going to be difficult to come by. I believe that many such organisations are starting to think about embracing social enterprise as a way to generate revenue. I have been thinking for a while on the matter and as a pilot project, have convinced a manufacturing concern to avoid using the usual retail outlet route to market its lifestyle products and getting the volunteer and welfare organisations to retail it to their supporters and friends instead, in return for which they get to keep a percentage of the proceeds of the sales. They will have to manage the enterprise responsibly, and they can tap into their data base of donors and volunteers (which they will need to maintain in the strictest of confidence) for this purpose. This scheme is currently being structured with Metta but I am happy to share this with other organisations interested in pursuing this as well. Stephen Poh, Member, Advisory Committee and Chairman, Events & Publicity Subcommittee, Metta Welfare Association

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Keep Up the Good Work!

he last issue of SALT (Mar-Apr 2006) had quite a bit to read – interesting reports and also good presentation. Keep up the pace and your magazine could become a must read for more people!

Mano Sabnani, CEO/Editor-in-Chief, MediaCorp Press Ltd

Blow Whistle Blow?

read with interest the above story in your Mar-Apr 2006 issue. In theory, the mission of any voluntary organisation can be easily accomplished through the commitment of altruistic individuals comprising of full-time staff and volunteers. Hence, there should be no fraudulent practices for personal gain and benefit. Unfortunately, in our materialistic society, there appears to be a lack of such like-minded individuals to join hands in support of volunteerism and humanity. Even if NPOs put in place a whistle blower policy as suggested by NCSS, it is unlikely that the administrators will execute it meaningfully and effectively. In the end, the whistle blowers will suffer. In the latest instalment of the NKF saga, both its former chairman and treasurer were charged in court. This has helped to heighten the awareness of the responsibilities of volunteers holding important roles, such as director, chairman, and treasurer. Some individuals become board members for the wrong reasons and in fact, they may not even possess the necessary expertise for holding such important positions in the organisation. In order to exercise good corporate governance and avoid a recurrence of the NKF saga, NPOs should appoint dedicated and competent volunteers with suitable qualifications and experience for important positions. Ideally, the treasurers of NPOs should be qualified accountants who are likely to discharge their responsibilities diligently and professionally. Lee Soh Hong, Founder CancerStory.com

N E W S B

A W r a p - Up o f H a pp e n i n g s A r o u n d S i n g a p o r e

Fun With Science S

Dr Sheryn Mah (centre) checks in on the kids’ progress.

o mark the centennial year of technology and automotive firm WBL Corporation, its staff launched a unique drive in March 2006 to encash their unused leave for adopted charity Society for the Physically Disabled. So far, a total of $225,000 has been collected from the leave encashment drive and a gala dinner held on 1 April. This unusual leave encashment charity drive will continue until the end of the year.

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ll Femme Sail, an exclusive sail programme which aims to equip women with new sea skills and empower them with the knowledge that they can make a difference for less fortunate women in the region, is a signature event by Hi-Raleigh to celebrate International Women’s Day. In March 2006, two successful twoday trips were held on board the one-of-a-kind Gaff-Schooner ‘Four Friends’, where a total of 28 women took part in activities like chart reading, knot tying, celestial readings, foot reflexology and even a mini bazaar with clothes sourced from the most exotic markets in Asia! The event was conceptualised as a platform to launch Women of Vision, a worldwide women’s movement which seeks to free women and children from poverty and exploitation by motivating women on the local level to become women of action who will invest their time, money and efforts to meet the needs of those near to them.

Answering The Call

ome 130 children from charities under Mainly I Love Kids (MILK) spent two hours recently at the Singapore Science Centre learning about the laws of physics and gaining a deeper appreciation for the wonders of science in a hands-on learning programme called Science-in-a-Box. Guided by Agilent Technologies’ employee volunteers, the children, aged between nine and 13, built their own rocket cars for the Rocket Race. Working in groups of four, the children assembled their cars from a box containing experiments called Newton’s Rocket Car and blew up balloons to move the cars, bringing to life Newton’s Third Law of Motion: ‘For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.’ After the race, Agilent Technologies presented a cheque donation of $50,000 to MILK in support of the latter’s educational programmes for disadvantaged children. Said Dr Sheryn Mah, president of MILK, “We’re heartened to see busy working professionals from Agilent volunteering their time and energy to engage children in learning science and to make this a sustainable, annual programme. We certainly hope to see more companies come forward with continued, long-term corporate community programmes that will benefit our society.”

Centennial Celebration

Ahoy There!

enise Phua, acting principal of Pathlight School, the first school for autistic children in Singapore, Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) executive director Sam Tan and board member of Mercy Relief Dr Fatimah Lateef were among the 24 new candidates unveiled by the People’s Action Party (PAP) for the 2006 elections and subsequently elected into Parliament following the 6 May polls. Does this suggest that the government will be looking more towards the people sector when the time comes for scouting for candidates for the next GE? If these candidates and their passion for their adopted issues are anything to go by, we say bring them on!

Love of Music, For Good

ourteen previously unreleased tracks from homegrown bands including Lunarin, Electrico, Stoned Revivals, Phorous and The Observatory are now featured in For Good!, a compilation album in aid of Music For Good, which organises outreach programmes such as ‘Soul Hospital Tours’ ward tours aimed at lifting the spirits of hospitalised youths and terminally ill children. Said Patrick Chng, chairman of Music For Good, “There could not be a more appropriate way to raise funds for Music For Good!” Organised by Aging Youth Records and sponsored by Bar None, the album is available at all Gramophone outlets and Sembawang Music Stores.

P e o pl e m o v e m e nts

It’s All in the Name

he former Ang Mo Kio Hospital is now known as the Ang Mo Kio Thye Hua Kwan Hospital to reflect its association with the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society (THKMS). The 200-bed hospital hopes that the change of name will help the public to recognise it as a charity hospital and facilitate fundraising activities of the hospital. Senior Minister of State for Health, Dr Balaji Sadasivan launched the new hospital name on 23 March. Over at the former Institute of Mental Health (IMH) – Woodbridge Hospital, the sprawling 25-ha compound was renamed Buangkok Green Medical Park. IMH’s chief executive Leong Yew Meng sees the name change as the first step in an ambitious five-year plan to break down the image barrier which keeps the public away from the resort-like compound. A new feeder bus service from Hougang bus interchange and new tenants are amongst steps taken to turn the medical park into a thriving medical and wellness centre complete with F&B and retail outlets.

No More Running Away F

MP Arthur Fong (third from right) at SAC’s re-opening.

our NTU students recently initiated an anti-runaway open house for Student Advisory Centre (SAC) in an effort to address the societal dilemmas of runaway youths and to educate the public on the issue. The open house ‘When Home Becomes the Last Place You Want to Be’ served as a pioneering effort to explore the issue and to educate the public through informative talks, exhibits and docu-drama videos. Another highlight of the open house was the re-opening of the SAC by Arthur Fong, MP for West Coast GRC. Together with Trevor Xie, founder of SAC, he created a special graffiti piece using SAC’s new logo. The revamped drop-in centre for youths boasts new facilities and services such as an entertainment room for the youths, hip hop dance classes and a new programme called the Young Achievers’ Club, which includes activities such as biathlon running, singing and dancing.

And the Nominees Are...

ominations are now open for the President’s Social Service Award 2006 (PSSA), a set of awards conferred by the President’s Office to honour and recognise outstanding voluntary contributions to the social service sector by an individual, an informal group, a formal group/non-profit or public sector organisation, and a corporation. Organised by the National Council of Social Service with support and funding from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, the awards will be presented by President S R Nathan at a ceremony at the Istana on 29 August. For more information, visit www.ncss.org.sg/presidents award.

