salt_2009_03_04 by SALT NVPC

No. 28 Mar-Apr 2009

For Volunteers, Donors and Non-profits

Soccer, $ and Social Enterprise

Chicken Soup & Benson Puah

Alfie Othmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field tactics at PERTAPIS

Value art meals for the recession weary

For Better or for Worse

Mall Power All fired up at Lend Lease

Back to the Kampung

The Icing on the Degree

Eco-winning bid for NPO Land Tender

Addictive volunteering at NUS

Companies stand by their causes

Singapore Cares and The Kind Exchange Cool new ways to volunteer! â&#x20AC;˘ Enriching the experience SO6044_SALT Magazine.indd a

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Th Flexi-Click! Professionals at The Kind Exchange The decided to make it easier for busy people to volunteer d ad a hoc, using the skills they already have. “No time” is not n an acceptable excuse not to volunteer! Page 16 P P Photography by Paul Williams The Kind Exchange Board of (Volunteer) Directors: (from left) Victoria Camelio, Director (Operations); Mavis Chionh, Senior State Counsel; Andrew Hooper-Nguyen, Director & Co-Founder, Framework Capital Solutions; Julie Englefield, General Manager, The Substation; Muhammad Alkhatib; Managing Director & Co-Founder Wiz Werx.

DEPARTMENTS 2

LETTER FROM SALT

SALT TIPS

ERIENCE HING THE EXP TEER s %NRIC AYS TO VOLUN #OOL NEW W

Back to the Kampung

VOLUNTEER PROFILE Volunteering is addictive at the National University of Singapore! The NUS Volunteer Network is a passionate bunch convinced volunteering is all about self discovery and life lessons that cannot be taught in class.

Rent: $1 per year for 20 years. Architect Tay Kheng Soon has “won” the tender to establish an environmentally friendly Constellation Village on Jack Sim’s land in Ulu Tiram in Johor, 30 minutes from Singapore. Non-profits interested in getting in on the ground, apply now!

PEOPLE SECTOR PEOPLE Alfie Othman uses his past experience in soccer and banking to score a Social Enterprise advantage. The Pertapis leader shares field tactics and explains why he’s never had more job satisfaction.

8 20

NEWS BRIEFS A wrap-up of events, programmes and activities in the People Sector.

Coming soon to a computer near you: The imminent Singapore Cares portal is set to change the mind-set and character of volunteering in Singapore. The online service offers flexibility and choice for a new generation of volunteers.

WALK THE TALK What began as Community Day, so fired up staff volunteers at property firm Lend Lease that it bonded with the Andrew & Grace Home for girls. This small start may well grow a practical, working future.

SALT KIT You can’t make an omelette without breaking any eggs. Jack Sim reckons innovation is helped by some bending and breaking of perceived “rules”. In his eyes, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission…

SALT SHAKERS AND MOVERS

Richer or poorer, corporate Singapore stands by its causes. Companies may have to reduce their charity donations, but managers and staff volunteers are stepping up to ensure their charities don’t lose out.

Art for All Our Sakes The Esplanade is cranking up activity, not winding down during this recession. Out of 2,500 programmes last year, 2,000 were free. Benson Puah, CEO of the arts centre, explains why it’s more about serving chicken soup than gourmet fare.

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L E T T E R

F R O M

S A L T

SALT is a non-profit magazine with a managed circulation for members of non-profit 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.

MANAGING EDITOR Laurence Lien

EDITOR Monica Gwee

CONTRIBUTORS Adeline Ang Yu-Mei Balasingamchow Michelle Bong Wong Sher Maine

PUBLISHING CONSULTANT AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE Epigram SALT is published quarterly by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre 6 Eu Tong Sen Street #04-88 The Central Singapore 059817 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) 153/01/2008 ISSN No. 17933-4478 To advertise, please call Cynthia Tay at tel: 6292 4456 Email: cynthia@epigram.com.sg

e all could do with a more positive mood, what with all the negative economic news around us. We all need hope in our lives, beyond the happy things that serve as nothing more than a mere distraction. While the previous issue of SALT (Jan-Feb) was about facing reality and sobering up to the challenges from the ever deepening downturn, this issue is an “action” package. It tries to serve up some chicken soup – to inspire and encourage all of us to do more, and to rope in others in the process. Many of our fellow Singaporeans are just waiting to be asked. We look at varied ways of encouraging people to give more of their time, and how some individuals and groups are already stepping up to do so. At NVPC, we believe that Singapore Cares (or SG Cares for short) will be one such platform to mobilise Singaporeans to give of themselves. Some of you might have learnt about it when we announced it in February. Unfortunately, the media did not quite give the right impression – some presented it as merely about setting up an online portal (don’t we already have e-match?), or just suggesting that non-profits could use this for flag-days. We decided to go in-depth on SG Cares for a more accurate idea of what, how, why and who it’s all about (see Lead story page 8). SG Cares aims to transform the volunteering landscape. The ultimate goal is about developing a caring and engaged society where those who can, spontaneously and regularly volunteer. Central to SG Cares is working closely with Community and Nonprofit organisations to structure regular programmes that make a difference. People with initiative make the difference. Many corporations are stepping up to the plate to give more in these challenging times. And one new group of professionals – the Kind Exchange (page 16) – is reaching out to other busy professionals who want to contribute their specialised skills and their limited time, to help charities in practical and relevant ways. Inspiring individuals and groups are a recession antidote. See how Benson Puah, Alfie Othman and the NUS Volunteer Network, can stir us with their passion, as well as provoke us with new paradigms. Finally, rough times are also opportune windows for us to innovate. So, dare we act on the ever-colourful Jack Sim’s challenge to just focus on the doing, and worry about whether we are breaking any perceived rules afterwards?

Laurence Lien Chief Executive Officer National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

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S T A T E

O F

P H I L A N T H R O P Y

In the previous issue, Salt carried the preliminary findings of an NVPC survey on the impact of the recession on non-profits and charities. Here are the final results of the online straw poll conducted over a three-week period from November to December 2008.

VPC and The Community Foundation of Singapore carried out a straw poll to find out how non-profit organisations in Singapore have been affected by the recession. Eighty non-profits were invited to participate in an online survey. There were 30 responses, mostly from senior management such as Chief Executives and Executive Directors. In this poll, “donations” refer to funds raised from donors, excluding government-related sources. Were overall donations to your organisation in the LAST six months according to expectation?

6.7%

Above expectation

40.0%

As expected Below expectation by about 25%

26.7%

Below expectation by about 50%

16.7%

Below expectation by about 75%

6.7%

Below expectation by more than 75%

3.3%

Base: 30

In the last six months, have you put on hold or scaled down programmes because of a fall in donations?

90.0%

10.0%

Yes

Base: 30

100

What are your expectations about donations in the next six months (compared to same period last year)? Eg: If you had raised $50,000 from Dec 07 – May 08, and expect to raise only about $25,000 from Dec 08 – May 09, then you expect donations to decrease by 50%.

