CDAC Annual Report 2020 (English)

Annual Report 2020

Though apart, we are

connected at heart

VISION Committed and Trusted Organisation Empowered and Caring Community

CORE VALUES Harmony Empathy Aspiration Resilience Trust

MISSION To nurture and develop the potential of the Chinese community in contributing to the continued success of multi-racial Singapore

ABOUT CDAC Jointly set up by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) and the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) in 1992, the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) is a non-profit self-help group for the Chinese community. We offer programmes and assistance schemes to help the less-privileged in the community maximise their potential and strive for social mobility through self-help and mutual support.

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Chairman’s statement

MEETING THE CHALLENGES of an extraordinary year Dear colleagues and friends, In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted our lives. Our movements were restricted, many livelihoods were under threat, and many students shifted to home-based learning. Low-income families have been especially impacted by these changes, and CDAC is committed to helping our stakeholders through this time of uncertainty.

Fortunately, the Government provided an additional grant of $5 million to CDAC in 2020. The community also continued to support us with their contributions and donations. These additional resources enabled us to adapt swiftly.

During the circuit breaker, we stayed connected with our beneficiaries and seniors through regular phone conversations, and continued to provide case management to families facing difficulties. We moved our programmes and events for students, parents, seniors, and volunteers online.

We also introduced additional assistance measures to help our beneficiaries whose livelihoods were hard hit by the pandemic. Workers who lost their jobs could apply for Assistance for the Retrenched, which provided an allowance of up to $400 per family.

We collaborated with government agencies to organise virtual job fairs, seminars and talks to help those who needed to find employment.

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To help defray the education expenses of our beneficiaries, CDAC Bursary re-opened for applications in March 2020. As a result, we saw a 45% increase in bursary recipients in 2020, totalling 7,260. YEAP Grant of $720 each was given to 4,640 post-secondary students in 2020, almost double the number of 2019 recipients. We disbursed a $5.2 million education grant to 10,000 low-income families with young or school-going children.

At our annual signature ‘Ready for School’ Project last year, we added $100 worth of grocery vouchers to each family pack prepared for 8,700 households. To help create a better home-based learning experience, CDAC also gave foldable study tables and chairs to 930 families with school-going children.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we managed to reach out to more needy families to offer our help. By moving our programmes and events such as talks for parents, workshops for children, activities for seniors and Family Bonding Day online, we made these programmes more accessible to our beneficiaries. When in-person tuition classes resumed in the second half of 2020, class sizes had to be reduced due to safe distancing measures.

However, this did enhance our tutors’ engagement with each student.

In all, the cost of running our programmes and schemes last year was $33.5 million, an increase of about $6.7 million from 2019, and the largest annual expenditure in the history of CDAC. A total of 18,600 households benefited from CDAC’s tuition and enrichment programmes, bursary and grant schemes, seniors’ programmes, ‘Ready for School’ assistance, and additional measures, compared to 17,000 households in 2019. Through case management, we extended more focused and sustained help to 1,500 households that faced more challenges.

I am deeply grateful to all our staff, volunteers and partners, whose contributions kept our programmes running despite the many challenges of 2020. I also wish to thank the Government, donors, and the community, for all their support and assistance.

We are still in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. But our nation is making steady progress in transitioning to a new norm, through vaccinations, testing, and public health precautions. CDAC will do our part to continue providing support to members of our community who need help.

Ong Ye Kung Chairman Board of Directors

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UNLOCKING POTENTIAL for students and parents

When CDAC was established in 1992, the first programme we launched was a tuition programme. Education can uplift low-income families, and enable them to build better lives. We provide students who need more academic support with various kinds of assistance, so that they can improve in their studies and achieve their full potential. To provide comprehensive support, we also equip parents with knowledge on raising and educating their children.

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Programmes & activities

Unlocking potential for students and parents Tuition and enrichment programmes

We conduct these programmes in schools, CDAC centres and community centres, for children who range from kindergarten age to those sitting for their A Levels.

Subjects covered include English, Chinese, Mathematics and Science. We cater to academically weak students from less privileged families. The fees are affordable but waivers can be extended to those who have difficulties paying. We also organise many activities during school holidays, so that children from low-income families can enjoy enriching holiday activities.

CDAC-SFCCA Bursary

This helps low-income families defray the expenses of their children’s education. The bursary is open for application every July and the funds are disbursed at the end of each year.

Youth Empowerment & Aspiration Programme (YEAP)

YEAP comprises the YEAP Grant and YEAP Inspire, and supports students from post-secondary educational institutions, including Integrated Programme Schools, junior colleges, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Colleges, polytechnics and art schools. The YEAP Grant defrays the expenses of their education through financial support, while YEAP Inspire encourages them to pursue their dreams and cultivate life skills through activities and workshops.

“Walk With Me” Parent Education Series

T hrough talks and workshops, we equip parents with skills to better understand the needs and mindsets of their children. With better support and care from their parents, students will also be better learners.

Big Heart Student Care programmes

The Self-Help Groups Student Care Limited, jointly set up by the four Self-Help Groups, operates school-based student care centres. We offer programmes and fee subsidies to eligible students from vulnerable families and conduct parenting talks for their parents.

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华助 会 二 零 二 零 年 年 度 报 告

SUPPORTING families & workers

There are many reasons that can cause low-income families to struggle with financial difficulties, including unemployment, illness, debt, and marital conflict. To help these families, financial assistance alone is not enough.

CDAC provides various forms of support to help them overcome their challenges and emerge from adversity.

华助会的长远目标是帮助低收入家庭 力 争 上 游，自 食 其 力，家 庭 生 活 更 和 睦 。 短期目标则是帮助他们拥有稳定的工 作 和 收 入，并 为 他 们 制 造 增 进 家 庭 凝 聚 力的机会 。

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Programmes & activities

Supporting families and workers Case management

For families with more complex problems, we adopt a case management approach that offers them deeper support.

Case workers evaluate families’ resources, and offer support according to their finances, health, employment, and education needs.

Financial support Such support can help families facing financial difficulties to cope with expenses such as rent, utilities, childcare, student care, and school fees. We also provide vouchers that can be used to buy daily necessities.

Employment support For members of low-income families who are of working age and seeking employment, we provide information to help them understand their upskilling needs and the opportunities in the job market. When necessary, we refer them to other relevant organisations that are able to provide further assistance.

Supervised Homework Group (SHG) This programme serves upper primary students from families who are under case management. It is helmed by CDAC volunteers, who act as big brothers and sisters to these students, guide them in their studies and engage them in classroom and outdoor activities. In the process, they help to inculcate positive values and help students in their character development. SHG takes place over 10 months, and its weekly three-hour sessions are conducted every Saturday at eight CDAC centres.

Project YOUth Can Shine An extension of the Supervised Homework Group, this programme is for students who have moved on to secondary school. Besides guiding them in their studies, volunteers mentor and support these students as they progress from primary to secondary education.

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Programmes & activities

Supporting families and workers Family Resource Programme

Through talks, workshops, health screenings, learning days, and support groups, we help families build resilience and enhance family bonding.

Support Groups Single parents, transnational couples and debt-ridden families are under a lot of pressure and face more complex problems. We run support groups for such vulnerable families, and hold sharing sessions, talks and workshops to teach them how to manage household expenses effectively, handle family relationships, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This helps to strengthen family cohesion and resilience.

Family Bonding Day Due to financial constraints, low-income families rarely have the chance to go on excursions. This annual event gives these families a chance to enjoy one another’s company during a fun and enriching outing. It also helps to strengthen family cohesion.

Financial Literacy Learning Day Open to family members of all ages, this event helps participants understand their individual financial responsibilities and learn effective financial management skills.

“Love You Then, Love You Still” Marriage Event A healthy marriage is the foundation of a happy family.

This event gives couples from low-income families the chance to renew their wedding vows in the presence of their children.

‘Ready for School’ This large-scale event takes place every December, and first started in 2004. For the past 17 years, it has helped many low-income families and their school-going children prepare for a new school year.

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ENGAGING our volunteers

Volunteers are very important to CDAC. Their contributions of time, expertise and experience enrich our resources. Many of our programmes and activities would not be possible without our volunteers. As volunteers learn how to help our beneficiaries, they also develop empathy for the challenges and needs the beneficiaries face. This fosters better mutual understanding, and creates a more caring society.