Nidhi Swarup was appointed executive director of Rotary Family Service Centre & Rotary Ayer Rajah Students’ Care Centre on 1 March. She will also oversee matters related to the Foundation of Rotary Clubs (S) Ltd. Initially a volunteer with Rotary Family Service Centre, she has been involved with the Foundation of Rotary Clubs (S) Ltd since 1998 in various capacities, including public relations, financial management, fundraising, IT and was editor of its e-newsletter before joining the organisation formally in 2001. Tel: 67799488; email: nidhi@rotaryfoundationsing.org Rhonda Koh joined the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre in February as its director of marcom and community partnerships, overseeing all aspects of NVPC’s public education, media relations, promotions, development of core and multiplier alliances, and networking and matching across all sectors. With her professional and voluntary experience in various consultancy and public relations positions in Hong Kong and Singapore, she hopes to heighten general awareness of volunteerism and philanthropy and to evolve the community’s perception of giving in line with the issues of the day as well as emerging attitudes and trends. Tel: 65509579

Former National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) CEO Eunice Tay was appointed the new CEO of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) with effect from 24 April, taking over from interim head Professor Goh Chee Leok who was seconded from the National Skin Centre in July 2005. Prior to her appointment as NNI chief in June 2004, she was a legal officer at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and also oversaw its volunteer programmes. With her management experience and background in the medical sector, she will lead the new NKF in its initiatives for patients under its care, such as the promotion of peritoneal dialysis which allows kidney failure patients to undergo treatment at home.

Fresh Injection

sia Pacific Breweries (APB) is pumping $2 million into its charitable foundation this year, the first part of its planned $10 million injection into the APB Foundation, which has supported many charities including Beyond Social Services, the Breast Cancer Foundation, and the Bone Marrow Donor programme. The foundation is also funding a three-year project by the Singapore International Foundation which sends medical professionals to Vietnam to impart palliative care practices to local healthcare givers. Chairman of the foundation’s advisory committee, Koh Poh Tiong, indicated that the top-ups would help APB to keep supporting worthy charitable causes. May-Jun 2006 S A LT •

fil

“I Want To Save the World!” In these cynical times, saying you want to save the world will earn you nothing but brickbats. But as WONG SHER MAINE discovers, Wilson Ang is still bent on pursuing his ideal.

very morning, Wilson Ang gets up on his racer bike and sweats it out for an hour, cycling 20km from his home in Boon Lay to his office – a red converted double-decker bus – at the Somerset Youth Park. The 24-year-old exair traffic controller with the Republic of Singapore Air Force does not earn a cent in his new job and is surviving on his savings and income from freelance photography jobs; hence the cycling to save money. Speaking to Ang, one can’t help but feel that the cheerful founder of the Environmental Challenge Organisation (Eco) is truly one of those people who is happy living on fresh air and clean water. Four years after he started Eco in 2002 – a NPO with nearly 200 volunteers which aims to breathe life into environmental causes and targets youths in particular – he has decided to go at it as a full-time volunteer. Eco conducts environmental forums and produces an in-house e-magazine on a quarterly basis to keep youths, corporate partners, environmental groups and other NPOs abreast of environmental developments locally and globally. Ang, who is in the running for the HSBC/NYAA Youth Environmental Award, does not even consider his job a “sacrifice”. He truly thinks letting go of

“ I could say ‘I want to save the world!’. And I still do!” his day job was, in his words, “a step I had to take to achieve what I want in life. I want to be able to help people and make this world a better place for everyone.” When Ang says he means to do all he can to “save the world”, he means it. Case in point: while doing a fundraising

I could say ‘I want to save the world!’. And I still do!” His choice of the environment was no sudden flash of inspiration. As a teenager on the lookout for a cause, he concluded that the concerns of youths were not sufficiently heard on the international environmental platform. “Environmental issues seem to be addressed at individuals. There is no effort to empower the people, youths especially, Wilson (fourth from project back when he was in school, right) and his band of to realise that environvolunteers on a visit he sent his proposal to 1,200 people mental issues are really to the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation and companies to raise $1,800. a matter of daily lifestyle Project in Sri Lanka. He explains, “When you see that decisions in order to make these efforts are able to make a difference changes that count,” he observes. in people’s lives, it’s worth it. I also hope Apart from Eco, Ang is an active to share my little experiences and help volunteer at the Singapore Zoo, where he motivate people to volunteer, so that they is in charge of recruiting and training the don’t make the same mistakes I once did.” new volunteers who bring the message Ang’s altruistic bent started when he of the importance of animal conservawas a Primary 3 schoolboy. Plagued with tion to visitors. He is also sports secretary questions like “Why must I die?” which at the Kreta Ayer Community Centre saw him waking up in tears in the middle Youth Executive Committee, and helps of the night, he decided that only doing the Red Cross with its fundraising and good deeds in life would help him to cope blood drives. Sometime in the future, with the fear. he intends to start a company dealing in The desire to live his life to help products which support environmental others was further cemented by a singular sustainability. incident in his teens when he helped an “My time revolves around all these old lady to pick up her bus ticket. He activities,” says Ang, who only requires recalls: “She turned to me and said ‘kam three to five hours of sleep a night. xia, ah di’ (thank you, little boy). That “Whenever I am not sleeping or working, sent a sensation down my spine. It felt I will do the planning for meeting up with good. I felt great. I guess it was at that corporate partners during the day, and point of time that really got me to want to in the evening, meeting up with other help more people. I wanted to do more. volunteers. It’s a very exciting life!” I

May-Jun 2006 S A LT •

From Ordinary to Extraordinary James Soh of the National Youth Achievement Award Council speaks with ERIC LIE about the importance of giving the youth of today a platform to excel.

n 18 March, James Soh was presented with the award of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II during her state visit to Singapore. Soh, the executive director of the National Youth Achievement Award Council, dedicated this highly prestigious award to the youth he has spent much of his career helping. Soh’s passion for nurturing youth came to the attention of the late Dr Tay Eng Soon, then-Minister for Education, in the late ’80s. It was during that time that Dr Tay became concerned with the increasing emphasis on academic development among the youth in Singapore. Familiar with Soh’s work at the Metropolitan YMCA, Dr Tay turned to him to come up with a programme to develop youth holistically. From these beginnings, the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) was born. Launched by then-President Wee Kim Wee on 9 May 1992, it was based on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme for the personal development of youth.

“ It is my proudest achievement when I see somebody down and out and we are able to provide him with a chance to turn around and become extraordinary.” In Singapore, the NYAA also acts as a vehicle to provide opportunities for young people to help the community. Says Soh, “Young people have energy and they want to serve, but they do not know where to start. You can’t just go to a place and say you want to serve. The

• S A LT May-Jun 2006

To overcome this shortcoming, the NYAA has developed programmes to familiarise youths with the range of possibilities open to them. One such project was conducted with the Singapore Botanic Gardens, educating the youths on the need to protect indigenous jungle plant life from being overwhelmed by foreign species of plants which had been introduced into the Gardens, and involving them in the hands-on work of safeguarding the local plants. Soh also believes that there is a corresponding need to ensure James with the MBE NYAA provides that that young people understand conferred on him by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the context of their work and the credibility when you go II during her state visit to Singapore in May 2006. through the system.” difference that their work makes Through his work with the NYAA, to society. It is only with that realisation Soh strives to instil among the young that their full talents can be put to use people he comes into contact with the for the community. Soh’s own son, realisation that they have the potential to Darren, is among the many youths who contribute and to excel. have applied their talent for altruistic aims, “I always tell young people that attitude using his passion for photography to is very important. You must be like water support the NYAA Young Photographers – when you are poured into different areas, Network and other charities. you just form the shapes. You just blend The many awards that Soh has in and work well with the environment.” received over the years stand as a testaIndeed, many of the young people ment to the widespread recognition and he has worked with have done well, not endorsement of his work. More important only at the national level, but also at the to him, however, is the number of young international level. Nevertheless, Soh peoples’ lives which have been transrealises that a number of challenges still formed through his work at the NYAA. lie ahead for the youth of Singapore. “It is my proudest achievement when “They have the knowledge and I see somebody down and out, and we are the know-how, but what is lacking is able to provide him with a chance to turn translating that into action,” he observes. around and become extraordinary. That For example, although many young is something that money cannot buy and people are aware of environmental issues we are very proud of that.” I such as the need to conserve local flora For more information on the National and fauna, they are unable to translate Youth Achievement Award, log on to that knowledge into affirmative action. www.nyaa.org.

