Introduction
The ComCare Fund is a commitment from the Government to do more for needy Singaporeans, to ensure that no one will be left behind. ComCare means:
- More help for the needy. New schemes will be developed to better help needy Singaporeans and their families to be self-reliant.
- Greater decentralisation and more helping hands. Help will be closer to home with community, grassroots and voluntary welfare organisations, including the Community Development Councils (CDCs), Citizens' Consultative Committees (CCCs) and Family Service Centres being the key contact points for those who need help.
- More flexibility in giving help where it is needed. Assistance for the needy will be flexible, and take into consideration the special circumstances faced by needy Singaporeans and their families.
- Simplified and streamlined assistance. Assistance schemes will be streamlined, while the process for getting help will be made simpler and more efficient.
ComCare will comprise three key programme pillars, each covering a specific client group. These programme pillars are: - ComCare SelfReliance, which will focus on helping the needy to achieve selfreliance.
- ComCare Grow, which will focus on the developmental needs of children from needy families, to help them break out of the poverty cycle.
- ComCare EnAble, which will focus on helping the needy who require long-term assistance (such as the needy elderly and people with disabilities), to integrate into the community.
Need Help?
If you need help, all you need to do is to approach your Community Development Council (CDC), your Citizens' Consultative Committee (CCC) or a Family Service Centre (FSC) near you. The officer there will assess your case, and provide you with the necessary help from the available ComCare programmes.
The nationwide programmes under the three ComCare components are listed below. Please click on the programme name for details of the programme.
ComCare SelfReliance ComCare Grow ComCare EnAble
South West ComCare
This South West ComCare initiative dovetails the national ComCare announced by PM Lee. The South West ComCare complements the national ComCare Fund and is an initiative to enhance the existing assistance available to needy residents in our district.
Through the South West ComCare, the CDC hopes to work closely with community partners for the needy South West District residents, engaging stakeholders such as corporate partners, Grassroots Organisations (GROs), Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) or individual volunteers.
Initiatives under the South West ComCare include:
1. Social Assistance Training (S.A.T) @ South West
2. Kids-Up Programme @ South West
- Kids-Up Grant @ South West
- KidsRead @ South West
3. Healthcare on the Move @ South West
4. Budget Sen$e @ South West
5. Eyewear @ South West
6. Power Up @ South West
7. Training Options for Mature Workers
8. EMPLACE @ SOUTH WEST
New South West ComCare Local Network Initiatives
1. Meals Service @ South West
2. Skillz@Home
3. 3-in1 Home Programme @ South West
- Safe Home for Senior Citizens (SAFE)
- Habitat
4. Project GAPc @ South West
Click FAQ for frequently asked questions on the South West ComCare.
Social Assistance Training (S.A.T) @ South West
Objective
S.A.T aims at equipping the grassroots leaders involved in rendering social assistance with the necessary knowledge and skills:
• in assessing the needs and social support of residents seeking financial help
• in connecting to available resources in the community.
Delivery
The training delivery is based on a practical approach, focusing on case studies, role play as well as an optional practicum at the CDC service centre.
Continuity
Following from S.A.T, the National Community Leadership Institute organised a similar series of such training nationwide in 2006.
Kids-Up Programme @ South West
Objective
The objectives of Kids-Up Programme @ South West are to:
a) Provide an assisting aid to needy families to encourage their children to enter kindergarten through means of a start-up fund; and
b) Provide a learning platform for needy families to improve their children literacy and love for reading through an integrated reading programme.
Details of Scheme
Kids-Up Programme @ South West is a new initiative under the South West ComCare Funds, supported by the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) and National Library Board (NLB). The programme is aimed at defraying the start-up costs with a one-time start-up grant as well as provision of an integrated reading programme for children residing in the South West District studying at the Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme (KiFAS)-available kindergartens.
There are two initiatives under the ambit of Kids-UP Programme.
a) Kids Up Grant
Kids-Up grant is a scheme to augment the KiFAS. It will provide a one-time start-up grant of $100 to help defray the upfront expenses such as uniform, shoes, books, supplementary fees for worksheets, insurance fee, transport and any other expenses related to the kindergarten education
b) kidsREAD Club
kidsREAD Club is an integrated reading programme supported by National Library Board (NLB) where children are entitled to participate in a weekly/monthly reading session conducted by NLB to promote the love for reading as well as to improve literacy skills.