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Programmes & activities

Engaging our volunteers Volunteer Management

Recruitment Every year, about 800 new volunteers join CDAC. They come from different backgrounds, but share the same passion for helping vulnerable communities.

Orientation This helps new volunteers better understand our programmes and the scope for their contributions.

CDAC staff and experienced volunteers engage new volunteers to help them assimilate and ensure they have an enriching volunteering experience. The orientation imbues a shared identity among volunteers.

Deployment Volunteers can indicate their preferred way to contribute, in line with their interests and expertise. We deploy volunteers based on the needs of our programmes, and try to match volunteers with programmes that can tap on their skill sets. This ensures our beneficiaries can get the right support.

Training and development We developed a Volunteer Learning and Development Framework (VLDF), to provide a systematic guide for upgrading volunteers' capabilities. Besides teaching programme-specific skills, we also focus on improving core competencies. VLDF comprises four levels: Foundation, Proficiency, Personal Development and Leadership Training. Our volunteers receive on-going training. Equipping them with relevant knowledge and skills enables them to carry out their responsibilities more effectively.

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Programmes & activities

Engaging our volunteers Volunteer Management

Engagement and feedback To give volunteers the chance to interact, establish friendships and feel a sense of belonging, we organise engagement activities for them and maintain regular communication with them. This helps us understand their needs, obtain their feedback regarding our programmes, and helps us to improve both our programmes and our volunteer management.

Recognition To thank and commend our dedicated volunteers, we have a CDAC Volunteers' Day every two years, during which we present Long Service Awards, Volunteer Commendation Awards and Volunteer (Team) Awards.

Volunteer-Led Projects

The volunteers play an important role in the success of CDAC programmes. Across the different age groups, our volunteers contribute effortlessly in their areas of passion and expertise. We have been running two volunteerdriven projects, namely, Supervised Homework Group and kidsREAD. We launched a new project 'I am a S.T.A.R.' in 2020, where volunteers tutor lower primary students in English and Mathematics and organise activities to inculcate positive values in these students.

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Helping seniors

LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST Our Fulfilling Ageing programmes are for seniors aged 50 and above, and aim to help them maintain their physical and mental health, stay active, and lead vibrant and meaningful lives. These activities also serve as a way for other members of society to show care for our elders.

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Programmes & activities

Helping seniors live life to the fullest Learning and Sharing

Lifelong learning helps seniors stay active and positive.

Topics for these programmes vary widely, and include current affairs, health, technology, history, and culture.

The News Sharing and Learning Kiosk programmes help seniors understand social developments and interesting news events, and pick up new knowledge. Information Sharing Sessions help them understand topics that are relevant to them, such as Advance Care Planning, living wills, and Lasting Power of Attorney.

Health and Wellness

Activities keep seniors active and widen their social circles, and include craft and music classes, talks about wellness, and festive celebrations. Music is uplifting, and learning musical instruments can also boost agility and emotional health, and improve one’s memory. Crafts can hone participants’ hand-eye coordination, cognition and focus. Other classes feature Cajon drumming, the ukulele, portraiture, paper-cutting, and seal-carving.

We celebrate traditional festivals such as Dumpling Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Chongyang Festival so that seniors can share the joy of these occasions and get to know more people.

Volunteerism

Granny Quilt Project Twice a week, volunteers meet at our Redhill and Punggol centres and use fabric pieces to create quilts. These quilts, each made up of 100 fabric pieces, are distributed to families with newborn babies at community events. This is a way for our volunteers to share their well wishes for these babies and this cultural tradition with young parents.

Haircut for Seniors Project We provide free haircuts on a regular basis, for seniors at senior activity centres, eldercare centres and nursing homes. This service is a collaboration with our community partners, and is especially convenient for less mobile seniors.

Project C.A.R.E.

Jointly organised by CDAC and the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) , this annual activity encourages young people to volunteer and show care for seniors. Volunteers from both organisations work together, accompanying seniors on excursions or for meals, and making sure they have a good time.

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WORKING HAND IN HAND with the community

We extend a helping hand to families and individuals in need by integrating ourselves into the community.

The 12 CDAC centres and the Self-Help Groups Centre are located across Singapore, and our teams in these centres have become part of the community. Our centres enable us to raise awareness of our programmes and activities, and reach out to the community, and thus extend support to families and individuals in need.

We also work closely with community partners to organise activities for beneficiary families.

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Programmes & activities

Connecting with the community Community partners

To help more people learn about our assistance programmes, we work with various community partners, including schools, grassroots organisations, charities, private enterprises and government organisations.

Tapping on one another’s resources, we can create more diverse support programmes for the community.

The five Community Developments Coucils (CDCs) are our longstanding partners. Among the CDCs, we have worked with Central Singapore CDC for the longest period of time, 24 years. When we started setting up our centres in the community, the CDCs were very supportive. In addition to providing partial funding, they also worked with us to organise many initiatives that served residents in need.

These included the WeCare Arts Fund from National Arts Council, through which the CDCs have given students and seniors the chance to encounter different arts activities for the last seven years. We also organised a one-for-one matched savings plan that helped lowincome families master financial management skills and encouraged them to save for the long term.

Among these programmes is kidsREAD, which we have been running with the National Library Board since 2004.

In kidsREAD, volunteers read English books to children aged five to eight, who are from low-income families. The programme especially supports children from Mandarinspeaking families, by instilling a love for reading and helping them build a stronger foundation in the English language.

Collaborations with Self-Help Groups

Collaborative Tuition Programme In 2002, CDAC and the three other Self-Help Groups (The Eurasian Association Singapore, Yayasan MENDAKI, Singapore Indian Development Association) jointly organised this programme to offer affordable tuition classes to children from low-income families.

Big Heart Student Care In 2015, the four Self-Help Groups set up a joint venture company to operate Big Heart Student Care in schools.

The school-based centres give priority to students from underprivileged families and provide them with a safe and conducive learning environment. The centres have been expanding their capacity. In 2020 there were 28 Big Heart Student Care Centres, providing after school-care services for over 3,000 students.

Vibrance @ Yishun - A Self-Help Groups Centre This centre was set up by the four Self-Help Groups in 2018. It organises activities and programmes suitable for students and parents.

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Navigating 2020

TOGETHER In 2020, Covid-19 changed the world and caused much fear and worry.

Surviving it required us to keep our distance.

Although physical distancing was challenging, we grew closer to the community through care and support in a time of crisis.

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III

ADAPTING TO UNCERTAINTIES Separated offline, we connected online

A HELPING HAND In the new normal, we strived to keep hope alive

CONNECTING WITH HEART Unable to gather in person, technology brought us closer

IV OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS

V

A snapshot of how we met the challenges of 2020

STORIES OF HOPE In times of crisis, the spirit of resilience shines bright

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ADAPTING

to uncertainties

Separated offline,

WE CONNECTED ONLINE The pandemic forced us out of our comfort zones, and social distancing kept us apart.

But as we found new ways to interact, we also developed a deeper appreciation for one another.

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ADAPTING

to uncertainties The Covid-19 pandemic caused unprecedented global challenges, and severely disrupted our daily lives. The social distancing precautions that were put in place meant that CDAC staff were unable to carry out our work in the usual ways.

Adapting swiftly to the situation, our staff, tutors, and volunteers pulled together to bring our in-person programmes and events online.

Tuition programme

In late January of 2020, we postponed the commencement of our tuition classes due to the onset of the pandemic. Classes were later conducted in person for a brief period, but were soon suspended due to the circuit breaker, and remained so until late May. In the second half of the year, in-person tuition classes held in schools resumed.

Tuition classes that were supposed to take place in CDAC centres were held online instead, and this remained the case for the rest of 2020. To ensure the online lessons were effective, CDAC arranged training sessions for tutors so that they could master the use of online teaching platforms. We also made sure that the students received the relevant textbooks and other learning materials before the start of their online classes.

Facebook consultation

During the circuit breaker, we launched a homework consultation group on Facebook. Tutors were able to help participating students who had questions about their studies, and also address the challenges they faced due to homebased learning. Tutors also set quizzes to help students with their revisions.

Booster programmes

We were especially concerned about how children from vulnerable families were coping with their studies during the pandemic. In normal times, they already faced many challenges in this area, and home-based learning could widen the gap between them and their peers. To address this, we launched a booster programme for about 100 Primary 6, Secondary 4 Express and Normal stream students, who were weaker in their studies and were about to sit for their PSLE, GCE N- and O-Level examinations. The goal was to give these students a last boost before these critical examinations.