tal

Continuing a Legacy

True to the philanthropic principles of its founder Dr Lee Kong Chian, OCBC Bank continues to make charity an integral part of its corporate mission, learns WONG SHER MAINE.

ike most banks, OCBC Bank has a Young Savers scheme to encourage kids to save up their pennies for a rainy day. But the bank’s involvement with children does not stop there. Over the last five decades, OCBC has been extending a helping hand to the havenots by donating money to children from disadvantaged backgrounds and more recently, encouraging its staff to devote time and money to helping these children. “OCBC Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme continues on from the legacy of our founder, Dr Lee Kong Chian, who in the 1950s actively made contributions to schools and libraries and helped many children and young people fulfil their aspirations through education,” says Ms Koh Ching Ching, head of group corporate communications. “Our CSR programme is designed to support the communities we operate in, centred on helping children and young people realise their full potential.” Why children? “Children and young people are often victims of their circumstances and are least able to help themselves. Helping this group of people will contribute positively to the community in the future. As for educa-

“ As a bank, we are citizens with responsibilities and obligations that go beyond making money and providing jobs.” tion, it is about helping individuals to help themselves to develop their full potential.” In 2004, to further support the cause of nurturing children and young people,

Singapore Science Centre. Given that there are no incentives for staff to volunteer – the bank does not ‘compensate’ by giving off-in-lieu days – it’s remarkable that the bank has a sizeable group of volunteers. And it is clear that the Children’s Society appreciates the volunteers. At OCBC’s adoption cereSanta Claus came to OCBC adopted the Singapore mony of the Children’s Society town: OCBC chairman Dr Cheong Choong Kong Children’s Society by contriblast year, Koh Choon Hui, (centre) with kids from uting $2.5 million over the next the Singapore Children’s chairman of the Children’s Society at OCBC’s annual five years to support its cause. Society remarked: “We are very Christmas party in Apart from cash, over 300 of December 2005. pleased that OCBC Bank has the bank’s staff, under the care of a fullchosen to work with us to further our time employee in charge of CSR matters, cause. With over 4,000 employees in have been spending time volunteering at Singapore alone, the resources OCBC the Children’s Society since December Bank brings to us are enormous. This 2004 and they do not just play with the means our children and youths get exposed children. Those who are well-versed in to a myriad range of activities through the financial management, accounting, inforworkshops that OCBC staff run to share mation technology or human resource their life skills, interests and hobbies... The tap on their skills when they volunteer. benefits from the interaction and bondFor instance, the volunteers run personal building activities are immeasurable.” development and money management Added Dr Cheong Choong Kong, workshops for the children. chairman of OCBC: “As a bank, we are “The objective is to have a ready pool citizens with responsibilities and obligaof colleagues with a range of interests and tions that go beyond making money and skill sets who are willing to spend their providing jobs. For OCBC, we see our personal time to nurture these children, community involvement as a way of giving over and above accompanying them on back to the community. social visits and outings.” “I am also very gratified that many of Memorable activities range from our staff have come forward to volunteer sponsoring 150 children and their families their time, skills and expertise to help the to the Star Wars Episode III premiere to children and young people. By helping including the children in events like food others, we enrich ourselves, and by helping festivals and the bank’s annual Family as part of an OCBC effort, we enrich the Day. Last year, OCBC participated in OCBC corporate culture.” 35 activities with their adopted charity, Indeed, this philosophy is one that including organising soccer matches and the bank’s founder Dr Lee Kong Chian visits to the bank’s branches and to the would certainly have approved of. I

May-Jun 2006 S A LT •

On 1 July, the bulk of the Inter-Ministry Committee (IMC) recommendations on the regulation of charities and Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) will kick in. What are the implications of toeing the line and how are the affected agencies responding to the recommendations? IMELDA LEE puts her ear to the ground.

â&#x20AC;˘ S A LT May-Jun 2006

Benedict Cheong, CEO, NCSS

May-Jun 2006 S A LT •

“Care has to be taken to avoid creating a kiasu monster during implementation, as it will deter the better volunteers.” Tan Thuan Seng, executive director, Focus On The Family

“No amount of regulation can prevent lack of integrity on the part of individuals or groups... We can only minimise wrongdoing.” Dr R Theyvendran, secretary-general, MDIS

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Rolling Out the Rules Some of the major recommendations by the IMC include: Reassignment of the Office of the Commissioner of Charities

of accounts, ensure proper annual financial audits, call for documents and search for records, and appoint auditors to investigate into charities under their purview.

Greater Governance

Additional regulations for greater disclosure and compliance by The office of the IPCs and charities with Commissioner of incomes of $10 million Charities (COC), now or more will be put in under the Ministry of place. A one-stop Finance, will now come charity portal will be Establishment of a under the purview set up to include a Charity Council of the Ministry of resource centre, oneA charity council Community Develstop charity registration, comprising representa- charity reporting opment, Youth and tives from the people and application for Sports. The COC will oversee both charities sector will be set up. fundraising permits. It will be chaired by and IPCs under the In the spirit of selfCharities Act. The COC a prominent people regulation and to sector person, and will have additional facilitate a system of six members will be powers such as greater disclosure and suspending all forms appointed by the transparency and to of fundraising while a Minister for Commu- promote informed charity or IPC is being nity Development, giving, a rating initiative investigated, suspen- Youth and Sports, can be carried out by a sion or removal from and include six repre- NPO, similar to that in sentatives from the office of a trustee, the US. sector administrators, and disqualification a representative of of the said person the COC and NVPC from election. respectively.

Streamlining of Sector Administrators

Sector administrators will be reduced from 11 to six. Their roles will be to receive annual reports and statement

Dr Tan Tay Keong, executive director, SIF

May-Jun 2006 S A LT â&#x20AC;˘

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RS A S t thanger a s w o N no lo hat’ he is reat, we of t , asks th becom Fund G? to urage E BON Co HELL MIC

arch 2003 will be remembered as one of the darkest moments in Singapore’s history. An unknown and deadly viral disease, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), swept through the country and steadily claimed a total of 33 lives in a matter of months. A simple cough or a slight fever sent people scuttling to their family doctors in fear. Tourists stopped arriving, hand sanitizers flew off the shelves, and

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schools were closed for more than two weeks for some 600,000 students in a bid to contain the outbreak.

“To succeed in containing SARS in Singapore, everyone must cooperate and play his part,” exonerated then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Singaporeans heeded his call, far beyond that of maintaining high standards of hygiene at all times. They showed compassion and support in the only way they knew how – by digging into their pockets to make donations to the Courage Fund. Singaporeans’ generosity towards the Courage Fund became a national rallying

“The donors to the Courage Fund may have wanted to fight SARS but I’m sure they would feel the same towards the Bird Flu.”

point in a time of adversity. Individuals, groups, and corporations gave generously, and the government also matched public donations dollar for dollar, on top of making an initial $1 million donation. The total amount raised was an astonishing $32 million.

WHAT’S THE STORY?