Eligibility
The Kids-Up Programme@South West is a specially designed scheme to assist families with kindergarten level school children. To be eligible for the Kids-Up Programme, the child must meet the following criteria:
a) A South West District resident;
b) A K1 or K2 student in a PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Kindergarten;
c) Either the parent / guardian of the child is a Singaporean Citizen;
d) Is not entitled to MCYS’s Start-Up grant and whose household income ranges from $1,000 to $1,500. (For the net household income of $1,000 and below, applicant is eligible to apply for the Start-Up grant which was under the national scheme).
Healthcare on the Move (H.O.M.E)
Objective
The H.O.M.E. programme aims to:
(a) Provide free healthcare services to improve the health conditions of the elderly and needy residents;
(b) Provide free healthcare services to needy residents who cannot afford such services and/or not aware that they need such services; and
(c) Engage the neighbourhood to play a part in helping out their own residents.
Details of Scheme
(H.O.M.E.) provides free home-based healthcare services to the needy elderly and families residing in one to three-room HDB flats. This initiative capitalises on a neighbourhood self-help concept where concerned neighbours, residents and Resident Committee (RC) members help to identity residents in need and activate the neighbourhood nurse and/or doctor to provide preventive or maintenance healthcare services. The healthcare services range from a fairly comprehensive health assessment, wound care, physiotherapy, to counseling, and medication.
Eligibility
The homes are identified and recommended by the grassroots organisations or their respective grassroots leaders to the CDC. These homes are selected based on the following criteria:
(a) Singapore citizen;
(b) Per capita income of $700 or less;
(c) Must be staying in 1- or 3-room; and
Application
For residents who are interested to find out more, please call at 6746 8907 or 6778 1950 to apply.
Budget Sen$e @ South West
Objective
In line with ComCare SelfReliance, Budget Sen$e is a budgeting programme to impart money management skills and knowledge to improve participants' financial position.
Programme Details
Workshop Time / Date
Saturday 2-5pm (14 Jan and end Feb 2006)
Status - Completed
Duration
The three-month programme comprises a three-hour workshop (first month) and two one-hour follow up counselling sessions (second and third month).
Eligible Participants
Clients receiving social assistance and any South West district resident who wants to know more about family budgeting.
Eyewear @ South West
Objective
The Eyewear@South West programme aims to:
(d) Provide free eye screening for needy school-going children and senior citizens; and
(e) Provide free spectacles for needy school-going children and senior citizens.
Details of Scheme
Eyewear @ South West is an extension of a similar programme in 2006, to provide spectacles for needy school-going children in the South West District. More than 400 students successfully benefited from the programme in 2006. In 2007, Eyewear @ South West is extended to reach out to senior citizens from low-income families.
Eligibility
Eyewear @ South West will be extended to residents who meet the following criteria:
(d) Resident of the South West District;
(e) Gross household income of $1,500 or less or per capita $450;
(f) Resident is a Singaporean, or at least one immediate family member who is a Singapore citizen; and
(g) Child of school-going age or senior citizen aged 50 and above.
Application
Residents who meet the eligibility criteria can approach the Advisers to Grassroots Organisations (GROs) and the South West CDC for these vouchers. The 16 GROs and South West CDC will each be given 50 vouchers redeemable at any Optical 88 outlets.
Residents can also apply at the Family Service Centres in the South West District, and collect the vouchers at their local Meet-The-People sessions.
For more information on Eyewear @ South West, please contact 6551 9299.
Power Up @ South West
Objective
Power Up @ South West aims to provide interim assistance via Pay-As-You-Use vouchers to help low-income families whose utilities are disconnected or are facing disconnection.
Details of Scheme
Assistance
Each resident can be assisted up to 10 vouchers worth $10 each, for the PAYU metering scheme. $2 goes to settling their arrears and $8, current usage.
Eligible Criteria
Residents have to fulfil the following eligibility criteria:
a) Singaporean or Permanent Resident with at least one immediate Singaporean family member
b) Resident of South West CDC District
c) Gross household income of $1,500 and below, or $450 per capita
d) Produce a letter of demand from Singapore Power on
disconnection and defaulted on instalment plans
Application
The residents can refer to their Meet-the-People Sessions in the South West district which administer the scheme.
Duration: Ongoing
Training Options for Mature Workers
Objective
In line with SelfReliance, this programme assists mature job seekers with a headstart assistance in place-and-train opportunities.
Details of Scheme
Assistance
The headstart assistance is up to $400 per job seeker.
Eligible Criteria
The scheme is extended to job seekers in the South West District and he/she has to be:
• A South West resident registered with the CDC
• Unemployed for 6 months or more
• Above 40 years old
• GCE ‘O’ Level education and below, lacking relevant skills or working experience
Application
The job seeker can contact the South West CDC at 6316-1616 for assistance.