In 2020, the mid-year school holidays commenced earlier, in May. To comply with the circuit breaker measures, we moved our holiday activities for students online, and made academics a stronger focus in our holiday programmes. In doing so, we helped the students whose studies had been negatively impacted by the changes in their school terms and who were unable to adjust to home-based learning.

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Natalie Kok, parent of tuition student

I may not be able to help with my children’s home-based learning, but I will remind them of the timing for the CDAC Online Consultation Programme. My children post their questions in the group to seek help from tutors. This has helped them catch up on their schoolwork.

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Separated offline,

WE CONNECTED ONLINE

Case Management

The pandemic had a severe impact on low-income families.

Many of those who sought help from CDAC last year had lost their jobs or seen their income slashed, leading to dire economic circumstances. Abiding by safety precautions, our case workers engaged with families through the phone, and only visited them in person when absolutely necessary.

For clients who were unfamiliar with technology, the submission of documents became a difficulty. This caused challenges to our staff who tried their best to resolve the issues soonest possible, so that our clients could receive the much-needed help in a timely manner.

Online Supervised Homework Group (SHG)

Led by volunteers, SHG provides upper primary students from families who are under CDAC Case Management with support for their learning. SHG also builds up students’ confidence and character development through different activities.

During the circuit breaker, engagement with these students took place online. Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers, we were able to help parents and their children with the technical challenges of going online, and also devote attention to other needs faced by vulnerable families during this time. This helped the students to keep pace with their studies. .

Online Volunteer Orientation

As we were unable to hold an in-person orientation for our new volunteers, we switched to an online format which enabled us to hold more sessions and accomodate more volunteers. Thanks to these small-group sessions, we were able to learn more about the interests and needs of our volunteers. In 2020, we started to conduct orientation in Mandarin, so as to cater to Mandarin-speaking volunteers.

The pandemic did not dampen the spirit of volunteerism. In fact, 1,110 new volunteers joined us last year, an increase of 30% compared to 2019.

Other Activities

Activities for youths, parents and seniors (such as talks, workshops and Family Day) were converted to online formats during the pandemic. Our beneficiaries responded well to these challenges and overcame their fear of using online platforms. We were heartened to find that the attendance for these online events were comparable to that of in-person events in previous years.

CDAC Annual Report 2020

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Desiree Low, Sec 4 tuition student

The Online Consultation Group was an effective platform. I didn’t have to wait long for my online tutors to reply to my questions. If I was still unclear about anything, they gave me more detailed explanations. I'm grateful to have this platform which had really helped me with my schoolwork.

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Family Befrienders' Training 2020

Fulfilling Ageing Info Sharing Sessions

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A HELPING HAND

In the new normal, we strived to

KEEP HOPE ALIVE

Covid-19 dealt a heavy blow to the financial stability of vulnerable communities. In times of distress, extending support made a huge difference to those trying to stay afloat and remain optimistic.

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A HELPING HAND In 2020, there was an increase in the number of applications for bursaries and financial assistance, as more household incomes were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Additional Assistance

The Government allocated $20 million to the four self-help groups in 2020 and 2021 to help vulnerable communities impacted by the pandemic.

The $5 million which CDAC received were used to assist and support families experiencing pandemic-related financial difficulties. We disbursed our first round of financial assistance in March 2020, and introduced more measures as the situation worsened. These included:

Assistance for the Retrenched The application period for this Assistance for the Retrenched grant was from March to September 2020. The grant gave retrenched persons and their families financial assistance of up to $400 per family. This supplemented other assistance schemes from the government and unions.

Education Grant We issued two rounds of Education Grant in 2020, to about 10,000 households with school-going children and/or young children. Each family received a $300 grant each round, to help them with their education expenses.

Re-opening CDAC – SFCCA (Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations ) Bursary applications in 2020 The application period for this bursary was supposed to end in late August 2019. We extended the deadline to May 2020 to assist more students in need. In 2020, we gave out 7,260 bursaries. This was almost 50% more than the number of bursaries in 2019.

Expanding number of recipients for YEAP Grant Recipients of the $720 YEAP Grant were students enrolled in post-secondary educational institutions. In 2020, 4,640 students benefitted from YEAP Grant; an increase of almost 80% compared to 2019’s 2,600 recipients.

More vouchers for ‘Ready for School’ At our ‘Ready for School’ event in December 2020, each family received a family pack, with $260 worth of transport and grocery vouchers, and $80 worth of vouchers per school-going child for school supplies. This marked an additional $100 worth of vouchers compared to the previous year. In total, 8,700 households benefited from these vouchers — 30% more than 2019.

CDAC Annual Report 2020

Fulfilling Ageing Info Sharing Sessions

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Kok Shu May, JC 2 student

The YEAP Grant has helped me with my study expenses. The YEAP workshop I attended equipped me with relevant tips for scholarship applications and knowledge on university education in general.

I am now more prepared for my tertiary education.

Learning Fiesta 2020

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In the new normal, we strived to

KEEP HOPE ALIVE Other assistance

Helping workers look for jobs The job market during the pandemic was weak and many workers sought help from CDAC to upgrade themselves and look for new jobs.

We worked with various government agencies to organise virtual job fairs. For those whose working hours had been cut or who had been asked to go on no-pay leave, such fairs helped them to find new employment opportunities, and also made it easier for employers to screen candidates.

In April and May 2020, we held an online job fair with NTUC's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute). In December 2020, we held a Virtual Learning & Job Fair together with the Lifelong Learning Institute, SkillsFuture Singapore, and MENDAKI SENSE. At these events, participants could find out more about job vacancies and interview opportunities, and attend webinars and talks.

In October and December 2020, we organised workshops to assist job-seekers who were preparing for online job interviews. Through DISC personality tests, the workshops helped them to understand their strengths and weaknesses in putting together their CVs, and their performance during job interviews. The personality tests also guided them in the search for careers that suit their personalities, thus further improving their chances of securing employment.

Helping students obtain computers, tables, and chairs When schools implemented home-based learning, many parents were at a loss. This was especially so for low-income families that had many children. We found that many of our beneficiary families did not have tables and chairs for their children that were conducive for home-based learning, and we decided to provide these items to primary and secondary students who needed them. In total, 930 low-income households received foldable tables and chairs that allowed their children to experience home-based learning with more comfort and focus. The tables and chairs also helped the children to maintain better postures, ensuring that this aspect of their physical health would not be affected during this period.

Some students did not have computers at home, or had damaged ones. This meant they would not be able to take part in home-based learning. Fortunately, these families could apply for the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) NEU PC Plus Programme, which subsidises the cost of computers and bundled with free broadband subscriptions for needy families with school-going children. CDAC is one of the lead agencies appointed by IMDA to process these applications. In 2020, we processed 2,000 of these grant applications. Of these, 1,700 were processed in the first half of the year.

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Lung Hong Seng, case management beneficiary

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I found a job in a food catering company! I thank CDAC staff for the advice and support throughout my job search journey, during this difficult pandemic time.

Job Interview Virtual Workshop

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CONNECTING with heart

Unable to gather in person,

TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT US CLOSER As we kept to our homes, conversing through screens replaced physical interactions. Through online events, we stayed connected to the communities we serve and continued to care for their wellbeing.

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CONNECTING

with heart

To comply with safety measures during the pandemic, we were unable to hold our large-scale activities the usual way. Instead, we tried to be creative when it came to engaging our beneficiaries online. At first, everyone was not used to digital platforms.

But over time, these platforms became part of the new normal, and we can now appreciate how they save time and enable greater convenience.

Being confined in our homes can be stressful, so we wanted to use our online activities to encourage our beneficiaries to stay optimistic and maintain harmony in their families, so that we can all help one another get through these hard times.

A care hotline for Fulfilling Ageing

During the pandemic, we called up 337 seniors who had taken part in Fulfilling Ageing programmes to ask how they were doing, tell them about our activities, and encourage them to stay healthy and positive. While chatting with them, we were able to take note of their mental wellbeing, so as to extend more assistance if needed. Through phone calls and social media, we also connected with 121 volunteers to discuss how to resume our activities during the pandemic, and find out how they felt about using online platforms for these activities.

E-Learning Kiosks

To help seniors who had difficulties with using technology and to help them stay connected with the world, we worked with a Hwa Chong Institution project team who was well-versed in senior tech to produce this video tutorial series. Released in May, the series taught seniors how to use websites and mobile apps to get news about the pandemic, and how to scan QR codes using the SafeEntry platform.