Some three years later, few can say they remember much about the Courage Fund. But its existence resurfaced recently when NMP Dr Loo Choon Yong proposed in Parliament that its donors should be given the choice to decide whether they wished to continue their support for the Fund or if their donations could be redirected to another charity or even reimbursed. In a Straits Times article dated 17 March 2006, Russell Miller, co-founder and member of nonprofit group The Spirit of Enterprise, echoed Dr Loo’s proposal and called for active consultation. While he did not think the funds were being misused, Miller explained that “the point is that [the Fund’s managing committee] should still ask the donors for their opinion”. He added that this was the responsible thing to do, in light of the NKF saga. Before long, more and more people had an opinion about the role of the Fund. Anecdotal evidence suggested that the majority of people felt that the money was not being put to good use. There was also indignation (and even anger) that the money was just sitting around waiting to be used in the event of another SARS outbreak, when there were other charities that needed the money more. Administrator Jenny Goh says, “It seems to me that the money could be distributed to other needy organisations, instead of just being ‘frozen’. That’s my impression of the Fund – it’s no different from a fixed deposit bank account!” Others, like undergraduate James Ho, says the large balance could be re-named the Bird Flu fund, in view of the impending pandemic. He adds: “What’s the point of not putting the resources to good use? The donors to the Courage Fund may have

Humanity Awards to recognise outstanding healthcare workers and Bursary Awards to help train more healthcare professionals. A Courage Fund Professorship/ Fellowship in Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore, was also established, and continues to bring Undergraduate James Ho international experts to Singapore to improve our ability to deal with similar wanted to fight SARS but I’m sure they catastrophic outbreaks. would feel the same towards the Bird Flu.” According to Dr Lim Suet Wun, CEO Bank officer Desmond Low echoes of the National Healthcare Group (NHG) many similar sentiments island-wide when and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and he says: “During the SARS crisis, I’m sure chairman of the Fund Working Committee, the Fund enjoyed the biggest slice of the objectives of the Courage Fund were charitable donations made in 2003, which and continue to be three-fold: to provide deprived other organisations of muchrelief to SARS victims and healthcare needed help.” workers and their dependents, and any Interestingly, despite being very vocal persons placed under quarantine orders as about their opinions, most also admitted a result of SARS; to support any charitable that they knew little about the Fund’s full purposes for the benefit of healthcare objectives. Therein, perhaps, lies the crux workers, especially in relation to the of the problem – a glaring misconception advancement of education, the protection and the need to create more awareness of health and the relief of poverty, distress among Singaporeans about the Fund. and sickness; and to support any charitable purposes for the benefit of the general THE The Courage Fund, named Singapore community who may be affected HISTORY in honour of Singapore’s by widespread infectious diseases. OF THE healthcare workers, was Based on their concerns about how the MATTER co-founded on 11 April money was not being used efficiently, it 2003 by the National Healthcare Group seems Singaporeans are not looking beyond (NHG), Singapore Health Services the first two objectives, and see the Fund (SingHealth), Singapore Medical Associaas only being SARS-specific. In actuality, tion (SMA), Singapore Nurses’ Association it has much higher ideals – namely, to (SNA) and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). prepare us for future health and medical About $16.4 million of the $32 million threats that could come unexpectedly. raised has already been allocated or spent The Courage Fund was never just on various programmes – the Fund has about SARS; rather, it was created to doled out financial assistance to patients of remind Singaporeans about the convicSARS and their dependents, and presented tion of healthcare workers as they risked Courage Awards to more than 5,500 healththeir lives, despite being shunned in care workers who battled SARS directly. public, to fight disease. Reiterates Dr Lim: Funds also went towards Healthcare “That’s why it’s not known as the SARS Fund, but the Courage Fund. We have set aside the balance as an endowment, which can be drawn upon in the event of any infectious disease outbreak, be it Bird Flu or some other disease.” Dr Lim’s point also addresses the fact that there is no need for a re-direction Dr Lim Suet Wun, chairman of the Courage Fund Working Committee of funds for other uses –

“The Courage Fund was never just about SARS... That’s why it’s not known as the SARS Fund, but the Courage Fund.”

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The Next Step

So far, the Fund has returned donations to two donors – including NTUC Income CEO Tan Kin Lian, who had written to the Fund Working Committee “to suggest that trustees invite the donors to request for their donations to be diverted to other purposes. They should make the avenue open to all donors, large and small. However, if they make a special approach to the large donors, they are likely to have a large portion of the funds channelled to other needy purposes like the Straits Times Pocket Money Fund, which was in need of funds at the time. Unfortunately, the trustees felt that my suggestion was not practical and did not pursue it.” Tan’s donation was refunded, and he has since made out that amount in a cheque to another charity. He concedes: “I think the trustees have used the money as wisely as was possible, under the restricted circumstances. But it would have been better if a practical way was found at an early stage for the excess donations to be diverted to other worthy charitable causes.” In the same Straits Times article dated 17 March, Dr Lim labelled the suggestion of allowing Courage Fund donors to withdraw their donations “simplistic”. So how does he think the new beneficiaries of the fund should be decided?

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there have not been any insinuations of Fund misuse, there have been requests for more consultation and communication on how the Fund deploys its money. In response, the committee Tan Kin Lian, CEO of NTUC Income and Courage Fund donor who was has taken steps to post as refunded his donation when he asked if it could be re-directed elsewhere. much information as possible on the official Courage Fund He explains: “Let’s look at things website at www.couragefund.com.sg. in principle. A shareholder gives to invest For Dr Lim and all the volunteers while a customer gives to purchase a affiliated to the Fund – from clerical staff service. What about a donor? A donor gives to secretariats from various organisations as a gift. This is the difference between to the Board of Trustees – their work shareholders, customers and donors. continues. It may have been born out of For the last, my view is when one gives a the SARS crisis, but it is motivated by gift, it is then wrong to ask for one’s the need to be prepared for future health money back. scares. Its role in society can be likened “A donor gives to a charity because to that of a medical version of Total he believes the collective donations can Defence – one which equips the public be utilised in a more effective way than with the necessary mental and tactical his individual donation. But in doing so, preparation against infectious diseases and one cannot then expect the same level of outbreaks which can be as catastrophic control over the donation as if the whole as war and terrorism. were personal. There are other donors But even more than that, the strucwho also now have a say. In the end, the ture and ideals of the Fund can be used Board of Trustees must act in the best as a model for future relief funds to interest of the beneficiaries and meet the address potential threats Singapore may aims specified in its trust deed.” face in the years ahead, be they natural Dr Lim adds that allowing donors to disasters, large-scale accidents or even redirect their donations or withdraw their terrorist attacks. donations opens a Pandora’s Box, one Given that donations to such a which gives donors the option of asking for fund can be made any time and in any their money back even though the charity amount, resources can immediately be has kept to its trust deed. This would create made available during rescue or relief a host of problems for all charities. efforts that follow unforeseen calamities Principle aside, there is also the technical to come. The beauty of such a fund is issues that will make this difficult to that it also deals with the tricky question implement, including tracing anonymous of when the trustees should call a stop donors or refuting donation claims made, to donations – because for example, through charity boxes. there is no limit as to how prepared a country can a good The Fund Working be for a crisis. I cause Committee has already met with donors (who have recently or in the past raised comments either directly or through the media) as well as the press about any public feedback received. While

Ilustrated by Quek Hong Shin.

“The trustees have used the money as wisely as was possible... But it would have been better if a practical way was found at an early stage for the excess donations to be diverted to other worthy charitable causes.”

despite calls for it by some – because as per the original objectives of the Fund, the money could easily be used to prepare us for whatever future catastrophic outbreaks we face. It would only be a case of re-directing if the funds are used outside of its three core objectives. He adds: “Some think the whole issue of SARS is closed, so we should put the money elsewhere. I think that’s hasty and even sad, because we would be forgetting hard-learnt lessons from SARS. We appreciated our healthcare workers then, and we now also know the fear of infectious disease ripping through our society. Yet we want to re-direct our funds for something else? Is this what we should do? I don’t think so.”