0.0%

Increase

10.0%

About the same

53.3%

Decrease by about 25%

26.7%

Decrease by about 50%

10.0%

Decrease by about 75%

0.0%

Decrease by more than 75%

Base: 30

T I P S Reach Out to Volunteers Many Singaporeans are open to volunteering. According to the Nielsen Media Index, 54% agree they would volunteer their time to support a good cause. In fact, fewer than 1 in 10 are opposed to the idea. GUY HEARN, Director of Communications Insights – Asia for Omnicom Media Group, provides this snapshot of the Singapore volunteer and how non-profits can reach out to them. The Singapore volunteer is typically: ★ Younger – around 60% are between 15-24 years old ★ Well educated – more than two thirds have attended university This profile presents a number of challenges for non-profit agencies: How do we reach volunteers? – Traditional methods such as mailers, flyers or street intercept are not very efficient for this audience. Nonprofits have to understand how young people pick up and disseminate information, and the communication channels that grab them. Some possibilities worth exploring: Using Social Networking Sites – It’s quick and easy to set up a group on social networking sites such as Facebook, to outline what you do and why people should support you. By linking that group to people who already support you (financially, as volunteers, or simply by supporting your aims and objectives), you can present potential new volunteers to others like them. Young people are generally keen to see “people like me” when considering joining an organisation An engaging website – The web is the first point of reference for information for many young people. An engagingly designed website, supported with plenty of photographs and video, will help to create a positive impression of your organisation A presence at youth oriented events – A strong presence at such events gives you an opportunity to distribute information when people are generally in a receptive mood How can we use volunteers? – Qualified, educated people are generally receptive to helping when they can use their skills. These include: ★ Organisational skills ★ Teaching / Mentoring/ Leadership skills ★ Design and communication skills – perhaps a volunteer can design your website or Facebook group? ★ Networking skills ★ Financial skills If you are able to reach and engage young people, and provide volunteer opportunities that allow them to use skills they already own, it’s definitely an attractive starting point for volunteer sign-ons.

Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

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N E W S B

A WRAP-UP OF HAPPENINGS AROUND SINGAPORE

Finally, Our Community Foundation A

fter several years in gestation, The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) was successfully and officially launched on 17 February at the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) premises on Eu Tong Sen Street. The CFS aims to “grow” philanthropy by guiding and nurturing more informed, structured and sustained giving among donors here. “Here, we want to see private value come together with public value to create new philanthropic value,” said Stanley Tan, Chairman of the CFS and NVPC. President S R Nathan officiated at the launch, accompanied by Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State, and Mr Niam Chiang Meng, Permanent Secretary, both from the Ministry of Community

The Community Foundation’s first donor – Simon Cheong of SC Global Developments Ltd.

Development, Youth & Sports, and CFS Board Members. Mr Tan announced two immediate CFS initiatives. One is a programme that ensures no undergraduate will be denied completing tertiary studies due to financial difficulties arising from the current economic crisis. Backed by a $1 million pledge, the programme works in tandem with the Education Ministry’s Short

From left: Stephen Loh, CEO, Community Foundation of Singapore; Network, UK; Robert V Edgar, Vice-President of Donor Relations, Th

Term Study Assistance Scheme. The second is a Compassion Fund to help families hit by the sudden loss of the sole breadwinner through death, permanent disabilities or chronic illnesses. The Foundation will “leverage on resources made available by other partner donors, and aim to deliver results that lead to eradicating suffering and disadvantage in a permanent way,” said Mr Tan.

(Left to right) Stanley Tan, Chairman of CFS, President S R Nathan and Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, MCYS.

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NO SPLIT ENDS

ere’s one more for the social enterprise ranks: Metamorphosis – The Pertapis Hairdressing Training Centre. Launched on 11 February at the Pertapis Centre for Women & Girls, the event was attended by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Home Affairs. Metamorphosis began in September 2008 as a programme to provide life skills for youth-at-risk with an interest in hairdressing. The “Education & Employment” model will prepare its trainees for salon work including inventory and financial management. There will also be interim attachments for trainees. Currently, six girls have begun their attachments in heartland salons and upmarket establishments in the Orchard Road area. (see People Sector People page 14).

; Clare Brooks, Director of Philanthropy, Community Foundation e New York Community Trust, USA, Mr Stanley Tan, Chairman, CFS.

The Foundation, as a strategic tool, can respond more flexibly to plug gaps in the system, he added. “We can also fund areas less popular to other donors, but equally deserving of support.” He urged those with means in the community to “continue giving in bad times, as each dollar given is so much more needed and would achieve more.”

A healthy Nestlé foodpack for Chinese New Year personally delivered to a recipient by (clockwise) Mrs Tharman Shanmugaratnam, wife of Finance Minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam and South West District Mayor Amy Khor. Looking on (with tie) is Mr Suresh Narayanan, MD of Nestlé Singapore.

PROJECT JOY

estlé became the People’s Association’s (PA) first corporate partner when it agreed to commit more than $700,000 in cash and kind to the PA. The donation, one of Nestlé’s largest to the community here, will be disbursed over a year to five Community Development Councils (CDCs). Project JOY@South West kick starts the community partnership. Over 700 needy families living in rental flats in the South West district, received Nestlé food packs for the Chinese New Year in February. The community project also involved about 200 student volunteers from Bukit Panjang Government High School, Hua Yi and Yuan Ching Secondary School. They distributed groceries to households under the Adopt-

a-Rental Block Programme in Taman Jurong, Clementi and Chua Chu Kang. Nestlé has been in business here for almost a century. “More than just bringing a cheer to those in need in times of economic uncertainty, Nestlé wants to include our healthier choice products in the gift food packs,” said Mr Suresh Narayanan, Managing Director of Nestlé Singapore. Nestlé’s community commitment covers key PA events this year including Community Sports Festivals, Health Screenings and wellness programmes and Culinary Train-the-trainer workshops. Project Joy@South West has the wider aim of encouraging youth in the district to spearhead community service projects.

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PLAY FOR PAWS

A first time for everything: MayBank’s male staff crafting roses from recycled paper.

HANDS ON WITH MAYBANK ROSES

taff at Maybank hand-made 5,000 paper roses from recycled paper as part of a charity Valentine’s Day project. For every rose made, the Bank pledged $1 with all funds benefiting needy students from Hua Yi Secondary School, especially students and

families affected by the economic downturn. From 9 to 14 February, Hua Yi students handed out the paper roses at the bank’s newest branch Maybank@Jurong Point. The event kickstarted Maybank’s localised community service activities.

tudents from Republic Polytechnic roped in their canine friends and other volunteers to organise an outdoor Charity Gig and Flea event at the West Coast Park Dog Run on 3 January. The flea market and concert was organised by third year students from the polytechnic’s Diploma in Technology and Arts Management, and Diploma in New Media departments. Named “3neety”, the student volunteers helped raise $2,000 for non-profit, Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD) so more vulnerable dogs could be rescued and re-homed. Nearly 300 dog owners and their doggies attended the gig aimed to spread more awareness on the responsibilities of proper dog ownership and to reduce the numbers of stray and abandoned dogs. Would-be volunteers were given an orientation by dog trainers and the students. The afternoon’s programme included band performances from rap to beat-boxers and hip hop dancers. Also featured was an agility course set up by reputable dog training schools. The event was sponsored by Young Change Maker. “We believe in saving one dog at a time as a little goes a long way,” said a 3neety spokesman.

Would-be volunteers take tips from dog trainers and Republic Polytechnic students at the Charity Gig and Flea event. Dr N Varaprasad, Chief Executive, NLB, flagging off Comfort Delgro cabbie volunteers for Project Deliver Me.

Books on Wheels from NLB & ComfortDelgro

he volunteer network at the National Library Board (NLB) is breaking down mobility barriers for homebound book lovers. Officially launched on 21 Jan, Project Deliver Me brings library materials to those unable to visit the library because of illness or disability. One of NLB’s key partners, transport company ComfortDelGro, has pledged its support through the CabbyCare Charity

Group. Drivers will provide free taxi trips for Project Deliver Me volunteers to deliver and return library materials. Since a trial run in June 2007, a total of 53 recipient members have signed up for the service and 145 home visits were conducted, supported by 79 volunteers who helped select, deliver and return materials. The next three delivery dates scheduled for this year are 4 April and 13 June. Project Deliver Me benefits registered members of organisations that serve the physically-challenged, and those deemed unable to visit libraries on their own. Mr Sim Soon Teck, 53, a CabbyCare Charity Group volunteer driver, is one book lover who participated in the trial. “I love reading, so when I first heard that I will be helping to deliver books to the doorsteps of the underprivileged, I was more than happy to help. I don’t mind sacrificing my time off the roads if I can spread the love of reading," he said.