Using Facebook to encourage others

The pandemic did not weaken our concern for one another, and we found new ways to connect online, learn and interact.

From April to June 2020, we held a livestreaming session on Facebook three times a week, and invited experts from different fields to share their insights.

Celebrating festive occasions online with seniors

For the first time, we shifted our festive celebrations online, so that seniors could still enjoy these occasions from home.

On October 1, 2020, we held the Mid-Autumn Festival Virtual Celebration as a Facebook livestream, and about 400 seniors participated. Although this was quite a different experience compared to an in-person event, the online performances still brought a lot of festive cheer, and enabled seniors to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival from the safety of their homes.

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Julie Yeo, parent

The parenting talk was very encouraging! I now understand my child’s behaviours better. I will also reflect on my actions and consequences that might have affected my child.

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Tee Lay See Lacey, workshop participant

Many thanks to CDAC for offering such useful workshop. Very enlightening and really hope I can offer my help in any areas to give back what I have received and benefitted.

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Unable to gather in person,

TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT US CLOSER Family Bonding Day online

During the pandemic, we continued to create opportunities for families to bond. We moved Family Bonding Day online in August, and the event was very well-received, drawing 750 families. The event was livestreamed from the Facebook page of Love 97.2 Breakfast Quartet, and featured activities such as art and music performances, terrarium-making, and an escape room. At the event, special guest President Halimah Yacob said that harmonious families give people strength and resilience to face challenges in a time of uncertainty, and she encouraged everyone to spend quality time and build stronger family ties.

Online talks and workshops

The pandemic changed the way we shared information. In the past, we held our talks and workshops at our headquarters, centres, and rented venues. When we turned these into virtual events, we were heartened to find that for some events, attendance numbers exceeded the number of people who showed up for our in-person events. In 2020, we organised about 100 talks and workshops for parents, youths, seniors, addressing topics such as parenting, education and mental health.

Learning Fiesta

This was launched on 21 November, and online activities for all age groups included child-friendly science experiments and clay workshops for students, talks for parents, laughing yoga, an urban gardening workshop, and parent-child activities. The event drew 500 participants.

Volunteer Learning and Development Framework

Although there were fewer opportunities to interact with volunteers in-person during the pandemic, we were able to keep in touch through digital platforms. Besides sharing tips on working and learning from home, we also gave suggestions on how to stay physically and mentally healthy, organised some talks on health, and gathered online for festive celebrations.

In July 2020, we introduced the Volunteer Learning and Development Framework to systematise the guiding principles for our volunteer training. We organised a series of online training courses for volunteers, to elevate their core skills and help them learn techniques relevant to their work.

Over 170 volunteers took part in eight online courses, which featured topics such as communication techniques, design thinking and how to turn conflict into cooperation. In December, Board Member Mr Baey Yam Keng mentioned in the Volunteer Seminar that he hoped the volunteers could adopt a learning mindset, as well as serve others with humility.

CDAC Annual Report 2020

“

47

Alvin Tan Peng Hwee, ‘Ready for School’ Project volunteer

”

I am thankful to be able to volunteer and help the needy, especially during this pandemic. Being able to lend a helping hand makes me feel very happy.

Reaching out to youths facing challenges

Celebrating hard-won achievements online and offline

When we disbursed our Education Grant to our YEAP beneficiaries, we also asked them how they were doing.

Many shared that they were under a lot of pressure; some had lost their part-time jobs due to the pandemic, or their parents had lost their jobs and were facing a lot of difficulties.

After understanding their needs, we were able to advise them and refer them to other relevant sources of assistance.

Although we could not have our in-person award ceremonies, we were able to adapt and use technology to celebrate the achievements of students, volunteers and tutors.

Self-Help Groups Joint Tuition Awards Online Ceremony In August, we organised this ceremony together with the other Self-Help Groups (The Eurasian Association Singapore, Yayasan MENDAKI, Singapore Indian Development Association), to celebrate 798 students who achieved outstanding results in their 2019 examinations. Over 1,500 people watched the ceremony livestream on YouTube. In his remarks, Minister Masagos Zulkifli praised the tutors who had worked hard to adapt to online teaching and continued guiding their students. Our Executive Director personally delivered the awards to three students who had received awards for overall outstanding academic achievements, and congratulated them on their excellent results.

Awards for tuition students who showed excellence and improvement We usually hold an award ceremony for students who have achieved outstanding results and shown great improvement.

There were many recipients last year, so we decided to cancel the ceremony in light of Covid-19. Although we could not congratulate the students in person, we came up with a different way to recognise and encourage them — handdelivering their awards and congratulatory letters delivered to their homes.

Graduation ceremony for Supervised Homework Group (SHG) Primary 6 students In November, SHG held a graduation ceremony for 55 Primary 6 graduating students at Gardens by the Bay. Eight of them received awards for showing outstanding improvement in their studies. The students and their families enjoyed a family day on the same day and toured the garden.

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CDAC

Unable to gather in person,

TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT US CLOSER

Celebrating hard-won achievements online and offline

Online award ceremony for tutors and Tutors Learning Fiesta

Community spirit

Each and every mask is an expression of care. Over the past year, we received generous donations from many big organisations, members of the public, and volunteers. They donated masks and disinfectants to ensure our beneficiary families could receive this basic protection. In the early stages of the pandemic, it was hard to find masks suitable for children.

Together with Punggol West Grassroots Organisation and Teck Ghee Gardens resident network, we held a crash course on mask-making in February, so we could contribute by producing re-usable masks for children.

The award ceremony for our tutors was moved online and held in November. Minister of State Sun Xueling presented 11 tutors with awards, and commended their hard work, and their care and support for their students. After the ceremony, we held our inaugural Virtual Learning Fiesta for tutors. Keynote Speaker, Assistant Professor Heng Tang Tang from National Institute of Education, shared on the use of Differentiated Instruction in supporting our learners with 200 tutors.

13 tutors also shared insights on their teaching experience.

Our goal was to motivate our tutors to understand and adjust to the different learning needs of students, and help their pedagogy methods keep pace with the times.

Subsequently, we received donations of such items. Temasek Foundation donated hand sanitiser to 12 CDAC Centres and the Self-Help Groups Centre for usage by beneficiary families and staff. Through Northwest Community Development Council, Keppel Corporation donated masks to our tutors.

These contributions provided much solace during those difficult times.

In September, we received G3 Blue Technology’s face shields, which offered stronger protection, as well as other items.

Created by ITE College East, the face shields can amplify a wearer’s voice, which is very useful for teachers. On Teachers’ Day, we gifted the face shields and other items to our tutors.

Our volunteers and beneficiary families were very charitable during the pandemic, and really exemplified the warmth of community spirit. Volunteer Xu Jun donated a thousand surgical masks to our students, volunteers, and staff. Primary 6 student Lin Caiying, who was part of the Supervised Homework Group at CDAC@ Tanjong Katong, gave beautiful masks to the volunteers there and over 100 students at eight CDAC Centres. The masks were made by her mother Yang Lingling, to thank the volunteers for their patient guidance.

At the time, the prices of masks were quite expensive, and this kind gesture was very touching.

CDAC Annual Report 2020

“

Russell Ong, "I can be a Cyber Senior!" volunteer group leader Though this year was filled with many surprises and obstacles, we managed to come up with a programme to cater to the elderly and continue bridging the inter-generational gap between the tech-savy youths and elderly. We really learnt a lot throughout this journey and it has definitely opened our eyes to many new things too.

“

”

Mrs Goh, parent from CDAC@ Sengkang

My daughter always looks forward to kidsREAD every Saturday!

The volunteers are dedicated and professional, and always care for the children. Thanks for creating such enjoyable reading environment for the children!

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CDAC

OUR YEAR in numbers

A snapshot of how we met

THE CHALLENGES OF 2020 From financial assistance to emotional support, different schemes helped those who were struggling to work towards a better tomorrow.

CDAC Annual Report 2020

Cheering on our workers who are battling the pandemic on the frontlines

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52

CDAC

OUR YEAR In Numbers

The extraordinary challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 brought much distress to many of our beneficiaries, who struggled with financial, employment, and educational concerns, while trying to maintain their physical and emotional wellbeing. To help them through this worrying period, we extended our outreach to 18,600 families in 2020 — an increase of almost 10% compared to the familes we engaged in 2019.