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Sisters are Doing it for Themselves

They’re the new kid on the nonprofit block, but Women Make a Difference is already making waves on the local activism scene. MICHELLE BONG checks in with the sisterhood.

t all started with an article written in March 2004 by founding member Theresa Tan for the now defunct Dare magazine. In it, Tan lamented the fact that women treat each other like enemies without realising their strength in unity. She posed herself the challenge to get women to stand up and do something positive for other women. Corporate trainer and adventure racer Hai Yen read the article and was so deeply moved, she organised an all-women run on International Women’s Day – wearing a T-shirt that said ‘I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar’. A mutual friend connected both women, and they became fast friends. Realising there was more they could do together, they roped in brand and business consultant Millie Chan and Women Make a Difference (WMD) was born. “I came up with the name ‘Women Make a Difference’ because I was sick of the acronym ‘WMD’ being used to stand for ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’,” says Tan, the editor of in-flight magazine Tiger Tales.

“ What we do is consumer activism. We’re getting people and organisations let their money do the talking by spending it on a worthy cause.” An eye-catching media campaign, the sale of numerous trademark pink Tshirts and a festival that included a movie gala, fun run and carnival later, more people are now hearing about WMD and

Says Tan, “It was monumental! 12 years ago, NMP Kanwaljit Soin mooted the problem and was ignored. Since then, lobby groups including us have worked hard to highlight the issue. It’s so gratifying to see this terrific breakthrough one year into our existence.” Tan modestly insists that Not Weapons of Mass its objectives – to serve as a WMD has achieved little and “has Destruction: WMD Theresa Tan platform for women to come co-founder a long long way to go”. Still, much (second from left) with together to support overseas fellow volunteers at the has to be said for this powerhouse Women’s Expo in 2005. women and children who are group of women who have banded exploited and mistreated victims of vice. together for a worthy cause. WMD has The twin vices of child prostitution not gone without their share of hurdles and sex tourism are WMD’s primary – mostly monetary – and credit has to go causes, given their huge demand in Asia to their friends and supporters who have and the world. According to statistics, come forward to lend a hand, spurred on Americans make up over 50 per cent of by faith and conviction. child sex tourists in Cambodia. Closer to Remarks Tan, “I really like what home, Singaporean men are also notorious Melissa Kwee calls what we do – consumer for their visits to Indonesia for sex with activism! We’re getting people and organyoung girls. isations let their money do the talking by To date, WMD has some 300 leaders, spending it on a worthy cause.” volunteers and ambassadors, and they WMD has big plans for 2006 which celebrated their first anniversary in April include building their first overseas women with a small birthday bash attended by and children’s shelter, organising a major local celebrities Karen Tan and Beatrice fundraising music concert towards the Chia, members of the local media and end of the year, engaging the expatriate other supporters. At the party, WMD’s community through high teas and a gala cheque for $25,000 (raised from its dinner, conducting an all-women boot T-shirt sales) was presented to Melissa camp during the school holiday season, Kwee from Unifem Singapore in support creating more public awareness through of local nonprofit group HOME which a new media campaign, plus holding houses some 30 women who were talks in schools and at the Women’s Expo trafficked into Singapore for prostitution. in September 2006. For WMD, it’s a The occasion was made all the more long and challenging – but definitely not significant by the announcement a few impossible – list. I weeks before that the Bill against child To find out more about WMD, visit sex tourism was passed by Parliament. www.womenmakeadifference.org.

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S A L T S H A K E R S & MO V ER S

Prime Mover

In the wake of the NKF saga and the ensuing shake-up of the charity sector, CEO of NCSS, Benedict Cheong, speaks candidly to IMELDA LEE about how the badly pummeled sector can pull through its dark days to walk the straight and narrow path.

enedict Cheong, 45, heads the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) as its Chief Executive Officer, a position he has held since 1998. NCSS is the leader and coordinator of the social service sector in Singapore, and through its fundraising arm, Community Chest, provides some $40 million worth of funding annually for its member voluntary welfare organisations’ (VWO) programmes, making it one of the key players in the local charity scene. Says Cheong, a former President’s and Singapore Police Force Scholar, “It has been a good eight years, with never a dull moment – from birth pangs to learning to growth to relearning and rejuvenation. I have benefited a lot from the experience of Dr Robert Loh (NCSS president from 1992 to 2002) and Gerard Ee (NCSS’ current president), as well as that of the volunteers and staff in NCSS and the VWOs which have helped me add better value to the people we seek to help and to the sector as a whole. Ours is a mega team effort.” You’ve mentioned the need for the charity sector to be outcome focused, have better governance and for more partnerships among charities. Care to elaborate? The charity scene has taken a beating in the last year. These incidents, one major one and a few other minor ones, while we can debate about them for some time yet over cups of coffee or bottles of beer or wine, my take is how do we move forward. For me, it has shown us the need to really look at all the key ways of maximising, getting the best value out of our resources. Charity boards, volunteers, and profes-

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sionals all now need to ask “Resources, can we take them for granted?” We may not be able to. We can’t assume that resources will flow. And the issues raised show that people also want us to use resources better. So the whole theme of moving forward is how do we extract the best value from the resources we can get. How do you propose to do this? What should the charities do first? The first thing is to shift to the idea of knowing how to measure what the outcomes of your programmes or services are. Let’s say we have pre-school aged children from low income families and they don’t have access to reading materials because they can’t afford kindergarten or play school. So you start a programme and you measure the output: how many

programmes do you run? How many times do you get the family to come in? That is only the output. At the end of the day, you want the children to be able to read and write at a certain standard. That is your outcome. How do you get that? Let’s say 100 students attended. They came to your talk about awareness. Out of the 100, 60 registered with you. Out of the 60, 40 turned up. Out of the 40 that went to your class, maybe 25 can eventually reach that certain standard of reading. That’s when you have translated your output into an outcome. This exercise shows you that if you sat down, discussed and thought as a group, you can actually translate what you do into outcome. We are pushing that in the next few years, but we are not doing it too quickly because a lot of the organisations say, “Hey, what is this all about? We feel uncomfortable, we’re not so sure.” And rightly so, because sometimes, you cannot measure outcome. For example, a person who is dying or is terminally ill, what outcome do you want from the programme of caregiving or befriending? Dignity? But how do you measure dignity? These issues are real. If you can do this outcome management framework, then your resources can be channeled effectively. You may then discover that some of the activities you are doing are not useful. What comes next? The second issue is transparency and governance. Governance is about better use of resources, about board members deciding how to allocate resources.

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Maybe they want to have a new programme or change it, or perhaps they want to do more public education. A big part of this is reporting to donors. If you want to get resources from your donors, you need to tell them what you do. There is the need to continue to enhance governance systems and transparency to donors because they are your source of income. The third idea is new. Donors usually fund on a programme-by-programme basis. Let’s take elder care, for example. You have one group doing befriending, and then you find another doing home help. Then there’s home nursing, and the final one is the nursing home. So you have four different levels. The elderly cannot be categorised like that, but the programmes are designed like that and they are usually run by four different agencies. So the idea we have is to fund by partnership. So the services do not become redundant, is that it? Not just not to make them redundant, but to make them a part of the continuum. Let’s say you are Agency 1, she’s Agency 2 and I’m Agency 3. The donor says “I’m not interested in just your programme. I want to fund all three of you together. Maybe in the Jurong area where all three of you are present.” So they fund by partnership, not by agency or programme. And a cluster of services then emerges? Yes, a cluster of services which are part of a continuum. Maybe a more obvious example is a special school. Let’s say junior special school to pre-employment vocational training. From the age of six to 12, some can learn to read and write and do basic things. At the end of that, where do they go? So we find another school to do a programme for 13 to18 year olds. By this time, they might learn certain vocational skills, like how to operate machines, how to cook, how to sew, and how to clean. Different schools, different organisations. Today, we fund separate programmes.

Why can’t we fund a cluster of programmes? So these people will graduate from this junior special school to a senior special school and then go to a sheltered workshop for pre-employment training. And we fund the whole thing.