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The Icing on the Degree Anyone who complains Generation Y is apathetic, obviously hasn’t met the passionate young members of the National University of Singapore Volunteer Network. Timothy Lin, Founding Chairman, tells ADELINE ANG about self-discovery and life lessons that cannot be taught in class.

imothy Lin was Chairperson of the NUS Students’ Union Volunteer Action Committee (NVAC) in 2006, when he observed that there was little sharing and communication between various student volunteer groups on campus. Each group conducted its own activities and kept to itself. Lin, a 23-year-old Economics undergraduate, realised these groups would benefit from the synergy of coordinating their volunteer work, so he brought the various NUS student volunteer clubs together. In January 2008, the NUS Volunteer Network was born. It consisted of NVAC, The NUS Students’ Community Service Club, the Red Cross and Rotaract Clubs. The Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the respective clubs formed a Steering Committee, which now coordinates the activities of the Network’s members.

“ For many of us, volunteering is a way of life that provides a sense of balance from the rat race. Volunteering is addictive!” The Network supports member clubs by organising sharing sessions between the various club management teams, and joint training for volunteer leaders. It also helps match volunteer groups with organisations who require volunteering services. Mindful of the Internet-loving Generation Y, the Network is also developing a one-stop web portal for NUS students (and even alumni) to search for and sign up for volunteer opportunities.

volunteering activities on campus,” Lin noted. “Since the Network was formed, our member clubs have signed up more volunteers,” he said. An initial concern that “sharing” within the Network would strain the limited pool of undergraduate volunteers never materialised. Instead, their experience has shown that “we can expand this pool and enjoy better synergy and coordination.” This is heartening for the Steering committee clockwise Setting up the Network, which is passionate from bottom: Timothy Lin, Sim Yong Ming, Zhuang Yuhang, Network was not about encouraging more volunteers Chong Wen Bin and Amelia Ong. without its challenges. within the NUS community. Lin “A key concern among club members does not accept a heavy academic workwas a loss of autonomy and identity if the load as an excuse not to get involved. Network came about,” Lin recalled. “It’s “The experience from many of us is an issue we still face, but we all believe that volunteering is addictive!” that volunteering is essentially about “For many of us, volunteering is a the spirit of giving and sharing, and that way of life that would be hard to let go. keeps us going. It provides a sense of balance from the “Over the last year, our volunteers rat race,” he said. (and ourselves) are now clearer about the Many of the Network’s volunteers vision and mission of the Network and are surprised by the changes in themselves. are beginning to appreciate its benefits. “Most people think that volunteering is Since we’ve worked together on projects, only about giving. But it develops effective the ‘barriers’ between the clubs are communication, empathy, and sensitivity beginning to come down,” he added. to the needs of others,” Lin noted. In the one year since its inception, “These are important lessons of life the Network has supported its member that you have to experience yourself and clubs in organising various projects such they cannot be taught. It’s something I as an NUS Red Cross blood donation did not know when I first started volundrive and a fundraising car wash for an teering, and only came to appreciate expedition to Myanmar in June 2008. recently,” he said simply. This has prompted the launch of The Network believes institutions NUS Cares! later in 2009 to showcase and the community must provide the their various community projects. “Over infrastructure and support to encourage the past couple of years, there has been volunteers even in the workplace. “The a significant increase in the number of benefits are immeasurable!” Lin smiled. ✩

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Flexibility and choice are central to an exciting new online platform for volunteers. The imminent Singapore Cares portal is set to change the face of V-power in Singapore. MICHELLE BONG examines the mind shift for a new generation of volunteers.

omething new and big is unfolding on the volunteer scene. In the third quarter of 2009, a new, nation-wide volunteer-led initiative is set to re-engineer the way people in Singapore can lend a hand and give of their time to causes close to their hearts. It’s called Singapore Cares (SG Cares). And its central feature is flexibility and choice. For the first time, at the click of a computer mouse, you can choose to volunteer for a project based on your availability, passion and by location. Singapore Cares is a team-based volunteer-led programme that provides volunteer opportunities on a flexible schedule. Volunteers will participate under the guidance of a team leader who will ensure, as far as possible, that the needs of both the volunteers and host organisations are met. Spearheaded by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), the initiative is helmed by David Fong, Director, Singapore Cares. “SG Cares will be specifically

targeted at people who cannot commit to a fixed volunteering schedule,” Mr Fong said. “It’s also ideal for those who are trying out volunteering on a trial basis. Based on research done in previous years, there are people out there who want to volunteer but can’t because they aren’t able to help on a regular basis, or don’t know what suits them.” The structured but flexible nature of SG Cares enables such volunteers to come in as and when they can, try out different programmes and eventually find their passion. Such “episodic” volunteering has gained popularity in many countries where there are increasing pressures on personal time. “There is a need for greater flexibility in becoming a volunteer. And that’s something SG Cares seeks to provide – the platform for more to come forward to make a difference,” Mr Fong added. Click! And Sign On Making this difference, Mr Fong points out, can involve easy tasks that

don’t require any specialised training. Volunteers can choose from a cross section of interest areas, from animal welfare, the arts and the environment, to sports and social service, or sign up simply to be a companion. For example, teenage or young adult volunteers could spend an hour or two reading newspapers or books to the elderly at a senior activity centre, walk or play with rescued animals at animal shelters, or conduct enrichment activities for children. Adult volunteers could help chaperone outings or act as traffic wardens at pedestrian crossings near schools. Senior volunteers can befriend other seniors in homes or hospitals. Broadening the scope for volunteer activities through a more flexible approach should spell good news for non-profit organisations across the board who have long grappled with the constraints of developing good programmes and finding volunteers. SG Cares staff will work with Volunteer Host Organisations (VHOs) to structure these regular volunteer projects.

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“Not all types of programmes are suited to episodic volunteers, especially if vulnerable beneficiaries are involved. But a lot of regular programmes can be structured, flexibly, to unleash many volunteer opportunities.”– Laurence Lien “Like our partners, we want to see Singapore’s volunteer pool grow and we want to pave the way for volunteering to be more spontaneous and regular.” NVPC’s Chief Executive Laurence Lien added: “We also want the volunteer host organisations to learn to use volunteers meaningfully, through the structured programmes. I think many volunteers out there are under-utilised, so this is something we hope to address too.”

of Community Development, Youth & Sports (MCYS) and NVPC chairman Stanley Tan, in May last year. Suitably impressed, many in the delegation felt a similar model could work here. SG Cares will leverage on the best practices of its peer organisations. “SG Cares will follow a fair bit of the Boston and New York models. We have learnt much through phone conferences with our counterparts in both cities, and will work with our partners to customise SG Cares for our local context. Our first priority is project development. Recruiting, training and retaining volunteer leaders are also vital,” Mr Lien said. “On our part, we’re trying to replicate how to best identify volunteer leaders, empower and train them through a continuing understanding of how volunteers are used in Singapore,” he added.

Photos courtesy of B Well Ltd

Ph oto sc ou rte sy of B

We ll L td

In good footsteps SG Cares aims to be the local equivalent of its highly successful peers Boston Cares (www.bostoncares.org) and New York Cares (www.nycares.org). The portals in both cities now offer over 100 flexibly scheduled volunteer projects each month. Last year alone, Boston

B.Well Ltd welcomes the benefits of SG Cares. The non-profit encourages “flexi” Volunteerism.