Our support ranged from assistance targeted at the specific vulnerabilities and issues that arose due to the pandemic, to events and activities that kept everyone connected during a time of social isolation. Most of these programmes were conducted online to abide by safe distancing measures and they were well-received.

We look forward to reuniting with our stakeholders in person in the near future.

In the meantime, here’s a look back at how we responded to the needs of 2020.

Households benefitted

2019

2020

17,000

18,600

Additional Assistance due to Covid-19 in 2020 Education Grant

Households benefitted

10,020

Grant disbursed

$5,198,445

Households benefitted

400

Grant disbursed

$119,800

Assistance for the Retrenched

CDAC Annual Report 2020

Households

2019

2020

7,350

9,460

Households Supported by Casework Management

1,510

1,490

Households supported by Family Resource Programme

890

590

Households supported by Family and Worker Support Programme

Students mentored by volunteers

160

180

Households supported by ‘Ready for School’ Project

6,500

8,700

2019

2020

12,620

11,280

4,840

3,070

5,010

7,260

310

310

Tuition Programme participants

Children and Youths

Holiday Programme participants Bursary recipients

Children supported by kidsREAD

YEAP Grant recipients

2,600

4,640

1,030

580

NEU PC Plus recipients

1,810

1,970

Youth Programme participants

Parents

2019

2020

940

1,100

2019

2020

Fulfilling Aging Programme participants

4,480

1,250

2019

2020

Partners

260

140

Collaborative projects

310

120

New volunteers recruited

830

1,100

1,420

860

Hours contributed by volunteers

39,400

14,880

1,150

1,120

Monthly contributions received from Chinese employees

$25.7m $26.14m

Parenting Programme participants

Seniors

Support from the Community and Volunteers

Volunteers deployed Participants in volunteer training programmes

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CDAC

Stories of

HOPE

In times of crisis, the spirit of

RESILIENCE SHINES BRIGHT Whether they cared for their families or forged stronger bonds with those in need, our beneficiaries, volunteers, and partners share how they tried to make a difference in a difficult year.

CDAC Annual Report 2020

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CDAC

Stories of hope

PLANNING A PATH FORWARD

amid great challenges

When he was younger, Ho Jian Liang Murphy did not like studying. His grandmother Mah Kim Suan and aunt Ho Siow Chearn Jo, who raised him, did not pressure him. But they did remind him that doing well in school would mean a better future.

With that in mind, when Murphy was in Primary 3, his aunt enrolled him in CDAC's tuition programme.

For the next two years, his grandmother brought him to the sessions every Saturday.

“I forced myself to go,” Murphy recalls. He was more interested in playing video games and often did not submit his homework on time. A stern lecture from his Primary 6 teacher awakened him to put in more effort. Though he did not do well in his PSLE, he did not give up.

During this transition period, Murphy was still being tutored at CDAC, and the academic support he received there proved invaluable. “The CDAC tutors had interesting and diverse methods of teaching,” he says. For instance, to help him improve his English, one tutor asked him to keep a journal. By looking over his daily entries, the tutor helped correct his errors and gave him constructive suggestions.

The CDAC tuition also helped him improve in Mathematics, and he received CDAC bursaries in 2018 and 2019.

In fact, Murphy ultimately did so well that he received the Best Overall Academic Performance Award for the GCE N-Level category at the Self-Help Groups’ Joint Tuition Awards Online Ceremony in 2020. Organised by CDAC, The Eurasian Association Singapore, the Singapore Indian Development Association and Yayasan MENDAKI, the ceremony celebrates students' achievements in their PSLE, GCE N- and O-Level examinations.

“I was very surprised,” says Murphy of the award. “I had worked very hard, but I never expected something like this.” He was even featured in Lianhe Zaobao, and the article was accompanied by a photograph of Murphy with his beaming grandmother, pictured proudly holding up his award certificate and plaque. Madam Mah even laminated the newspaper article, and eagerly shared the good news with their neighbours.

The award was a bright spot during a stressful year for this family. His aunt, who is the sole breadwinner, was affected by the pandemic and they had difficulties paying their housing and utility bills.

Now 18 years old, Murphy has been able to alleviate some of the financial pressure through a grant from CDAC’s Youth Empowerment & Aspiration Programme. Now studying Digital Film and Television at Temasek Polytechnic, he is very interested in what he is learning and inspired by online content creators such as Wah!Banana and Night Owl Cinematics. “I want to try doing what they do,” he says.

“I want to get a videography job doing this, because it requires creativity, and also because I want to provide for my family. That’s the path I want to take.”

CDAC Annual Report 2020

57

Ho Jian Liang Murphy and grandmother Madam Mah

“I want to get a videography job, because it’s very creative, and also because I want to provide for my family. That’s the path I want to take.”

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CDAC

Stories of hope

Meeting tough times with

CARING HEARTS

The Lim family faced multiple challenges in 2020 due to Covid-19. Senior Warehouse Assistant Jeffrey Lim works for a manufacturing company whose operations continued throughout the pandemic, so he continued showing up on-site every workday even as most of his colleagues started working from home. His wife, Chiew Siok Mui, had a different problem. Her hours as a part-time packer dwindled, and there were months when she had no income at all.

Their three sons – Ryan, aged 12; Rexley, aged 10; and Renfred, aged 8 – had all switched to homebased learning. “We were quite worried, because both of us were not sure if they were absorbing and understanding their lessons,” says Jeffrey. “It was quite a headache.”

Fortunately, they were able to get some financial relief from CDAC during that tumultuous period.

At the ‘Ready for School’ Project 2020 event, which supports low-income families and their school-going children to prepare for the upcoming school year, each beneficiary family received $260 worth of transport and grocery vouchers, and $80 worth of vouchers per school-going child for their education expenses. This marked an additional $100 worth of vouchers compared to the previous year.

In addition, the Lim family also received a total of $600 from CDAC’s educational grant disbursed last year. Previous support from CDAC also helped them prepare for the new normal of 2020.

For instance, Jeffrey and Siok Mui had been able to purchase computers for the boys, by tapping on the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) NEU PC Plus Programme, which subsidises the cost of computers for needy families with school-going children. CDAC is one of the agencies appointed by IMDA to process the Scheme.

Ryan, who was sitting for his PSLE in 2020 also benefitted from the Supervised Homework Group (SHG) programme at CDAC@ Punggol two years earlier and had built up strong rapport with his mentor.

“He shares more things with his mentor than he does with us,” says Siok Mui. “The mentor told me that Ryan was discouraged by his results for his preliminary exams, because he had worked hard and still not done as well as he hoped. He showed signs of giving up, and the mentor suggested that I spend more time with him.”

Taking his words to heart, Siok Mui took extra care to give Ryan a listening ear during that stressful period. He is now in secondary education and participates in Project YOUth Can Shine programme, which guides lower-secondary students in their schoolwork and provides mentoring and support for them. In 2020, Rexley started attending SHG. Secondary school is proving to be pretty interesting so far, says Ryan, who enjoys science and is interested by coding. As the world continues to adjust to the changes due to Covid-19, youths like him are proving how adaptable they are. “I prefer online learning,” he says with a grin.

“The classroom is very hot.”

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Jeffrey Lim and his family

Lim family faced multiple challenges in 2020 due to Covid-19.

Fortunately, they were able to get some financial relief from CDAC during that tumultuous time.

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CDAC

Stories of hope

CREATING A COMMUNITY, stitch by stitch Like many women of her generation, 71-year-old Irene Tan learnt how to sew at a young age.

However, over time she did not sew as often due to work commitment and the convenience of buying ready-made clothes.

Little did she know that retirement would bring her back to sewing. Having worked for 45 years as an administrator, Irene found life as a retiree a little hard to get used to. “I didn’t want to be bored, so I started to look for volunteering opportunities,” she says. That’s how she signed up for the Granny Quilt programme at CDAC@ Redhill three years ago.

This programme is open to seniors 50 years old and above, and the 19 participants at the Redhill centre were taught how to sew patchwork quilts in three-hour sessions that took place twice a week. These completed quilts are then distributed to newborn babies in the community.

Learning how to sew these quilts is not difficult, says Irene, but does require patience and attention to detail. Her fellow Granny Quilt volunteer Florence Aw, 68, agrees. “You need to have enthusiasm and diligence,” she says.