“I don’t pretend we have an easy answer. This is not easy.” But let me tell you why it’s difficult. Because each agency has their own respective mission. Sometimes the agency’s constitution says “My mission is to work only with six to 12 year olds.” So they cannot merge, they cannot mix. Then maybe the funders and the donors can say “OK, I’ll give you a contract and each of you gets something, but you must work together.” There’s a lot of scope for funding by partnership but it’s not easy to do. Thinking aloud, maybe there’s a group interested in the cleanliness of the environment on a beach; another is interested in the preservation of marine life. They are tackling the problem from different angles. So can the donor fund it altogether? I suppose this requires educating both donors and charities? We need to work with donors to see how this can be done. Maybe with regular or major donors. Perhaps the government can take the lead. But we have to think this through. I don’t pretend we have an easy answer. This is not easy. This is also linked to outcome because the outcome of one programme can be the input for the next programme. The outcome from one programme is like a preentry requirement for the next programme. The pace of the move is when the charities are ready. As it is, they are already talking about outcomes and output. Half of them say “Can we move faster? This is a very good idea.” The other half say

“Hold on a minute. Doesn’t this mean extra resources needed for us to measure?” So we’re trying to balance the two. We’re trying to say “Let us keep this simple. Maybe you don’t need to commit so much extra resources to measure.” I don’t think you should anyway. If you have a good VWO or charity board governor, you must know how your money is used and what outcomes you are getting. Back in 1999, NCSS introduced the document Vision of Social Services in the 21st Century. How relevant is it now? This is a document that came out in 1999 and we are talking about many of its points today. Now, we are talking about means testing and partnerships between charities. SSTI (Social Service Training Institute) came out of this need to professionalise the sector by introducing technology and training. We still think it has good ideas to move towards. So this is a prophetic document? (Laughs out loud) Wait! Let me go through it some more. “Programme accountability, governance and management, visionary, responsible board, safeguarding the vision, high standard participation...” On the one hand, I would say some documents are easy to be prophetic because if you write in such general terms, it will be prophetic, right? So you ask me if this is prophetic and if I say yes, you will say it’s because it’s such a general document. But if you look at it carefully, it’s not that general. And this was not our document alone – it was prepared by a task force, a lot of academics and VWO practitioners combined. They wrote a very thick document and we reduced it to something simple and short. So I would say, yes, it is a document that has a lot of foresight. It is still very relevant today. It looked into the first decade of the 21st century for the sector and it is something we check against. We look back on it with a little quiet pride. I

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Free Labour * Wanted * Conditions Apply

WILLIE CHENG argues that volunteers are worth a lot more than the money they save a nonprofit organisation.

ccasionally, when working in the voluntary sector, the above sign pops up in my mind. Several months ago, I attended a volunteer briefing for an overseas mission. To everyone’s surprise, the volunteer manager started off by asking, “Who would you say are our customers?” His message was that the volunteers were not his customers, the beneficiaries were. Hence, his main job was to worry about the faraway beneficiaries the mission was for. And as volunteers, we should just fall in line. Apparently, he was peeved with earlier feedback from some volunteers to his

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board of directors that his organisation needed CRM (customer relationship management) – a term from the commercial world for how companies should value and treat the people who contribute to the organisation’s revenues. The tone of the meeting was so bad (“Sorry, don’t expect too much information or help from us for you in this strange land – after all you had volunteered to go knowing the risks and uncertainties.”) that at one point, one of the volunteers raised his hand and meekly asked to be treated as a “secondary customer”. I was tempted to but decided not to launch

ts into a lesson on volunteer management at the briefing. In fairness, the volunteer manager felt overwhelmed and could not answer all the questions posed to him from this batch of spoilt-by-the-good-life Singaporean volunteers who were anxious about wandering into an unknown terrain.

“ What then do you do with high maintenance volunteers? .... One panelist spontaneously responded ‘Why, just fire them, of course!’” What then do you do with high maintenance volunteers? At the annual NVPC conference when this question was posed some years ago, one of the panelists, Robert Chew, spontaneously responded, “Why, just fire them, of course!” It was a typical human resource response that Robert, who is my good friend and former partner in Accenture, gave. In the corporate world, when the value delivered by an employee is outweighed by the costs of maintaining him or her, it does not make business sense to continue with the employee. These two incidents illustrate a common perception both within and outside the nonprofit sector: that volunteers are simply no more than free labour. Nonprofits simply use volunteers because they cannot afford to have paid labour doing the same thing. Such a view under-estimates the true value of volunteerism. The epiphany for a group of us came three years ago when NVPC conducted a study to quantify the value of volunteerism in Singapore. We thought it was important to demonstrate the economic value of volunteerism in a country driven largely by economic imperatives. The result was a bit disappointing. Volunteers in Singapore contributed the equivalent of S$746 million per annum

of “unpaid labor” at fair market value, which is less than half a percent of our national GDP. In contrast, USA’s volunteer contribution equivalent as a percentage of its GDP was 2% and Australia’s was 7%. Interestingly, the second part of that study looked at the cost versus the economic value contributed by volunteers, using a sample of 24 volunteer host organisations (VHOs). Now, even though a VHO does not pay a volunteer any wages, there is a cost to recruiting and managing them. We measured the VIVA (Value Investment & Value Audit) ratio which is the dollar value of the voluntary work compared to the cost of investing in the volunteers. A ratio of 1:1 means the organisation breaks even. The majority of VHOs had VIVA ratios that showed returns from 6 per cent to over 480 per cent more than their cost of recruiting and managing volunteers. It was two outliers which sparked strong debate within the study team. These VHOs had negative returns i.e. the cost of finding and managing volunteers exceeded the equivalent labour cost contributed by the volunteers. It begged the question: had the VHO known their true cost, would it not have been better for the VHO to use paid labour to do the work performed by the volunteers? The answer is yes if you look at it strictly from an economic standpoint because that would be a cheaper alternative. However, that may not be the right answer if you consider the broader aspects of what volunteerism means to nonprofits and the community. Our debate led us to conclude that it was good that we had a separate section in the report on the non-economic value of volunteerism as well. When you cut through all the benefits, the essence of it boils down to engagement – engagement of the individual volunteer with the VHO and the community, and engagement of the VHO with the community. Without doubt, volunteers are rewarded beyond any monetary returns for their services – otherwise they would not have volunteered. Often, they broaden

their horizons and receive immense personal satisfaction from just giving back to society. For the VHOs, volunteers give them access to talent that is not affordable, and sometimes not even otherwise available. However, beyond that, an engaged volunteer reflects on the organisation and extends the VHO’s outreach to the community it serves. Several charities today are involved in the building of houses for the rehabilitation of the tsunami victims. Many do so by sending funds raised to the displaced communities to rebuild houses and facilities. A few such as Habitat for Humanity, Mercy Relief and Singapore International Foundation engage volunteers from Singapore and other countries to go onsite and help build these new homes. Volunteers usually pay for their own cost of travel and accommodation and are also asked to contribute to the cost of construction materials. The cost is typically in the region of $1,000 per volunteer for a week, depending upon the location. It’s a common contention by critics that the same money will go a lot further if it is spent on local labour – not only can more houses be built, but it gives employment to the displaced people.

“ Imagine how inspiring (or not) it would be if you were running the Standard Chartered Marathon and the ‘runspirators’ were paid to do it rather than having volunteered!” But ask any volunteer who has been on such a mission and you will be convinced of the value of such house building trips. The impact and sometimes metamorphosis in the volunteer attitude and outlook cannot be purchased with slide shows and fanciful brochures. Many volunteers I know leave a lot more than their work at the site; they empty

themselves of the possessions they carry and they come back with a renewed sense of mission. They get more readily involved in future projects.

