Mayor Low Yen Ling at the CDC Vouchers Donation Scheme Networking Luncheon with Charity Organisations

Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Second Minister for Law and Deputy Chairman of the People’s Association

Fellow Mayors:

• Mayor Denise Phua, Mayor of Central Singapore District

• Mayor Alex Yam, Mayor of North West District

• Mayor Mohd Fahmi Aliman, Mayor of South East District

• Mayor Desmond Choo is away overseas, but he is represented by Mr Shamsul Kamar, PBM, Vice Chairman of North East District

Mr Jimmy Toh, Chief Executive Director, People's Association

Distinguished guests from our charity organisations, colleagues, and friends

Good afternoon.

Introduction

If you remember, Prime Minister launched the first tranche of CDC Vouchers less than two years ago on 13 December 2021. DPM Lawrence launched the second tranche on 11 May 2022 and then a third tranche in January this year. He will also launch the fourth tranche on the 3rd of January 2024.

The five Mayors have been working with 10 government agencies and FMAS. There is a lot of hard work by colleagues from the 10 government agencies, FMAS, HECS, grassroots leaders, pounding the pavement and guiding our elderly to claim digitally.

We would like to use this opportunity to thank every one of you for the strong support.

So again, on behalf of the five Mayors and the Community Development Councils (CDCs), welcome to the CDC Vouchers Donation Scheme & Networking Luncheon with all you from 270 charity organisations.

Last year, the five CDCs launched the CDC Vouchers Donation Scheme to offer Singaporean households the opportunity to donate their 2021 and 2022 CDC vouchers to support beneficiaries, those in need. Happy to report that 270 IPCs are onboard the Scheme, and many are here today. We hope we can, through this networking luncheon, come together as one community, foster deeper connections and find collaboration opportunities for the CDCs and IPCs to support our residents and beneficiaries for the new year ahead.

All of you from the charity organisations come from different sectors and support diverse segments of beneficiaries. These range from caring for seniors, families, children, persons with disabilities to protecting the environment and animals as well as promoting arts and culture. Some IPCs also champion very unique causes, for instance, family violence. And representing the five Mayors, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation and commend each IPC's dedication and service especially during the very difficult three years of COVID. As charity organisations, you serve as catalysts for positive change on the ground and a force for good. Through your work and relentless efforts, you create compassionate and resilient communities in each of the 5 districts.

Changing Social Landscape

The five CDCs, we share the passion to serve and the desire to make a difference in the lives around us. For 26 years, the five CDCs have worked closely with corporate and community partners like yourselves, grassroots organisations, social service agencies and schools to build a cohesive and compassionate nation.

Simply put, the five CDCs’ work can be distilled in a simple ABC. We Aggregate needs and resources through our various networks on the ground. We Build capabilities in partners and residents. And we Connect communities to build more robust social networks.

In recent years, the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic have shaped our approach and efforts as we continue to adapt to the impact of global uncertainties and disruptions. Societal needs, from mental health to climate change, have become more complex and multi-faceted.

I want to assure you that the five CDCs and the GMs and teams will certainly continue to adapt and adopt new innovative solutions to meet emerging needs on the ground to support you and your clients and your beneficiaries. For example, in 2020, we worked with Grab and generous donors to introduce a fully digital CDC Student Meal Scheme so students living in rental flats could buy hot meals with e-vouchers during the COVID-19 circuit breaker period. This initiative not only addressed the immediate needs of residents but also sparked new solutions as we widened our use of technology and methods to expand outreach and accessibility.

Turning the CDC Vouchers Scheme digital is one example. What started as a paper vouchers scheme limited to lower-income families became an islandwide effort to give Singaporean households digital vouchers to spend at supermarkets and heartland businesses. In 2024, the CDC Vouchers Scheme will enter its fourth year of helping Singaporeans defray their living expenses.

Through this experience, we learned to test innovations, incubate possible solutions and scale them up incrementally before expanding them for broader adoption. This taught us the importance of staying adaptable and being open to adopting innovations and methods. With this mindset, we can better address social gaps and meet the changing needs of our residents.

To stay future-ready, the five CDCs and five Mayors have embarked on a rigorous strategic planning exercise to chart our new roadmap.

New Strategic Direction

On behalf of the mayors allow me to quickly share with you. Let me share the key thrusts of our strategic direction for the next three years as we build and strengthen our networks and communities.

We will base and align our efforts on the national Forward SG movement and be guided by the five pillars of creating and nurturing Caring, Healthy, Learning, Inclusive and Sustainable communities. How we do it will be differentiated. The CDCs will continue to work with Govtech to explore phygital delivery of services.

First, to build caring communities, the CDCs will continue to promote a culture of giving and uplifting residents through social support networks and programmes.

Second, the CDCs will foster healthy communities by promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging residents to take charge of their health.

Third, we will continue to build learning communities by empowering residents with knowledge and nurturing a love for lifelong learning. That is the best way to future proof ourselves.

Fourth, we will strengthen our social fabric by embracing and engaging different community segments. Through this, we seek to create an inclusive community.

Lastly, the CDCs aim to develop a sustainable community where partners and residents collaborate to promote an eco-friendly lifestyle and build a green environment for future generations. To take urgent climate action.

We seek the continued support of all of you, our 270 charity organisations, our partners and networks as we embark on this rejuvenated direction to build more cohesive and resilient communities.

CDC Vouchers Donation Scheme

This announcement today is an example of how we build caring and inclusive community.

Today's IPCs play a vital role in our efforts to build caring and inclusive communities through the CDC Vouchers Donation Scheme.

Through this donation scheme, we are heartened to witness the generosity and selfless spirit of Singaporeans uplifting one another in challenging times. We are delighted to present this initiative again for Singaporean households to donate their CDC Vouchers 2023 to a participating IPC. We thank you for being on board. Their contributions will make a tangible and positive difference for the different causes and beneficiaries across different segments.

Conclusion

Looking ahead, we see tremendous opportunities for collaboration between the CDCs and IPCs. We can build stronger, more resilient, cohesive communities by synergising our strengths and expertise. The CDCs look forward to exploring potential projects with you.

Together, let’s create a caring, compassionate, and cohesive Singapore.

Thank you. Have an enjoyable afternoon!