Enjoying one another’s company helps too. As they sew, these volunteers chat about their lives, interests, and even end-of-life matters such as burial arrangements. They also sometimes meet up for meals and coffee. “We all get along very well,” says Florence.

When the sessions were suspended for a year due to the pandemic, they kept in touch via WhatsApp. When quilting resumed in March 2021, these volunteers were all very excited to have their ‘class reunion’. “I really looked forward to seeing everyone,” says Irene. “Coming here always makes me very happy.”

While their sewing skills were a little rusty after such a long pause, the lively conversations between these friends remain as spirited as before. These days, Covid-19 is a much-discussed topic and the volunteers shared about their vaccination dates and experience with each other.

Beyond quilting, these volunteers also guided students from the Supervised Homework Group on basic sewing skills during the 'Ready for School' event. Embracing the spirit of lifelong learning and active contributions, these volunteers received the Volunteer (Team) Award at the CDAC 2021 Volunteers' Day. Along with 10 volunteers at CDAC’s Punggol Centre, these Granny Quilt volunteers have sewn a total of 730 blankets to date. And they have plenty more to give. Florence, who bought her very own sewing machine to continue exploring this new hobby, says: “We want to learn more. Maybe we can learn how to sew other things, so that we can contribute more to the community.”

CDAC Annual Report 2020

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Granny Quilt volunteers at CDAC@ Redhill

When the Granny Quilt programme resumed in March 2021, the volunteers were all very excited to have their ‘class reunion’. “I really looked forward to seeing everyone,” says Irene. “Coming for these quilting sessions always makes me very happy.”

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CDAC

Stories of hope

Learning life lessons from

MENTORING OTHERS As an experienced educator, Goh Chek Meng knows that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to engaging with students. “Every year, the students I am assigned to are different, and I am here to find out what their needs are, and how I can support and help them,” says this 44-year-old veteran CDAC Supervised Homework Group (SHG) volunteer. “And as I try to do that, I will also change along with them. That’s what I like about being an educator.”

He is much more patient today than he was a decade ago, says Chek Meng. Many students’ academic problems stem from a lack of motivation, and connecting with unmotivated students can be easier in the SHG programme, because it matches each student to one volunteer mentor. “Because of that, the approach can be very customised,” he explains.

When a student declared that he wanted to do nothing. Chek Meng spent a session patiently watching him doodle, “so we can do nothing together”. This slow-and-steady way of building rapport might gradually lead to successfully persuading such students to play mobile games that help to hone their mathematical skills. “That’s better than nothing — at least they will be learning something,” Chek Meng reckons. “Ten years ago, maybe I would have lost it when faced with such a situation.

But the things I learnt over the years have helped me to improve as a person.”

Building rapport helps SHG volunteers figure out the best ways to support students academically and emotionally. A few years ago, Chek Meng tried his best to provide such emotional support to two brothers who were part of SHG, when their father passed away. “In that process, I learnt a lot from the boys’ resilience, and seeing how their mother stayed strong for them,” he reflects. “I met them again at a CDAC activity last year, and it was good to see them doing well as a family.”

Perhaps the experience struck an especially deep chord with him because becoming a parent was a motivating factor for joining CDAC as a volunteer in 2009. At the time, his two children were still quite young. “I started worrying about what would happen to my children if something happened to me,” he says. “Nobody knows when we will need help. I believe that when we have the ability to help others, we should do our part. It’s about paying it forward.”

Spending three hours every Saturday in SHG means he has less time to spend with his own family on weekends. His wife has been supportive, and when his children were younger, he would bring them along to CDAC@ Jurong Centre, where fellow volunteers helped to keep an eye on them.

“It became like a family thing.”

Indeed, his bonds with his SHG students and fellow volunteers have strengthened his dedication as a volunteer. Chek Meng has conducted training sessions for new SHG volunteers, and contributed to curriculum planning for the programme. For his efforts, he received the Volunteer Commendation Award at the CDAC Volunteers’ Day 2021. “When you feel something is worth it, you will make time for it,” he says.

CDAC Annual Report 2020

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Mr Goh Chek Meng

“Nobody knows when we will need help. I believe that when we have the ability to help others, we should do our part. It’s about paying it forward.” say Goh Chek Meng, 44-year-old educator.

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CDAC

Stories of hope

SEEDING A LOVE for learning through digital tools

A Chinese-language teacher with over 10 years of experience under his belt, Sin Sit Boon joined CDAC as a tutor in 2020. Singapore was then in the thick of its Covid-19 lockdown, and all CDAC tuition classes had moved online. Through a former colleague, Sit Boon heard that CDAC needed tutors who could not only just teach Chinese, but was also well-versed in online teaching.

As luck would have it, he fits the bill pretty perfectly. Sit Boon believes that when it comes to inculcating a love for the Chinese language, three factors are crucial. Firstly, teachers and parents should strive to expose children to Chinese in their daily lives, so that they can experience its relevance. Secondly, teachers should encourage and motivate students as they learn. Last but not least, teachers should try to create an enjoyable learning environment — and that includes using digital learning resources such as videos and apps to stimulate students’ interest.

As an MOE teacher, Sit Boon had thus already been familiarising himself with many online learning platforms and tools, especially as the shift to blended learning (where online and offline modes are combined) during the pandemic accelerated the adoption of new technologies. Besides having the necessary expertise, “the timing, location and other factors also made it possible for me to contribute back to the society, so I decided to take up this meaningful responsibility”, he said.

During CDAC’s online lessons, he guided students on the use of platforms such as Zoom, Google Classroom, and ClassDojo. Besides using digital textbooks and Zoom as the primary teaching resources, he also used varied strategies to intersperse his lessons with various ways of stimulating students’ interest. For example, students competed in quizzes using the chat function in Zoom.

Things were not all smooth-sailing. Technical challenges included intermittent Internet connections, glitches in image and sound quality, and navigating unfamiliar interfaces. “But things improved as everyone got used to the platforms,” Sit Boon shared.

Even with the resumption of conventional lessons, Sit Boon said he will continue to use platforms such as YouTube to enrich his teaching. But in-person teaching has its strengths too. When offline classes resumed in 2021, Sit Boon met his CDAC students in person for the first time. It was only then that the small teacher-student ratio really hit home for him. “My first thought was that with fewer students, I can spend more energy and attention on each individual child,” he recalled.

Being a CDAC tutor has enabled him to learn how to communicate more effectively with children from needy families. “This helps me in adjusting my teaching strategies, defusing conflicts, stimulating their motivation for learning, and elevating my overall effectiveness as a teacher,” Sit Boon shared.

“It has also helped me in my personal growth, and enabled me to contribute towards the care for others.”

CDAC Annual Report 2020

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Mr Sin Sit Boon

“It has helped me in my personal growth, and enabled me to contribute towards the care for others.” say Sin Sit Boon, a Chinese-language teacher with over 10 years of experience and joined CDAC as a tutor in 2020.

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CDAC

Stories of hope

A MESSAGE OF HEALTH for a year of crisis

Besides promoting and advancing the application of Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) through academic research, the Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution also aims to provide subsidised TCM treatment for the sick in Singapore, regardless of race and religion.

Its partnership with CDAC helps to advance its cause since 2015, the organisation’s TCM specialists have conducted 51 TCM talks at CDAC Centres, Vibrance @ Yishun and CDAC roadshows, benefitting about 1,570 participants in total.

“During consultations, our physicians often don’t have enough time to share more information with patients,” says Peh Wei Liang William, the Assistant Chief Operating Officer, Principal Medical Officer and Resident Physician at Chung Hwa. “Such talks give us a platform where the public can learn more about different topics, and they can in turn share more of their experiences with us.”

In 2020, as Singapore started to observe safe management measures due to Covid-19, these talks were moved online. Without the physical constraints of room capacity, the attendance for these sessions actually increased.For the six talks organised for CDAC in 2020, the average attendance was about 45 participants, compared to about 25 in previous years.

Besides the convenience of logging on compared to travelling to a physical venue, perhaps more people were naturally more interested in learning about useful health information during a pandemic. Chung Hwa did introduce topics that were on everybody’s minds during 2020, such as how to prevent colds. Even a topic such as insomnia could appeal to anxious Singaporeans who were losing sleep during this eventful year.

But its talks for CDAC also covered issues such as blood sugar, dementia and menopause, reflecting the organisation’s desire to inform a broad segment of the public about common health issues.