Photos courtesy of B Well Ltd

SG Cares works as an online portal, currently being developed. It will serve as an informative and interactive system (with real-time updates) to create awareness about ongoing and upcoming projects, and allow interested volunteers to register, show up and do their bit. The aim is to include everyone keen to volunteer, however, volunteers below 18 years old will require parental consent, and those below 12 years will need parental or adult supervision. At the same time, staff and volunteer leaders at SG Cares will provide support to VHOs in managing volunteer projects and volunteers. This will ensure a positive experience both ways. The portal offers VHOs access to a larger database of volunteers, plus an additional platform to promote their volunteer opportunities (including those not managed by SG Cares). And as new volunteers come forward, SG Cares will enable VHOs to heighten their profile and increase the reach of their services and their work. “We are all inclusive and we’ll work with any organisation that is open to coming forward and structuring programmes that allow for episodic volunteering,” Mr Fong said.

A volunteer helps an elderly woman with her meal, as part of B.Well Ltd’s efforts to provide nursing care and meals for the sick.

Cares mobilised some 20,000 volunteers while New York Cares has some 43,000 volunteers who serve over 900 agencies each year. The idea for SG Cares was first mooted following study trips to America by a delegation that included Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State, Ministry

Challenges ahead Mr Lien concedes not every organisation has reacted positively to the news of the SG Cares initiative. “A small number still have the mindset that using episodic volunteers is resource intensive and they only want regular volunteers. For them, there is no reliability,” he shared. Happily, a great majority of organisations have welcomed the programme with arms wide open. Since February, there’s been much progress in ongoing efforts to grow SG Cares’ list of partners. Mr Fong has enjoyed many meetings with VHOs such as the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), The Salvation Army, Singapore General Hospital, All Saints Home, the YMCA, Pertapis, the Singapore Environment Council, Viriya Community Services and Methodist Welfare Services. All of these have come on board with enthusiasm. The hope is that eventually, experienced leaders (from these VHOs and beyond) will be able to scope and lead projects on their own initiative. “I see this happening here, some time down the road,” said Mr Lien. “And within a year from now, SG Cares should be a separate entity, with strong structures in place. A council made up predominantly of non-profits is in the works to co-own and co-develop Mar-Apr 2009 S A LT •

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Photos courtesy of WaterWays Watch Society

Pho

tos cou r

tesy

of W ater Way s Wa tch S

ocie

Photos courtesy of WaterWays Watch Society

Waterways Watch Society: “Episodic volunteering works for us. Without these volunteers, we will not be able to achieve our goals.” – Eugene Heng

have their own priorities. I think episodic volunteering works for us because without them, we will not be able to achieve our goals. Making special attempts to try and meet volunteer expectations helps, even as we go that extra mile for special members who are extremely passionate and committed to our work.” “I hope SG Cares can encourage more volunteerism and help organisations like us survive by supporting our programmes, even if they may appear radical and out of the box,” Mr Heng said. “Volunteerism is not something you do when you are free or when you have nothing else to do. It is a commitment, just like in a regular day job. SG Cares can certainly help mould this type of thinking and responsibility into all current and would-be volunteers!” ✩ VHOs who want to know more about how SG Cares can help them, email your queries to david@nvpc.org.sg.

SG Cares because this is meant to be a people sector-wide project,” he added. “We want non-profits to step up and help us make this happen, together. Clearly, not all types of programmes are suited to episodic volunteers, especially if vulnerable beneficiaries are involved. But a lot of regular programmes can be structured, flexibly, to unleash many volunteer opportunities,” Mr Lien said confidently. Already, there’s a target to raise 10,000 incremental volunteers a year. But what are the other yardsticks for success? Says Mr Fong: “At one level, success will be measured by the number of programmes we run and the number of volunteers we manage to garner. “But what is more important in the long term, is that we are creating meaningful volunteer opportunities and many of our members become committed volunteers. Our aim is to encourage volunteering as a regular way of life,” he noted. More volunteers are certainly the fervent wish of VHOs such as B.Well Ltd and WaterWays Watch Society (WWS), both already embracing episodic volunteerism. B.Well Ltd, is a non-profit

“We are all inclusive and we’ll work with any organisation that is open to coming forward and structuring programmes that allow for episodic volunteering. Like our partners, we want to see Singapore’s volunteer pool grow and we want to pave the way for volunteering to be more spontaneous and regular.” – David Fong organisation which provides rehabilitation therapy, nursing care, home nursing and meals for needy and sick elderly. It has over 140 volunteers who help distribute flyers during outreach efforts, or take Body Mass Index (BMI) readings during health screenings. Their spokesperson, Ms Anu, says episodic volunteerism works because “volunteers are given the freedom to commit when they can, and have an opportunity to contribute within their capability.” Adds WWS Chairman Eugene Heng, “Keeping volunteers for a long period of time is always a challenge, because they

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FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE I

t was just one line in a recent newspaper article detailing the escalating effects of the current recession. The story highlighted how some people were putting off medical appointments to save money. That was enough to jolt the MHC Asia Group into action. The group, which provides managed care services for 400 General Practice clinics, held a management pow-wow. Then, Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Low Lee Yong, shot off an e-mail to staff. Part of it read: “We are not a big company and most of us come from humble families. But it will be a good gesture for us to show our concern. It will be good if we could give some hope to those in need during this depressing time.” The email marked the company’s first in-house corporate fundraising effort. Shortly after the management meeting, a staff member sent Dr Low an SMS: “I have never felt so proud working in MHC as I did today. Thank you for this sense of purpose.” In less than a fortnight, the 30 employees at MHC managed to raise

Profit falls may have affected corporate charity donations, but richer or poorer, companies have stepped up so their causes don’t lose out. WONG SHER MAINE finds high energy and renewed commitment from companies working to make cash and time work harder.

about $10,000, the sum matched dollarfor-dollar by the CEO. The company is now working with Community Development Councils to disburse the $20,000 for the needy. MHC’s General Manager Jacqueline Lee said, somewhat apologetically, “This is just a small thing, we are not setting up an official charity and it’s just a selfcontained effort.” The sum raised may not have made headline news, but the spirited action from individual staff members willing to dig into their own pockets in a downturn, is worthy of repeated broadcasts. Many corporations hit by the economic crisis are likely to reduce their cash donations to charities this year, and possibly the next year too. The set back has challenged managers and staff, many of them teaming up to find ways to address shortfalls so their favoured charities don’t lose out. Some top managers have responded with personal donations, while staff volunteers band together to plough more energy and effort into existing community service programmes.

MAKING CASH AND TIME WORK HARDER MHC Asia is not a stand-alone case. In December last year, staff from business software company SAP, took stock of the worsening effects of the recession on their community service partners and got busy. They responded by buying 500 books to start a reading programme for children at the Henderson Student Care Centre and the Life Student Care Centre in Sengkang. Staff also found time to choose Christmas gifts to match wishes from underprivileged children through the

Children from the 19 MAY orphanage and school in Hanoi play in front of the newly painted walls decorated by CapitaLand volunteers.