“ Volunteers are not solely free labour, but the soul of a free society.” The fact also is that the money spent by a volunteer may not have been forthcoming in the first place without the volunteering experience. But having gone and having engaged, they now give more of their time and money. This theme is borne out by NVPC’s recent philanthropic survey. The study found that among individual donors, volunteers tend to donate 63 per cent more than the average giver. For the community, the benefit of volunteerism lies in the development of the community spirit and the bonding of people from diverse backgrounds. Imagine flag days without volunteers. Imagine the level of pride and patriotism that National Day would evoke if the parade contingents and helpers were all paid staff. Imagine how inspiring (or not) it would be if you were running the Standard Chartered Marathon and the “runspirators” (people who cheered you along the way) were paid to do it rather than having volunteered! In 2000, I went to my first Olympics in Sydney. To my surprise, I was met at the airport and driven to my lodging by a volunteer. I learnt that she was one of some 47,000 volunteers, mostly Australians, who had raised their hands for the simple joy of being part of a historic moment in her country’s hosting of the Games. She and the other volunteers we came into contact with during the trip were genuine and excellent ambassadors of the country and the Olympic movement. Such is the power of volunteerism for any community. Properly harnessed, volunteers are not solely free labour, but the soul of a free society. I The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author’s.

May-Jun 2006 S A LT •

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and

Thinking like Christopher Columbus To fully understand social entrepreneurship, you have to free your mind and let go of your assumptions, says PAMELA HARTIGAN, managing director of The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. BY

PAMELA HARTIGAN MANAGING DIRECTOR T h e S chwab F o u n dati o n fo r S ocial E nter pr ise

Salt and pepper shakers from a private collection.

y job is to travel the world seeking entrepreneurs who thrive in the intersection, whether of cultures, disciplines, organisational structures or even cuisine. These are pragmatic visionaries – usually trained in various disciplines – who have become possessed with an idea that calls for the radical transformation of “what has always been done”. They may work in the business sector, the public sector, the academic sector or the nonprofit sector, but their approaches blend all of those sectors so that they defy classification. Think of Christopher Columbus. No, not that Christopher Columbus. Actually, his name is Cristobal Colón (I kid you not!). A Spaniard, he started his career working for his father who was a carpenter. But he was possessed by the desire to work with the mentally ill, and so he studied psychiatry and ended up working in a mental hospital. It was the late ’70s and work therapy was all the rage then, and Colón was put in charge of the hospital’s work therapy programme. This entailed assigning useless tasks to the patients to keep them occupied, such as making book marks and other such little trinkets. Colón grew very frustrated with this meaningless exercise. The mentally ill might be crazy but they are usually smart. They need a life of dignity and purpose just like regular people. He realised that the one thing that would provide these elements was a real job in a real company

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that produced something people wanted to buy. Living in Cataluña and knowing something about cows, he decided to set up a dairy business. But he needed the capital, so in 1982, he visited the bank to ask for a loan. Imagine you are the loan officer in a bank where a psychiatrist shows up asking to borrow money. He says his name is Christopher Columbus and he wants to set up a dairy company whose primary workers will be the mentally ill. Now there’s a nut!

“ La Fageda does not work with the mentally ill as part of its corporate social responsibility – working with the mentally ill is its core business!” Today, La Fageda, the name of Colón’s dairy farm, has the third largest market share for yogurt in Spain, outdone only by Danone and Nestlé. It employs the mentally ill and its annual turnover is 6.3 million euros and it is fully self-sustaining. It pays its workers well, and they can choose to live on site, which many opt to do. La Fageda works closely with the public sector that refers psychiatric patients to the company for training and incorporation. It has a fully staffed mental health facility on site that provides support for workers. It is certified by the Ministry of Agriculture as a dairy farm,

and most La Fageda consumers are not even aware that the mentally ill are responsible for its products. They buy them because they taste great, not because they feel sorry for the workers. And the mentally ill are no longer “patients” – a disempowering term – but are earning their living by contributing to one of their country’s leading dairy companies – and they are proud of it. La Fageda is a business, but it is not a profit-maximising business – its business is social transformation with profits being used as a means to that end. It does not work with the mentally ill as part of its corporate social responsibility – working with the mentally ill is its core business! And although it provides a public health service by supporting the mentally ill, it is not a government organisation, and it is certainly not a charity or an NGO, which would make it dependent on donor funding and philanthropy. Was it easy for Colón? It never is for these entrepreneurs. It is much easier for society to understand what they do by classifying it into one of those familiar “boxes” we so love to fit things into to explain life. So if you want to understand entrepreneurship for development, free your mind and let go of your assumptions. Stop classifying things as public, private or NGO. The challenge of the 21st century is to remake society so that everyone has a chance to contribute meaningfully and positively, and thus find their purpose. I

CALENDAR D at e s

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Do you have an event you would like to publicise? We welcome your news of upcoming events and pictures. Please send them to SALT, 7 Maxwell Road, #05-01 Annex B MND Complex, Singapore 069111; or email salt@nvpc.org.sg. Please include your name, the name of your organisation, address and telephone number. SALT reserves the right to edit submissions for space and clarity.

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24 May SANA-Christian Aftercare (Counselling) Service Charity Dinner Venue: Dragon Gate Restaurant, 1 Maritime Square, #04-01, Harbourfront Centre Organised by the Singapore AntiNarcotics Association (SANA) and the Christian Aftercare (Counselling) Service, this fundraising dinner aims to raise funds to support anti-drug programmes as well as create greater public awareness of the dangers and consequences of drug abuse with a special emphasis on youths. Guests will be treated to an entertaining evening with performances by talented former drug addicts, dances by various ethnic groups and touching testimonies by former addicts.

5–11 June Charity Ride 2006 From Alor Star, Malaysia to Singapore Organised by Bike-Aid (Singapore) in aid Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF), the seven-day, 970km ride will begin in Alor Star, Kedah in Malaysia and end in Singapore. Every cent donated will go towards subsidising the dialysis treatment of KDF patients. Since 1992, Bike-Aid (Singapore) has organised fundraising charity rides for various local and foreign charities, raising over $1 million in the process. Registration is now open for anyone interested to be a cyclist, fundraiser or support crew member. Donations or sponsorships for the event are welcome. For more information, log on to www.bikeaid.org.sg or call Jeannie Ang at 62253133 or email jeannie.ang@kdf.org.sg.

1 July Handicaps Welfare Association Charity Draw The first ever charity draw by Handicaps Welfare Association (HWA), this fundraiser was officially launched by Heng Chee How, Minister of State, Ministry of National Development and Mayor, Central Singapore District on 20 November 2005. HWA is aiming to raise $400,000 to support programmes and services for people with physical disabilities in Singapore. Draw tickets are available at $5 each. To purchase tickets, call James Teo at 62543006 or email james@hwa.org.sg. To volunteer, call Stephanie Quan at 62543006 or email stephanie@hwa.org.sg.

16–18 June Ren Ci Vegetarian Food Fiesta

8 July Heart Flag Day 2006

Venue: Suntec City Tower 5 Time: 11am – 8pm Ren Ci Vegetarian Food Fiesta is back for its fifth run. With more than 40 stalls participating this year, vegetarian food of all tastes and descriptions are available to satisfy the most demanding palate. Funds raised through the sale of coupons will go towards the Ren Ci Hospital & Medicare Centre. Coupons can be purchased at the event itself or via Ren Ci’s hotline at 63850288. For more information, log onto www.renci.org.sg.

Venue: Selected MRT Stations island-wide All donations raised from the Singapore Heart Foundation’s (SHF) third flag day will go towards subsidising needy heart patients’ medical bills as well as funding on-going heart education programmes. For more information on how you can support the event, call Amber Yong or Maricel Fernandez at 63549350/63549355.

2 July MILK Run 2006

13–14 July The Inaugural Corporate Social Responsibility & National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Conference 2006

Venue: Zouk Car Park, Jiak Kim Street The MILK Run is Beyond Social Services’ main fundraiser and part of its annual Youth Day celebrations since 2001. This year’s event includes 8km and 5km races along the Singapore River, a Community Run, a youth parade, concert and bazaar. This event will have over 10,000 participants from schools, youth organisations, corporates and other community partners, all aiming to raise $1 million to support Beyond’s programmes to curb delinquency among disadvantaged young people and their families. For more information, log on to www.milkrun.sg.