In the process, the physicians learnt a lot about how to better connect with their audience. When first faced with the challenge of using online platforms, Chung Hwa decided to embrace the new experience, and its physicians were soon using these platforms not just for public talks, but also patient consultations and internal meetings.

They found that more elderly who attended their online talks were similarly quick to master this new medium. “Actually seniors are very good at using these platforms,” notes Koh Boon Khai, Chief Operating Officer “Nowadays, many of them have smartphones, and their children can help them if they encounter any difficulties.”

Even after life goes back to normal, Chung Hwa believes that online events can continue to help both organisations reach out to more people. “Maybe we can organise larger events together with a few CDAC centres, to benefit more residents,” says William. “We hope that that we can work with community partners to also connect with youths, English-speaking communities, and non-Chinese communities.”

CDAC Annual Report 2020

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Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution

Since 2015, Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution’s TCM specialists have conducted 51 TCM talks at CDAC Centres, Vibrance @ Yishun and CDAC roadshows, benefitting about 1,570 participants in total. Even after life goes back to normal, Chung Hwa believes that online events can continue to help both organisations reach out to more people.

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CDAC

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT HIGHLIGHTS Income Highlights 2019

2020

($m) ($m)

Contributions to CDAC Fund

25.69

26.13

Donations / Sponsorships

0.56

0.28

Grants & Subsidies from Government Agencies

2.83

6.84

Other Income (Fees & Others)

1.54

0.82

30.62

34.07

Total Operating Income

Expenses Highlights 2019 2020

($m) ($m) For the year ($m) Student & Parent Education

11.97

11.09

Family & Worker Support

4.93

6.99

Fulfilling Ageing

0.99

0.69

Community Outreach & Engagement

3.48

2.98

Volunteers Engagement & Development

0.73

0.66

CDAC-SFCCA Hardship Assistance & Bursary Schemes

2.02

3.29

-

5.20

2.67

2.63

26.79

33.53

CDAC Education Grant Administration & Governance Cost

Total Operating Expenses

CDAC Annual Report 2020

69

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Roles and Composition of Board of Directors and Board of Trustees 1

The founding members of the Chinese Development Assistance Council (“CDAC”) are the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (“SCCCI”) and the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (“SFCCA”). The Patron is the Prime Minister of Singapore.

2

CDAC has formed two separate Boards, the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees, to manage the Operation Fund and the Endowment Fund respectively. The Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees of CDAC are formed through a tripartite nomination in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of CDAC. The Patron, the SCCCI and the SFCCA each nominate their representatives to serve on the two Boards.

3 The Board of Directors comprises four representatives each from the SCCCI and SFCCA, and nine other persons nominated by the Patron. The Board of Trustees comprises the Chairman of the Board of Directors, seven representatives each from the SCCCI and SFCCA, and nine other persons nominated by the Patron of the Council. There are 17 members in the Board of Directors, including Board Chairman Mr Ong Ye Kung. The Board of Trustees has 24 members, including Board Chairman Dr Chua Thian Poh. 4

The roles of the Board of Directors are to:

(a) formulate key objectives, strategies and directions for the operation of the CDAC; (b) monitor and review the progress of the various programmes and activities of

the CDAC; (c) review and approve annual budgets for the various programmes and activities of

the CDAC; and (d) abide by the duties, responsibilities and liabilities of a Director as specified in the

Companies Act as well as under common law.

5 The Board of Trustees is entrusted with the duty of managing and building up the Endowment Fund. Any usage of the Endowment Fund to finance the Council’s operation requires the approval of the Board of Trustees. The roles of the Board of Trustees are to:

(a) mobilise community support to achieve the objectives of the CDAC; (b) hold in trust any assets for the CDAC at the request of the Board of Directors; and (c) offer observations, comments and advice on the general programmes adopted by

the CDAC.

6 Board members comprise individuals with diverse skills, qualifications and backgrounds.

These include accounting, auditing, banking, business, general management, investment, law and public services. The Board members accept their roles without any remuneration.

Board Term Limit, Meetings and Attendance 7 The Board term is two years. The current term is from 18 June 2020 to the Annual General Meeting in June 2022. Board members are nominated for appointment and/or re-appointment to the respective Boards at the end of the two-year term through their nominators.

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CDAC

Corporate Governance

Board Term Limit, Meetings and Attendance (continued) 8 CDAC held two Board of Directors’ (BOD) meetings in 2020.

Meeting Dates

Attendance

27 May 2020

14/17

8 October 2020

13/17

Directors

Current Occupation

Attendance at Board meetings during the year

Date of Appointment

Mr Ong Ye Kung3

Minister, Ministry of Health

2/2

23 June 2017 (Chairman, Board of Directors)

Mr Ang Kiam Meng

Group Chief Executive Officer and Executiver Director, JUMBO Group Limited

0/2

20 June 2016

Mr Baey Yam Keng3

Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Transport

2/2

23 June 2006

Mr Chee Hong Tat

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport

1/2

21 June 2018

Mr Hong Poh Hin

Council Member, Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations

2/2

25 June 2012

Dr Koh Poh Koon

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health & Ministry of Manpower

1/1

18 June 2020

2/2

25 June 2010

0/2

25 June 2012

2/2

21 June 2018

Ms Lim Sau Hoong3 Ms Low Yen Ling

Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry Chairperson of Mayors' Committee & Mayor, South West District

Mr Patrick Ng Bee Soon

Deputy Chairman, Pan-United Corporation Ltd

Past Board Appointments at CDAC (a) Member, Board of Directors (25 June 2010 to 25 October 2016) (b) Deputy Chairman, Board of Directors (25 October 2016 to 23 June 2017)

CDAC Annual Report 2020

Directors

Current Occupation

Attendance at Board meetings during the year

Date of Appointment

Mr Ng Poh Wah

Director, Fong Yi Marine Supplies Pte Ltd

2/2

21 June 2018

Mr Ng Siew Quan3

Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

2/2

25 June 2010

Mr Adrian Peh Nam Chuan3

Chairman, Adsan Law LLC

2/2

25 June 2010

Ms Sun Xueling

Minister of State, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Social and Family Development

1/2

4 November 2015

Mr Tan Bock Huat

Chairman, Min Ghee Auto Pte Ltd

2/2

20 June 2014

1/1

25 June 2010

Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong1 Mr Gilbert Tan Chye Hee

Chief Executive Officer, NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (e2i)

2/2

20 June 2014

Mr Wan Shung Ming

Director, Tin Sing Goldsmiths Pte Ltd

2/2

25 June 2012

Mr Alex Yam Ziming3

Mayor, North West District

1/2

25 June 2010

Executive Director, People’s Action Party, PAP HQ

Past Board Appointments at CDAC

Member, Board of Trustees (25 June 2012 to 20 June 2014)

(a) Member, Board of Directors (23 June 2006 to 25 June 2010) (b) Member, Board of Trustees (25 June 2010 to 25 June 2012)

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Board Term Limit, Meetings and Attendance (continued) 9

CDAC held two Board of Trustees’ (BOT) meetings in 2020.

Meeting Dates

Attendance

18 June 2020

21/24

11 November 2020

17/24

Trustees

Current Occupation

Attendance at Board meetings during the year

Date of Appointment

Past Board Appointments at CDAC

Dr Chua Thian Poh4

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ho Bee Land Limited

2/2

25 June 2012 (Chairman, Board of Trustees)

(a) Member, Board of Directors (22 May 1996 to 23 June 2006) (b) Member, Board of Trustees (23 June 2006 to 25 June 2012)

Mr Ong Ye Kung

Minister, Ministry for Health

1/2

23 June 2017 (Chairman, Board of Directors)

(a) Member, Board of Directors (25 June 2010 to 25 October 2016) (b) Deputy Chairman, Board of Directors (25 October 2016 to 23 June 2017)

Mr Cheng Wai Keung4

Chairman and Managing Director, Wing Tai Holdings Limited

2/2

12 June 2004

Member, Board of Directors (30 May 1992 to 12 June 2004)

Mr Tony Chew Leong-Chee4

Executive Chairman, Asia Resource Corporation Pte Ltd

2/2

2 June 2008

2/2

22 May 2000

Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon4 Mr Gan Kim Yong

Minister, Ministry for Trade and Industry

0/2

21 June 2018

(a) Member, Board of Directors (12 June 2004 to 25 June 2012) (b) Chairman, Board of Directors (25 June 2012 to 23 June 2017) (c) Member, Board of Directors (23 June 2017 to 21 June 2018)

