Social Work Commons^™

Heart Faculty: Jacelyn Lim, Ishan Singh

Social Space

Meet Jacelyn Lim, 46, Deputy Executive Director of the Autism Resource Centre,1 a Singapore-based NPO that serves children and adults with autism spectrum disorder. Through advocacy and provision of services spanning education, employment and training, it hopes to empower individuals with ASD to lead meaningful and independent lives. ARC also manages The Art Faculty,2 whosemerchandise features the works of artists with special needs. For every product you purchase at TAF, differently-abled artists receive royalties and learn the value of work and financial independence. ISHAN SINGH catches up with Jacelyn to find out more about what she does and how art …

The Beat Goes On: Arthur Choo, Ishan Singh

Social Space

Meet Arthur Choo, 31, artiste and founder of BEAT’ABOX Group, a cajon school in Singapore.Besides performing and conducting workshops for companies and schools, Arthur and his team hope to make the cajon (pronounced “kah-hone”, a wooden box played like a drum) the bridge between society and marginalised groups, including at-risk youth, senior citizens and people with disabilities. There are no barriers to taking up this art form at BEAT’ABOX—there are cajons specially designed for the hearing-impaired (they light up when struck), smaller-sized cajons that can fit into the laps of the wheelchair- bound, and so on. ISHAN SINGH speaks to …

"How Do I Look?": The Fashion Industry Needs A Makeover, Trang Chu Minh

Social Space

Despite the rise of socially responsible businesses and conscious shoppers, the fashion industry seems to be falling behind. It is common to read reports of clothing brands whose ethics and manufacturing practices are called into question—some even accused of slavery in their supply chains. But errant retailers aside, one still wonders: given the seasonal nature of what’s “on trend” and the prevalence of “fast fashion”, can this industry ever break out of the cycle of overproduction and overconsumption?

Cooking Up The Kampung Spirit: Ngiam Su-Lin, Ishan Singh

Social Space

Meet Ngiam Su-Lin, 44, Co-founder and Executive Director of ArtsWok Collaborative, an arts- based NPO that engages the general public via community-based arts projects, research and advocacy. The ArtsWok team partners with organisations and groups to put up participatory performances and public art installations examining various social issues, presents plays by young people on social issues in an annual theatre festival, and trains and mentors practitioners in arts and community work. Su-Lin herself is no stranger to the local arts scene—she’s worked in this space for almost two decades, producing community theatre and festivals—but she’s also a trained counsellor and …

Plan D: Design And Social Responsibility, Harah Chon

Social Space

Most are familiar withthe use of this term as a noun, in which design refers to finished objects, forms, services and solutions. Design is often used as an adjective to describeaesthetic qualities or the utility and function of things. As a pronoun, however, design emphasises the networks or systems involved in the industry as a whole. But what sets design apart from all other human activities is in its useas a verb, denoting its many approaches, perspectives, actions, processes, ideations, interpretations and implementations.

North East Integrated Care Programme (Icp): A Ground-Up And Grounded Model, Kar Yee Lim, Zhong Liang Ong

Social Space

Schools and school counsellors can only look after students while they are physically in school, and not many can do so outside of school, or are able to tackle wider problems that go beyond the child, such as if they faced challenges at home. Although school personnel occasionally pay home visits to certain pupils to explore ways of engaging them or offering assistance, it is not always

easy to bridge the gap betweentheir specific needs and theavailable social services in the community.

Silver Generation, Golden Age: Vanessa Keng, Nurin Nazifa Binte Mohd Yusoff

Social Space

Meet Vanessa Keng, 30, co-founder of The Golden Concepts,1 an e-tailer of innovative eldercare products designed to keep seniors independent and safe. Offering a wide catalogue of items sourced frominternational suppliers, you will find everything from wheelchairs and walking canes, to car accessories and doorknob grips. NURiN NaZiFa BiNTe MoHD YUSoFF catches up with Vanessa to learn more about “heart ware”, and her mission to leverage technology for social good.

Youth And Volunteerism: What Gives?, Emma Glendinning

Social Space

As a volunteer, I’m one of many in the world. Data from Figure 1—a survey about volunteering among a number of OECD countries—shows that at least one-fi fth of the population in many countries engages in volunteer activities.1 Though Figure 1 does not provide details on the amount of time spent volunteering—or indeed if this volunteering is one-off or recurring—we see that volunteering rates in Australia, Canada and the United States stand out for being particularly high, whereas those in Italy, Spain and Sweden are remarkably lower than the OECD average.2

Hard Truths About Heart Work: An Interview With Jennie Chua, Lien Centre For Social Innovation

Social Space

Just as there are calls for leadership to bridge the business and social worlds, there are also calls for new models and inspiration in the nonprofit sector. Social Space catches up with the inimitable Jennie Chua,fundraiser and chairman of the Community Chest, to hear her thoughts on these issues. True to form, Jennie delivers a few hard truths about fundraising and charity in Singapore.

Celebrity Philanthropy: Reassessing Fame For Civil Society, Oranutt Narapruet

Social Space

Oranutt Narapruet argues for the support and enabling of philanthropy efforts by stars.

Making Aid Work, Siew Huey Ko

Social Space

What is needed is a different take on aid to poor countries. Through a case study of a project in Vietnam titled ‘Spring of Life’, Ko Siew Huey describes how a non-governmental organisation is attempting to create real choices by offering aid via solutions that are sustainable, suitable and scalable.

The Changing Face Of Social Consciousness In Singapore: An Interview With Ann Wee, Ann Wee

Social Space

Social consciousness and the provision for social needs have grown in Singapore, creating an urgency to develop creative ways to keep meeting evolving needs. Having made Singapore her home for 59 years, social work veteran Ann Wee shared with Social Space interesting snippets of her early life in Singapore, in the midst of sharing her views on the rapid changes taking place in the social sphere.

The Giving Landscape In Singapore, Halimah Chew

Social Space

Halimah Chew provides a summary of the giving landscape in Singapore.