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Make-A-Wish Foundation. In the same month, they sold teddy bears to help raise funds for the Redhill Food Distribution and Fund Raising Project, which provides food packages for senior citizens. “It’s important to note that SAP employees have supported the various campaigns not because they’re being told to do so by management, but because they each want to make their own personal contribution,” said Geraldine McBride, President of SAP Asia Pacific and Japan. Another company that may see a challenged bottom line in this year of falling property prices is real estate corporate CapitaLand. The big-name developer has typically allocated up to 0.5% of its annual net profit to its philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation. Suffice to say the company’s profits this year may not be as robust as in previous years, but CapitaLand has, in fact, just made its single largest donation to a specific cause: $1.75 million towards the “Green for Hope” project. The most recent “Green for Hope” project involved CapitaLand staff volunteers visiting 12 primary schools around Singapore for three weeks in February. Their task was to encourage students to recycle paper, plastic and aluminium cans. By doing so, the students “earned” donations towards their school’s welfare fund that helps underprivileged classmates. The CapitaLand Hope Foundation donated S$2 for every kilogramme of recyclable waste collected by participating schools. “CapitaLand remains committed to its community contributions. The CapitaLand Hope Foundation will continue to support worthy causes that focus on meeting the living, educational and healthcare needs of underprivileged children in Singapore and in countries where we operate,” said a company spokesman.”

“We have consistently delivered our support and commitment to the social service sector through economically difficult periods. We expect to do the same even as another difficult period unfolds before us.” – Goh Kong Aik, HSBC

STANDING FIRM Major bank, HSBC, home to one of Singapore’s strongest corporate volunteer forces in terms of sheer numbers and range of community programmes, is not holding back on volunteer contributions. The sobering financial climate has not affected the number of staff who want to volunteer. “Since the inception of Volunteers@HSBC in the mid 90s, we have consistently delivered our support and commitment to the social service sector in this manner, through economically difficult times,” said HSBC spokesman Goh Kong Aik. “We expect to do

the same even as another difficult period unfolds before us.” For the 12th consecutive year, about 50 HSBC volunteers hosted its Ang Pow Night reunion dinner for about 100 needy elderly residents of the Henderson Aged Reachout Programme, many of whom live on their own in challenging conditions with little or no support. Each guest received a goodie bag of Chinese New Year delicacies, a pair of decorative lanterns and a S$50 red packet. To add a very personal touch, staff volunteers spent more than 100 hours (over lunch time and weekends) to hand craft the intricate lanterns out of HSBC red packets. If they are unable to donate more, some companies are cleverly leveraging on what they already have to organise community programmes with more impact. In addition to on-going volunteer programmes here, staff volunteers from CapitaLand offices in Singapore, China, Vietnam and Thailand organised a volunteer expedition to a Vietnamese orphanage. The badly damaged and poorly equipped “19 May” orphanage and school in Hanoi, provides 85 street children and orphans with basic education. During the five-day trip in September last year, staff volunteers helped improve the school’s facilities with simple refurbishment including white-washing walls. They also provided the children with new school bags and gifts, and organised art and singing activities. Straitened times may have heightened empathy in many offices. Everyone, it seems, can relate to the mood and identify with greater needs on the ground. Retrenchments have an immediate effect in families with children. School costs, tuition and related needs all give way to more urgent daily needs. HSBC responded by introducing two new

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Instead of spending more at a time of lack, some companies are cleverly leveraging on what they already have to organise community programmes with more impact.

Photograph by Russel Wong

HSBC stands thick and thin by its Ang Pow Night reunion dinner for the needy elderly.

GIFTS OF THANKS As the bad economic news continued, lawyers at the TSMP Law Corporation bucked the corporate trend and voted unanimously, to double their charity donations. In a typical year, the Christian partners at the TSMP Law Corporation tithe 10% of partner profits to a variety of charitable and non-profit causes the firm supports. Their shareholder’s mandate upholds this practice. By every account, the last few months of 2008 were dire as job loss figures and heavily devalued investments took their wider toll on Singaporeans across the board. Charities heavily

dependent on corporate funding felt the sting almost immediately. “In a bad year, $100,000 is nothing when there are so many needs to be met. Last year was a bad year but we had a record year, so we doubled our tithe to 20% because this is a time when our donation dollar can stretch further,” reasoned Stefanie Yuen Thio, TSMP’s Head, Corporate & Joint Managing Director. After consultation with the firm’s lawyers and staff, the pool of charitable cash gifts rallied around $350,000. In a climate where bosses are braking heavily on cash outflows, such generosity towards non-business costs may seem astonishing. But TSMP has always made giving a tenet of its work ethic. “As much as you feel you need the money in your own hand, how much more so do the needy feel the lack,” Mrs Yuen Thio said simply. “We have so much to be grateful for, really.” TSMP supports a range of causes including Operation Smile, the children’s charity treating facial deformities such as cleft lips and palates, and the Children’s Cancer Foundation. The firm also awards two scholarships at the National University of Singapore’s Law faculty. Some of the other beneficiaries of the firm’s largesse may come as more of a surprise. Mrs Yuen Thio named HOME, the non-profit welfare organisation for migrant workers. “I feel very strongly about this. Domestic workers here care for our children and our families and homes at the expense of their own. It’s because of my helper that I am able to work at what I love, make good money and enjoy my family life free from domestic hassles. I couldn’t do all this without my helper sacrificing her own family life. It’s not even giving back!” she argued. Another beneficiary is Action For Aids (AFA). Given TSMP’s top management’s biblical position on gender issues, this support surprised one of their own lawyers who had

programmes for needy children with the Students Care Service called “Read With Me”. The programme is aimed at improving the reading and linguistic comprehension skills of children who are academically weaker than their peers, but who cannot afford enrichment classes. “Education for the needy is a core focus of our community service efforts here,” said Mr Goh. “We believe that when it comes to children, their continued learning and development must remain a priority even in this difficult climate.” ✩

initially hesitated to make a case for supporting a programme for the non-profit. But Mrs Yuen Thio encouraged the pitch. “We are giving to Action for Aids to support a programme that provides medical treatment for HIV pregnant mothers. That fits in with our mission to help the disadvantaged, sick and needy. That’s why we go to our lawyers and staff and ask them to make a case for causes they believe in, it helps us widen the scope for what we do, and we agree on who to give to as a company,” she explained. On the volunteer front, she currently serves on the Governing Council of Dover Park Hospice, where she is part of a new task force aiming to increase hospice beds and services. On a personal level, she wants to champion more training for palliative care among General Practitioners and nurses in the community. TSMP’s volunteer committees organise two community events a year for the elderly and for children. One of them included serving lunch to senior citizens from an Asian Women’s Welfare Association organisation at a void deck recently. The lunch ended with the mandatory karaoke session, a challenge for some of the volunteer legals waiting on tables, including Mrs Yuen Thio. “We all had to join in the Chinese karaoke – including me. I can only sing one Chinese song!” – Monica Gwee

“We gave more because in a bad year, the dollar can stretch further. We have so much to be grateful for.” – Stefanie Yuen Thio

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The Best Payout A

lfie Othman credits soccer with setting him right. The former banker and current Chairman of the Pertapis Home Management and Pertapis Development Committees, recalls with fondness, his soccer mad teenage years living in a tough neighbourhood. Alfie and his friends were approached by members of Pertapis, the Malay voluntary welfare group, who offered to help the youths set up a soccer team. It proved to be a scoring start. “Pertapis managed to get us into their other activities. We started with playing soccer, then went on to cleaning the mosque and delivering food to needy people. We didn’t know it was volunteerism, we just thought it was an activity we could do together,” Alfie recalled with amusement. Fast forward many years later. During a successful 12-year banking career at J P Morgan and Citibank, Alfie decided he could contribute more to Pertapis if he brought his work expertise into the organisation. He’s been a long-time Pertapis executive member, overseeing welfare and education centres for the marginalised. Currently, he’s also the Managing Director of Ikhlas Holdings, a Social Enterprise industrial catering kitchen started in 2004. Aided by the Ministry of Community Services, Youth and Sports, it now has 17 full-time staff and 10 part-timers. Alfie is convinced that a Volunteer Welfare Organisation works best when it’s run like a small or medium enterprise. He’s adamant two key drivers will give Pertapis beneficiaries the prospect of a good future: education and employment. Enter Social Enterprise (SE) in a crucial role. Ikhlas provides work opportunities for current and former residents of