For South West ComCare enquiries, please call 6316-1616.
EMPLACE @ SOUTH WEST
Objective
EMPLACE @ South West provides a holistic support network towards ex-offenders and persons with physical and intellectual disabilities in the South West District to meet the following objectives:
- To lead an enriching lifestyle as a person with disability through employment or training opportunities
- To relief the care-giver who is work-capable to supplement the family income
- To uplift families with disabled members or ex-offenders towards self-reliance
- To generate greater community awareness and acceptance for the capabilities of persons with disabilities and ex-offenders.
Details of Scheme
Assistance
A training subsidy of up to $400 per person will be made available by South West CDC. During the first year of implementation, the CDC will target to provide training subsidies for 500 beneficiaries.
Employability Skills Training
South West CDC will tie up with Bizlink for a comprehensive vocational assessment of the disabled beneficiaries. This vocational assessment team comprises an Occupational Therapist, Psychologist and a Social Worker
Eligible Criteria
To be eligible for the training subsidy, the applicant has to meet the following criteria: - Singapore citizen
- Resident of South West District
- Unemployed persons who are ex-offenders or with disabilities
- GCE ‘O’ level and below, lacks relevant skills or working experience
Application
Eligible residents can register with one of the following organisations:
Pilot Duration
The programme is piloted from July 2006 to June 2007.
Meals Service @ South West
Objective
Meals Service @ South West aims to:
i) make meals service affordable and available to all needy residents; and
ii) leverage and strengthen existing VWOs to provide meals service for all in South West District
The programme targets to benefit about 280 residents for two meals day for a period of three months.
Details of Scheme
In line with the objective of South West ComCare Local Network (CLN), which aims to leverage and strengthen the existing cooperation among social service agencies, South West CDC will work with Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) who are existing meals providers to ensure meal service is available to all needy residents in South West district.
South West CDC provides funding of $50,000 for the Meals Service @ South West programme.
Eligibility
a) Singapore Citizens/ Singapore Permanent Residents
b) Residents of South West District
c) Unable to prepare cooked meals due to physical or intellectual disability
Application
Application can be made at various Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), through Advisers to Grassroots Organisations in the South West District, and South West CDC.
Skillz@Home
Objective
The Skillz@HOME programme aims to:
(f) Provide an informal group support for the participants;
(g) Build participants’ confidence; and
(h) Empower participants to utilise their acquired skills to generate income.
Details of Scheme
“Skillz@HOME” is a skills-development programme that provides courses to women folk who are motivated to invest their time and energy to acquire some home-based skills. The skills acquired can be used to start a home-based enterprise. By the end of the courses, participants will market their wares in a one-day mini trade fair titled H.O.M.E.@ST52.
Eligibility
Registration is voluntary. The participants are selected based on the following criteria:
(h) Singapore citizen;
(i) Must be staying in 1- or 3-room; and
(j) Female home-makers whose families are on Social Assistance.
Application
For residents who are interested to find out more, please call at 6316 1616 to apply.
3-in-1 Home Programme @ South West
1. Safe Home for Senior Citizens (SAFE)
Objective
The SAFE programme aims to:
(i) Create a safe home environment for senior citizens;
(j) Re-visit earlier batches of residents to examine the items installed previously and replace them if necessary;
(k) Install three (3) new items during re-visiting namely: light-duty fire extinguisher, wireless door bell, and first aid kit; and
(l) Raise the level of public awareness on the need to conserve water through installation of water-saving devices in their homes.
Details of Scheme
In conjunction with the launch of ComCare Local Network, the South West Community Development Council (CDC), ITE College West and Public Utilities Board will be collaborating to commence the 8th run of the SAFE programme. Since its inception in year 2000, a continuation from the former Tanjong Pagar CDC’s Safe Home Programme (SHOP), SAFE has benefited 1,506 homes over 3,000 senior citizens.
Eligibility
The homes are identified and recommended by the grassroots organisations or their respective grassroots leaders to the CDC. These homes are selected based on the following criteria:
(k) Tenants must be residents of South West District;
(l) Tenants must be 55 years and above; and
(m) Tenants must be living in 1- or 2-room flats (3-room flats can be considered on a case-to-case basis and recommended by the CDC Service Centre).
Application
Please call at 6551 9299 and quote ‘SAFE HOME’ for further assistance.
Click here for more information on Safe Home Plus @ South West.
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