Venue: Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Level 2, Ballroom 2 & 3 Fee: $350 per person (inclusive of 5% GST) The annual National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Conference gets bigger this year as NVPC teams up with Singapore Compact for Corporate Social Responsibility to present its inaugural conference on the theme of “Doing Good, Doing Well: A Winning Formula”. Expect to hear views from leading individuals of the various sectors at this twoday gathering including Jimmy Tay, chief executive of Hill & Knowlton

(Southeast Asia) who will speak on Brand-Building: Unlocking Hearts and Wallets, and watch out for The Pitch, a reality contest for NPOs with $50,000 in cash prizes sponsored by UBS at stake. For more information and to register, visit www.nvpc.org.sg/ conference06. Early birds who register before 14 June enjoy a 10% discount on the conference fee.

8–17 July 37th International Physics Olympiad Co-organised by the Ministry of Education, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, National Institute of Education and Singapore Institute of Physics, the 37th International Physics Olympiad will see over 400 students (between the ages of 17 and 18 years) from over 80 countries participating in this annual competition to find the brightest young physics talents around the world. For more information, visit www.ipho2006.org.

May-Jun 2006 S A LT •

Wildlife Hub

17 March, Opening of World Wildlife Fund’s Asia-Pacific Office, 2 Nassim Road

World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) President Emeritus His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was in town recently to officially open WWF’s Asia-Pacific office in Singapore. The new office will support WWF’s programmes across the Asia-Pacific region. Jack Sim/WWF International Singapore

SPH – The New Paper

SCENE&SEEN

No Stunts Required 16 April, Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society Charity Show, MediaCorp Studios

Chairman of THKMS Lee Kim Siang (centre) leading the artistes in the show’s finale.

From left: HRH The Duke of Edinburgh; Jim Leape, Director-General, WWF; Dr Isabelle Louis, Director Asia Pacific Programme, WWF International; and AP Koo Tsai Kee, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

The inaugural charity TV show of the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society (THKMS) featured no dangerous stunts, but it still met its target of $4 million. The three-hour show featured song and dance segments, martial arts demonstrations, and Teochew opera by some of MediaCorp TV’s top artistes, but the bulk of donations was received when the society’s chairman Lee Kim Siang sang during the finale, drawing some 53,000 calls!

Books for Brownies

31 March, Ritz-Carlton Charity Book Drive, Millenia Walk

In exchange for a box of yummy brownies baked by the RitzCarlton’s pastry chefs, busy professionals working in the Marina Bay area made a beeline for Smiles all around. Millenia Walk to donate new or used children’s books. Each box of brownies, valued at $10 each, were either sold or exchanged for donated books valued at $2 each. Some 3,500 books were collected, with proceeds from the brownie sales going to the Gift of Knowledge, a community outreach project initiated by MP Ong Kian Min and NMP Eunice Olsen in October 2005.

• S A LT May-Jun 2006

From left: Chin Lai Ngan, Abdulrashid Gani, Bobby Chin, Susie Koh and Koh Poh Tiong.

Music to Their Ears 24 March, Singapore Symphony Orchestra Benefit Dinner, The Ritz-Carlton

Guests-of-Honour President S R Nathan and Mrs Nathan joined more than 500 guests at the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s (SSO) recent Benefit Dinner which raised an impressive $822,000 for the SSO. Generous donations and the first-ever sponsorship from prestige watchmaker Girard-Perregaux contributed to the success of the evening.

Electric Youth

29 March, The Outstanding Young Person of Singapore Awards, Raffles Town Club

Unveiling the future – MM Lee Kuan Yew (extreme left) and Dr Li Ka-shing (second from right).

A Bright Future Ahead

Five individuals honoured with The Outstanding Young Person (TOYP) of Singapore award this year received their awards recently from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, himself a TOYP winner in 1985. The five were emergency medicine specialist Dr Fatimah Lateef, NMP Eunice Olsen, Assoc Prof Ong Soh Khim, theatre artistic director Kok Heng Leun and polytechnic lecturer Dr Wilfred Tang.

24 February, Opening of Li Ka-shing Library, Singapore Management University

Together with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Dr Li Ka-shing, chairman of Li Ka Shing Foundation and Hutchison Whampoa Limited, officiated at the opening of the Li Ka-shing Library at the Singapore Management University (SMU). The five-storey state-of-the-art library at the heart of SMU’s new city campus was built with support from the Li Ka-shing Foundation and the Hutchison Whampoa Group, which made a gift of $19.5 million to SMU in 2002.

From left: Kok Heng Leun, Eunice Olsen, Dr Fatimah Lateef, AP Ong Soh Khim and Dr Wilfred Tang.

Silence is Golden

5 February, MediaCorp Radio’s 70-Hour Gag, Ngee Ann City, Civic Plaza

After 70 gruelling hours, DJs from five Mediacorp Radio stations shared $70,000 which went to adopted charities MILK (Mainly I Love Kids), Beyond Social Services, Muscular Dystrophy Association Singapore (MDAS), Mendaki’s Youth In Action and SINDA’s Project Give. The 70-Hour Gag event was held in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of MediaCorp Radio.

Woof Power!

All set for the march!

12 March, Million Paws March, Bishan Park Dog Run

CEO of MediaCorp Lucas Chow (in dark suit) presented the cheque for $70,000 to the beneficiaries of the 70-Hour Gag.

Some 170 pooches – some of them decked out in their finery – and their owners turned up at Bishan Park Dog Run on a sunny Sunday morning to participate in SPCA’s Million Paws March promoting responsible pet ownership and animal kindness. It was certainly a case of woof power in action!

May-Jun 2006 S A LT •

salt SPH – The Straits Times

“I want to know the status of my health, and the state of my brain!” Ex-pilot Ho Weng Toh, 86, the oldest volunteer participant in the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Brain Study.

Industrialist and philanthropist John Davison Rockefeller (1839–1937)

“We want to train our scouts from a young age to realise that there is dignity in labour, that honest work is a definite virtue.”

“I wanted to do something that wasn’t like ‘I’m a celebrity! I like puppies!’”

Assistant Chief Commissioner of the Singapore Scout Association Peter Joe Chia on the rationale behind Job Week, a key feature in the scouting calendar since 1950.

“ It was a feeling we did not have with any other Asian countries we lived and worked in... NUS has a good track record, and has achieved much in its 100 years.” German Uwe Derboven, on why he and his wife decided to bequeath two-thirds of their estate worth several million dollars to the National University of Singapore, which will go towards funding postgraduate scholarships. The Derbovens lived in Singapore from 1975 to 1986.

Actress Natalie Portman on her work with women’s charities.

“The prime challenge as I see it today is how to nurture the responsible citizenship, to build in the hearts and minds of genuinely progressive young men and women the will as well as the means to carry our true hope of the future.” Dr Li Ka-shing, at the opening of the Li Ka-shing Library at Singapore Management University in February 2006.

“I think what we hope is that if everyone who catches the show donates $4, it would be more than enough. Charity comes from the heart, so we will not be coercing anyone to donate. Whatever we can get, we’ll be very grateful for it.” Lee Kim Siang, chairman of Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society, on their recent stunt-free fundraising charity show which still met its target of $4 million.

• S A LT May-Jun 2006

“ The best philanthropy is constantly in search of the finalities – a search for cause, an attempt to cure evils at their source.”

“The pain of running across the Sahara carrying all my gear is worth it to get people aware of this terrible victimisation of children.” Mike DeNoma, group executive director for consumer banking at Standard Chartered, on why he’s putting himself through a gruelling 250km run across the Sahara desert to help raise awareness of child pornography and prostitution.

“When I reach a certain age, I’ll start giving away my money to society. Look at Bill Gates – 95 per cent of his wealth will go to charity. A friend of mine gave $500 million to each son and $30 million to each daughter – that sounds funny to me. I won’t give my children too much. They don’t need it.” Datuk Ng Kong Yeam, 67, property developer