Pertapis Digiart Social Enterprise

Alfie Othman uses his past experience in soccer and banking to score a Social Enterprise advantage. The Pertapis leader shares tactics with ADELINE ANG and explains why he’s never had more job satisfaction. industry in Asia at the same time. It’s Corporate Social Responsibility at work without spending a cent!” he noted. Alfie has been championing Social Enterprise to future entrepreneurs, lecturing and giving talks at two polytechnics, the ITE Simei School of Business, and the three universities here. He believes the current generation of Alfie Othman (right) at Pertapis welfare homes business schooled entrepreneurial Pertapis Digiart Social such as ex-offenders, single Enterprise, another of aspirants can carry the Social his projects. On the left is mothers and the disabled. Zafaran Khan, Divisional Enterprise model to greater Manager of Pertapis. Many of them need and heights. He also sits on various deserve the opportunity to work, but start government and community education off at a disadvantage “outside”. An SE start committees that promote the cause. can often ease the entry into the work“Social Enterprise means you are place while promoting a good work ethic. being paid and you are the owner of “For ex-offenders who have been the business. It’s just that you are not out of society for some years, they need completely profit motivated. The younger time to adapt. But commercial employers generation will have better ideas and better might think they are unproductive or energy (with the formula). And the Ministry easily distracted. Employers are running of Community, Youth & Sports can a business and they have a bottom line. provide them with start-up funds!” he said. Normal businesses are there to maximise Two years ago, Alfie stepped away profit, a Social Enterprise is there to from his career in banking to concentrate maximise revenue. We just need to on his work with Pertapis and Ikhlas. But ensure that we have enough revenue to he dismisses any self-sacrificing label. soldier on,” Alfie pointed out. “I’m selfish!” he pointed out. “I Ikhlas was followed by the Pertapis wasn’t happy with what I was doing, and Centre for Women and Girls. It has I fell into this Social Enterprise thing,” teamed up with Italian hair and beauty he said. “I may not be earning as much company Davines, to establish the as I was when I was in finance, but when Pertapis Hair Academy. The goal is to I think back, I started from a humble train at-risk youths in hairstyling skills background, so this is already a big and salon management. Eventually, Alfie bonus for me.” envisions a chain of Pertapis hair salons. “The biggest satisfaction I get in life “None of us are hairdressing experts is to help someone get a job. You see it – I don’t even have much hair on my head! in their eyes when you give them their So we engage with professionals. Davines first pay-slip. You feel that you have made lends its name to the course certification, some impact with your life. I want more and develops its brand name within the of that!” ✩

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Mall Power

What began as Community Day, so fired up staff volunteers at property firm Lend Lease that it bonded with a girl’s home. YU-MEI BALASINGAMCHOW traces how a small start can grow a practical future.

hen international property company Lend Lease identified the Andrew & Grace Home as a beneficiary for one of its Community Day activities last year, the company’s staff wanted more than just volunteering for a few hours now and then. Lend Lease Foundation Manager for Asia, Jean Koh, recalled staff had in mind, a “people power” platform, with staff mobilised to make “a long-term difference in individual lives”. The company learned that the Home was interested in providing its residents – delinquent teenage girls or those who lack family support – with employable retail skills. The Home already had a thrift store and jewellery shop, and had plans for a café. What was lacking was sales and business know-how. Enter Lend Lease. Its core businesses include investment management, retail development and project and construction. In Singapore, it currently owns and manages shopping centres Parkway Parade, PoMo (formerly Paradiz Centre) and the upcoming 313@Somerset.

“I’m a big believer in the transfer of knowledge. We’ll bring the girls to our offices and treat them as if they’re our retailers coming in for training.” “We can impart what we do in business to the girls. When they go out to society to work in future, they’ll be equipped with some of these professional or life skills,” said Marketing Manager for Asia Kenice Tay. Community Day is just one of many global programmes encouraged and

similar to the government-certified workshops she delivers to retail staff from Lend Lease’s properties. “I’m a big believer in the transfer of knowledge,” she said. “We’ll bring the girls to our offices and treat them as if they’re our Retail packaging: Lend Lease supported by the retailers coming in for training.” volunteers give the Home’s company’s Foundation. thrift store a make-over. The company also hopes to It gives employees worldwide, a day off to enrich other aspects of the residents’ reflect on their place in their communities. personal development. “We have colleagues Jean Koh noted the Foundation’s who are very good at cooking and baking, programmes promoted the personal and very eager to teach these girls,” she development, health and well-being of noted. These skills will come in handy employees through active engagement in with the running of the Home’s new café. community service activities. The girls have also been invited to Lend Lease’s Community Day in attend well-being talks on a range of topics September 2008 was the starting point such as stress and anger management. for a longer-term engagement with the And because the girls love sports, Lend Andrew & Grace Home. About 60 of the Lease has invited them for futsal (indoor company’s employees helped clean rooms soccer) games with company staff. These and install new blinds, and shared their activities impart useful skills and include retail knowledge. the girls in ‘normal’ activities, where A retail design team worked on they can interact and learn from working enhancing the sales display in the Home’s adults in different settings. jewellery store. Another revamped the Lend Lease plans to work with the thrift shop, transforming it from a storeHome for two years. “We want to see the room into more of a fashion shop. The impact of our contributions on the girls. volunteers also ran three workshops for If we do something just once a year, I don’t the residents in customer service, IT and think you can really help as much,” basic bookkeeping skills. marketing manager Ms Tay explained. Community Day fired up the staff This may well lead to a strong volunteers. Thereafter, Development measure of sustainable involvement. Marketing Director Karon Cameron, When participation in Community Day applied for the company’s Community was made voluntary in 2008, over twoGrant, which funds a community project thirds of staff wanted to get involved. initiated and implemented with signifiThey were able to choose to sign up from cant involvement by a staff member. a list of six community projects. This year’s programmes include two “There’s no point forcing people to competency-based workshops on personal get involved with what they’re not intergrooming and retail etiquette in March ested in. When people do something of and April. Ms Cameron will conduct the their own will, you don't have to push classes and emphasises the content is them,” Ms Koh concluded. ✩

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Yes, We Can, When We Can!

ou know what they say, one volunteer is worth 10 recruits. If you really want to be convinced, meet this bunch of new generation volunteers at The Kind Exchange (TKE). And to think it all started because a group of professionals were finding it such a pain hunting for volunteer opportunities. In true take-charge spirit, this group of career-minded friends and friends of friends, decided volunteering should be as easy as clicking online to www. thekindexchange.com to find a fit for skills, engagement and time windows. The rest is almost like a discreet Facebook, introducing busy professionals to charities and non-profits smart enough to welcome their ad hoc volunteer contributions. “We just decided we should make it easier for people who wanted to volunteer ad hoc, using the skills they already have,” said Mavis Chionh, a Senior State Counsel with the Attorney General’s Chambers, and a Director of TKE. “It’s quite frustrating when you call up a charity to ask to volunteer, only to be told you have to commit every weekend for the next year, or – forget it!” added Ms Chionh, a former Subordinate Court District Judge.

“ We just decided we should make it easier for people who wanted to volunteer ad hoc, using the skills they already have.” Many willing volunteers have been disappointed by often inflexible requirements charity organisations impose on volunteers in terms of time commitments. The Exchange is keen to push the buttons necessary for a mindset change in the volunteer scene. Its registered members

Photography by Paul Williams

It’s discreet, runs on an honour system, and arguably more meaningful than Facebook. MONICA GWEE clicks onto www.thekindexchange.com and checks out the cool, new way to volunteer.

what they know how to do best and they are able to do it within a time frame they can manage,” she said. Members also refer each other to specific requests for “Kind Deeds”, or work the network to match volunteers and tasks. TKE works closely with a Mavis Chionh of are convinced there is value wide spectrum of community groups The Kind Exchange. and impact from “one-off” volunteer efforts. sourcing volunteer professionals and “We are all busy people, but we don’t conducting seminars and training sessions. accept that as an excuse not to get involved “The challenge is finding good quality meaningfully with a community role matches,” Ms Chionh noted. “IT is in outside of our work,” Ms Chionh said. big demand and there are very limited TKE’s members may be unable to resources. There’s also a shortage of commit big blocks of time, but they can event management volunteers.” offer specific professional administration Muhammad Alkatib, Managing skills and expertise sorely needed in many Director and co-founder of web applications organisations which cannot afford such firm Wiz Werx, is another TKE Director. services. TKE held a soft launch for the His company built and maintains TKE’s online volunteer service in March last year appealing, intelligent and user-friendly at the trendy Supper Club. The venue and website, arguably, one of the best tone of the evening drew the kind of profesbranded volunteer sites here. sional crowd TKE wants to engage: young, “We hope that we can help charity successful, multi-tasking over-achievers, groups develop more depth and more many with a Blackberry grafted onto them. maturity in areas where our volunteers have About 40 community groups were specific expertise. Small charities and represented and their work introduced to a groups are very focused on their day-to-day pool of volunteers. Since then, TKE has a issues, often with no long-term planning. current registered membership of 100, with Some don’t even have a Deputy Head, many more “actives” who are part of the no succession plan and very little time to online network. TKE taps into a reservoir think about governance issues,” she said. of volunteering interest among busy working TKE members work strictly on an professionals mostly through word-ofhonour system. “It relies on the initiative, mouth promotion. Its Directors also give tenacity, perseverance and professionalism presentations to companies, encouraging of members to do what they say they’re corporate partners into the fold. going to do when they sign on for a volunMs Chionh cites the example of a teer task or project,” said Ms Chionh, lawyer who started on her first volunteer who is also a Director of the Trailblazer effort by clicking Take Action on the webFoundation and a Council member of site. She signed on to vet the tenancy agreeDover Park Hospice. ment for a non-profit after checking the Incidentally, 70 per cent of TKE’s details of the task request. “Our members volunteers are women. “I wonder what volunteer what they do for a living, it’s happened to the men…” she mused. ✩

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Permission Not Necessary

You can’t make an omelette without breaking any eggs. JACK SIM believes innovation is helped by some bending and breaking of perceived “rules”. In his eyes, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission…

emember those days when we used to be able to calculate sums mentally before the advent of the electronic calculator? Now most of us are useless in working out even the simplest sums. Living in Singapore, where everything is very organised and structured, people tend to surrender their ability to make decisions by relying on a more efficient facility. Used to a paternalistic government micro-managing many aspects of daily life, and often expecting it to solve every problem in society, people have become incapable of thinking for themselves and miss the big picture. We keep wondering if we are allowed to do this or that every time we think of a new idea. This mindset can be so stifling unconsciously that we lose our ability to innovate without even realising it. My awakening came from a visit to the Pompidou Arts Center in Paris some years ago. Like most novices of contemporary art, I enjoyed some of the pieces while some others left me flabbergasted. I admit saying to myself in front of some of the pieces at the Pompidou, “How can they call this art? A little child could have done that." I wondered if I should have felt foolish or pretended to look “educated.” Still, there were some paintings, sculptures and installations, with colours, techniques and styles I had never seen before, and these opened up my mind to discover other ways of seeing and interpreting the same thing. However, nothing jolted me till I came to a large blue panel which had nothing on it except that it was dark blue. It was entitled “Deep Blue Panel” by Yves Klein. My initial reaction was: “Is this art?”

planting 10 coconut trees along the whole street in front of my house. It was on government land. I never got arrested or fined. Today, the coconut trees are 15 feet tall and the street is beautiful. I was proud to do something good without asking for permission. Recently, I realised that our street-scapes lack sculptures. But must the arts be expensive and only by famous people? Why not start To park or not to park? until the museum guide a Citizen Art trend where anybody Jack Sim’s “roadside art”. explained that Yves Klein can produce and display public art patented this particular International Klein to give Singapore our own unique identity? Blue – the colour effectively becoming the I started my first piece of steel art which he believed, had a quality close sculpture simply by sketching it and to pure space. Klein associated his colour commissioning a steel workshop to with immaterial values beyond what can produce it. It was a piece celebrating the be seen or touched. He described it as visit by Albert Einstein on a fund raising “a Blue in itself, disengaged from all trip to meet the Jewish philanthropist, functional justification”. Sir Isaac Manasseh Meyer, in Singapore in 1921. (A week after Einstein’s visit, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics.) Again I placed this steel sculpture without permission in public view at the junction of Meyer Road and Fort Road on the East coast in Singapore. No police My next reaction was: “Is this came. In fact, the sculpture turns out allowed?” which immediately made me to be very popular with residents and realise I was asking the wrong question. passers-by and now I am discussing how Innovation is all about newness and to donate it to a local university here. anything new should be created without Thai social activist and philanthropist asking for permission. Dr Mechai “Mr Condom” Viravaidya used You do not need permission to to say, “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness innovate because when you innovate, than permission”. you are giving permission to others to see My second “public art” sculpture is a new dimension. now in the making. It celebrates Dr Albert Just as I turned the corner, I saw a Winsemius, the Dutch economist who square piece, it was pure red and the title is widely credited in helping to guide read: RED SQUARE. I did not ask any Singapore towards what it has become more questions. today. I wonder what rule I may be When I returned home, I started breaking this time. ✩

“ We keep wondering if we are allowed to do this or that every time we think of a new idea.”

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S A L T S H A K E

Art for All Our Sakes

The Esplanade, is cranking up activity, not winding down during this recession. Out of 2,500 programmes last year, 2,000 were free. Benson Puah, CEO of the arts centre, tells MONICA GWEE why it’s more about serving chicken soup than gourmet fare.

aybe you can’t boil a play, eat a concert, or make Milo from a dance performance, but yes, Benson Puah believes you can get big, satisfying servings of chicken soup from the arts. Especially in tough times. Even as global recession clouds darken and rain over our heads, the arts are here to stay – to provide nourishment and hope. Puah, the Chief Executive of the Esplanade, Theatres on the Bay, is just one of many arts chefs now tweaking budgets, performance recipes and menus to suit new fusion tastes and discerning demand for a maturing audience. Non-governmental funding for the arts here has been typically, lopsidedly, supported by “Singapore Inc” – a clutch of big-name local, regional and international corporates. This has been particularly so for expensive performances featuring celebrated, world famous international artistes. But the image of “the arts” as a remote set of experiences removed from the lives of the average Singaporean, is arguably, mistaken and misplaced. Perhaps a more accurate reality is to give credit to the rise of the modern, widely traveled, worldly Singapore citizen, living in an exposed, highly wired city, and very exposed by rapid development. In that context, it can be argued the arts in Singapore seem now to occupy that temporary slot somewhere between a delayed flight and final take-off. Puah is in charge of the Esplanade’s overall development, management, programming and its artistic direction. In his seven years as CEO, he’s gained the respect of many players on the

Out in the community. Benson Phua (left) and an Esplanade “tourist”.

international arts scene. He currently chairs the New York-based International Society for the Performing Arts, the first Asian to hold the appointment, and also chairs the Association for Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres. The articulate operator says he’s pulled back on some higher cost “Singapore Inc” programmes in the current climate. “They would still have done well, but they’re a different sort of celebration for a different time,” he suggested.

“ We’ve sort of decided we’re like a soup kitchen. We’ve never been a gourmet restaurant. There was this part of us always dispensing chicken soup.” Anxious and uncertain times call for “heart-warming programmes” that give comfort and respite. “In such times, we search for things we can relate to that are socially relevant and in many cases, soul searching.”

It’s a premise for managing the arts in good, bad and all times in-between. “We’ve sort of decided we’re like a soup kitchen. We’ve never been a gourmet restaurant. There was this part of us always dispensing chicken soup,” Puah said. Like the consistently popular Dim Sum Dollies at the Esplanade? He grins. “The Dollies are like a pressure valve, not a slow release. Not everything can be like that!” He cites instead, the three sold out performances of The Village by Taiwanese playwright Stan Lai, which the Esplanade co-produced. The epic work about the special culture of Taiwan’s fading military villages struck a chord with its theme of vanishing eras, family ties, and the passing of a way of life. “The Village was not just entertaining, it was meaningful,” Puah said, “Singaporeans could relate because it struck a chord.” Perhaps it was something from Singapore’s immigrant and kampong past that touched a nerve. Perhaps, the same connection that triggered the astonishing

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R S & M O V E R S success of the recent, nostalgic TV miniseries, The Little Nonya, screened as the downturn worsened? Probably, Puah agreed. “That touched a nerve at the right time when people were feeling exposed and vulnerable,” he surmised, recalling the fictitious story of a young Peranakan woman’s hardships through life, played out in a detailed universe of “a different culture in a different era”, yet all of it within our own familiar world. The fact that young and old across ethnic groups all tuned in to the TV story, underlined the gripping power of storytelling with “culturally authentic cores”. Such tales speak to that part of us seeking understanding and belonging, roots, and a collective imagination. “While our history is young, our heritage is long. It gives us a lot of stories with depth. For stories to be well told, they have to be inspired. With The Village, it wasn’t just entertaining but also meaningful, even if it was about a different time and culture.” Puah dwells often on the therapeutic benefits of the arts on individuals and communities, what he terms “the arts as a social good”. “There’s a lot of documented literature on art as therapy,” he said quietly. It explains the comprehensive list of engagements between the Esplanade and community organisations. “Our community programmes are not always known beyond those we work with,” he said, describing the Esplanade’s on-going education programmes with schools, free performances and workshops with youth-at-risk organisations and inmates at the Institute for Mental Health, to name a few. “Youth-at-risk supervisors who work with us see the benefits of our drama and dance workshops, hip-hop and music performances on their charges. They’re seriously considering incorporating them into their curriculum,” he said, pleased. “We provide many of these programmes under people’s normal radar,

but it’s very much part of our reason for being here, part of our institution’s purpose,” said Puah firmly. “Our work is about what difference we make to how large a community.” Another on-going programme with IMH invites inmates to varied arts performances. Puah says he receives touching letters from inmates, some who have not left their treatment centres for many years. They write to thank him for the regular

“ We provide many of our community programmes under people’s normal radar, but it’s very much part of our reason for being here, part of our institution’s purpose.” performance treats at the Esplanade, they regard them as liberating gifts. “I’m a bleeding heart, but it’s not art for art’s sake, but for all our sakes,” he stressed. A quick glance at the broad menu of arts offerings at the Esplanade quickly reveals the diversity of programmes across demographics. Out of the 2,500 ticketed and non-ticketed programmes offered last year, 2,000 were free. It’s a statistic that pleases Puah because it means his “arts for the social good of Singapore” platform is holding up well. “Many sponsors or potential donors tend to view giving to the arts as support of activities that may seem to be consumption because it tends to programmes and performances,” he noted. Singaporeans of all ages, races and taste inclinations attend the Esplanade’s free programmes as a matter of course: at weekends with their families; lunch-time concerts, tea-time solo music shows; in the evenings after work checking out a new local music group, jazz singer or even a rap gig. “It may sound corny, but the arts are like a bridge over troubled waters at times

like this,” he said seriously. “You never know how a play may trigger something in a time of crisis, provide a ‘solution’ through a new perspective.” He doesn’t buy the argument that the skeptics are going to question the social value of the arts over other benefits to a needy family. “That’s past. We don’t come across that so much these days. The issue is whether the arts should continue to be supported, or supported more by the government and by society (by buying tickets),” he said. “If the arts are part and parcel of what we need to live – the salt in our lives – an important ingredient to maintain our sanity, then the arts must be continued to be supported because it’s needed.” Attitudes towards arts funding is shifting but if a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) mindset returns, Puah sees much of the progress made over the years unraveling. He believes there’s more than enough literature around to provide reasoned ground for policies and funding rationale, but if the arts is not considered an important component of national and community development, “then we’ll face quite trying times in the next few years.” Currently, the Esplanade self-funds 50-55 per cent of its income. Puah says the institution has a funding “formula”, and the Esplanade is “a vibrant firm with the passion and conviction that compels the team to work very hard to generate income.” That said, the Esplanade has been cutting costs “quite dramatically”, especially in operation and staff costs. “We’re still hiring selectively to invest in our future. We are mission driven and we know what to do. We have tightened our belts,” he paused. He considers the pace since the financial crisis hit and renews his assurance. “It’s been a busy time. We’re cranking up rather than winding down – more free, ad hoc programmes on the Concourse, more light performances and small theatre productions – there’s always something happening at the Esplanade!” ✩

Mar-Apr 2009 S A LT •

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“Kampung Temasek” Wins Land Bid When Jack Sim invited bids from non-profits to use a 10-acre land plot he owns for almost nothing, he hoped for a creative challenge. He wasn’t disappointed. Renowned architect Tay Kheng Soon and a team will soon unveil “Kampung Temasek”.

t was an unusual land tender. Jack Sim, founder of the non-profit World Toilet Organisation, sent out a challenge to all non-profits in the Jan-Feb issue of Salt. He invited proposals for any viable non-profit venture to use the land for a beneficial cause. Well, he’s found one. Renowned architect Tay Kheng Soon has proposed a residential kampong project named “Kampung Temasek”. Tay and three other team members including Jack, are now fleshing out the finer details of the proposal for a

Ulu Tiram

Johor Bahru

Singapore

Just 30min away from Singapore

LOCATION MAP

“Constellation Village” and are preparing a brochure to introduce it. Jack is charging a nominal rental of $1 a year on a 20-year lease for his 10-acre plot of land in Ulu Tiram, Johor. Kampung Temasek is based on re-introducing kampong life and all its attendant environmental balances to another generation. It’s Jack’s aim to attract a mix of Volunteer Welfare Organisations (VWOs) and families. The site is a 30 minute drive from Singapore, surrounded by a river. It has planning permission for one structure of any size. Tay, known for his visionary and sometimes controversial approach towards ecological construction and

optimal land use for social benefits and lifestyle shifts, can be expected to bring a breadth and depth of ideas to the project. Tay’s team includes Jack himself, Chew Kheng Chuan, Chairman of the Substation, and Dr Michael Heng, Senior Research Fellow, East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. The four men will manage the project for the first two years to get it started. For now, Kampung Temasek is aiming to attract about 500 families into this unique village concept. Interested VWOs keen to get in on the ground action while the details are being ironed out should contact Jack at jacksim@worldtoilet.org.

• S A LT Mar-Apr 2009

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Discover more by calling The Community Foundation of Singapore at +65 6550 9529. Take the first step today.

As with any meaningful journey, an experienced guide makes all the difference. The Community Foundation of Singapore has the first-hand expertise to bring your philanthropic vision to fruition. Along with deeper, more fulfilling involvement, structured benevolence provides greater efficiency, simplicity and accountability. Between us, remarkable things can be achieved.

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