Mr Charles Ho Nai Chuen

Managing Director, On Cheong Co. Pte Ltd

1/2

21 June 2018

Member, Board of Trustees (12 June 2004 to 25 June 2012)

Mr Kuah Boon Wee

Group Chief Executive Officer, MTQ Corporation Limited

2/2

21 June 2018

Mr Sherman Kwek Eik Tse

Group Chief Executive Officer, City Developments Limited

0/1

18 June 2020

CDAC Annual Report 2020

Trustees

Current Occupation

Attendance at Board meetings during the year

Date of Appointment

Mr Patrick Lee Kwok Kie1

Chairman, Sing Lun Holdings Pte Ltd

1/1

2 June 2008

Mr Lee Sze Leong

Managing Director, Sing Investments & Finance Limited

2/2

20 June 2014

Mr William Leong Sin Yuen

Executive Director, Leong Yun Chee & Sons Realty Pte Ltd

1/1

18 June 2020

Mr Lew Chee Beng

Council Member, Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations

2/2

25 June 2012

1/1

25 June 2010

Mr Liew Mun Leong2

Past Board Appointments at CDAC

Mr Lim Ming Yan

Chairman, Singapore Business Federation

2/2

20 June 2016

Mr Philip Ng Chee Tat

Chief Executive Officer, Far East Organization

1/2

25 June 2012

Mr Roland Ng San Tiong

Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Tat Hong Holdings Ltd

1/2

25 June 2012

Mr Pang Lim

Chief Executive Officer, Koufu Group Limited

2/2

20 June 2016

Mr Pek Lian Guan

Adviser, Tiong Seng Contractors Pte Ltd

2/2

21 June 2018

Mr Francis Phua Kiah Mai Managing Director, Allweld Engineering Pte Ltd

2/2

21 June 2018

Member, Board of Directors (20 June 2016 to 21 June 2018)

Dr George Quek Meng Tong

Group Chairman, BreadTalk Group Pte Ltd

0/2

21 June 2018

Member, Board of Trustees (20 June 2014 to 20 June 2016)

Mr Seow Choke Meng

Business Consultant, Singapore Press Holdings Limited

2/2

25 June 2012

Mr Tan Aik Hock

Director, Yuantai Fuel Trading Pte Ltd

1/2

20 June 2014

Mr Tan Cheng Gay4

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer EnGro Corporation Limited

2/2

22 May 2000

Mr Anthony Tan Kang Uei

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Press Holdings Limited

2/2

21 June 2018

Mr Wu Hsioh Kwang

Executive Chairman, Straco Corporation Limited

2/2

20 June 2014

Note: 1 Retired on 18 June 2020.

2 Resigned with effect from 12 September 2020.

3 Board Director who has served for more than 10 consecutive years.

4 Board Trustee who has served for more than 10 consecutive years.

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Board Term Limit, Meetings and Attendance (continued) 10 In total, six Board Directors and five Board Trustees have served in their present capacities for more than 10 consecutive years. They were nominated by their respective nominating bodies in consideration of their abilities to contribute to CDAC Boards, as well as their leadership positions in the community. As CDAC values continuity and stability, these Board members continue to serve in their present capacities. They have maintained independence in their oversight roles and have continued to add value to CDAC. A term limit of four consecutive years is currently set for the Chairmanship of the Finance & Establishment Committee.

11 New incoming Board members attend an orientation briefing session and are given an information kit on CDAC to familiarise themselves with CDAC’s work and governance practices.

Organisation structure 12 The Executive Committee (EXCO) was set up to achieve better synergy among CDAC Programmes. The EXCO also implements the Board’s fiduciary, strategic and policy decisions.

Six other Board Committees were also set up to improve CDAC’s oversight of management and accountability to its stakeholders. They are the Audit & Risk Committee, Building Committee, Finance & Establishment Committee, Investment Committee, Stakeholders Communications Committee and Tender Committee. All committees have clear terms of reference approved by the Board. The Committee members, who include both Board members and external domain experts, are appointed by the Board Chairman. The Tender Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors.

Patron of CDAC

Board of Directors

Board of Trustees

Executive Committee (EXCO)

Investment Committee

Board Committees Audit & Risk Committee Building Committee Finance & Establishment Stakeholders Communications Tender Committee

Executive Director

Student & Student & Parent Parent Education Education

Family & Worker Support

Fulfilling Ageing

Community Outreach & Engagement, One-Stop Service

Volunteers Engagement & Development

Corporate Services

Stakeholders Communications

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Executive Committee (EXCO) The EXCO advises the CDAC Secretariat on the strategies for the various programmes, including outreach and stakeholders’ engagement. It monitors the implementation of the Board’s decision on strategic matters, policies, business plans and annual budgets and acts on behalf of the Board on any matters delegated by the Board from time to time. Two EXCO meetings were held in 2020. The composition of the EXCO is as follows: Chairman – Mr Ong Ye Kung Members – Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mr Chee Hong Tat, Dr Koh Poh Koon2, Ms Lim Sau Hoong, Ms Low Yen Ling, Ms Sun Xueling, Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong1 and Mr Alex Yam Ziming Note: 1 Retired on 18 June 2020.

2 Appointed with effect from 18 June 2020.

Audit & Risk Committee (ARC) The ARC serves as an independent and objective party to assist the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities relating to corporate accounting and reporting practices, risk management and internal controls. Two ARC meetings were held in 2020. The composition of the ARC is as follows: Chairman – Mr Adrian Peh Nam Chuan Members – Mr Chua Pin, Mr Charles Ho Nai Chuen and Mr Yeo Ek Khuan

Building Committee (BC) The BC was set up on 27 May 2020 to oversee the renovation project of the CDAC Headquarters which is slated for completion in 2022. The BC provides strategic direction and maintains oversight for this project, including the plans for future maintenance. 12 BC meetings were held in 2020. The composition of the Committee is as follows: Chairman – Mr Seow Choke Meng Members – Ms Lim Sau Hoong and Mr Wan Shung Ming

Finance & Establishment (F&E) Committee The F&E Committee provides oversight for CDAC’s financial records and cost management.

The Committee monitors the expenditure against the approved budgets for CDAC’s various programmes. The Committee also oversees human resource management and ensures an adequate, effective and competency-based wage reward and remuneration system. Two F&E Committee meetings were held in 2020. The composition of the Committee is as follows: Chairman – Mr Tan Cheng Gay (Appointed on 21 June 2018) Members – Mr Roland Ng San Tiong, Mr Ng Siew Quan, Mr Seow Choke Meng, Mr Tan Aik Hock1 and Mr Wan Shung Ming Note: 1 Retired on 18 June 2020.

Investment Committee (IC) The IC provides recommendations on investment strategies to preserve and enhance the values of the CDAC Funds, and reviews and plans the investment portfolio allocations of the CDAC Funds. The IC also sets policies on the investment of the CDAC Funds based on the approved guidelines set by the Board of Trustees and in accordance with the Trustees Act. There were two IC meetings held in 2020. The composition of the Committee is as follows:

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Organisation structure (continued) Investment Committee (IC) (continued) Chairman – Mr Tony Chew Leong-Chee Members – Ms Lynn Koh Beow Ko, Mr Sherman Kwek Eik Tse2, Mr Lee Sze Leong, Ms Lim Li Ying, Mr Patrick Ng Bee Soon and Mr Ong Lay Khiam1 Note: 1 Retired on 18 June 2020.

2 Appointed with effect from 18 June 2020.

Stakeholders Communications (SC) Committee The SC Committee reviews and recommends communication strategies to enhance stakeholders’ awareness of and support for CDAC’s cause and programmes. It also advises CDAC on the implementation of strategies to enhance communication with stakeholders. One SC meeting was held in 2020. The composition of the Committee is as follows: Chairman – Ms Lim Sau Hoong Members – Ms Elim Chew1, Ms Goh Sin Hwee, Mr Han Keen Juan1, Mr Lee Ee Wurn2, Mr Ng Kim Hwee, Mr Peter Ong, Mr Woo Keng Choong and Mr Danny Yeo Jun Wei2 Note: 1 Retired on 18 June 2020.

2 Appointed with effect from 18 June 2020.

Tender Committee The Tender Committee reviews and approves the award of a tender and/or quotation that exceeds $300,000. This helps to ensure a more robust and rigorous procedure for major procurement, which includes renovation works and the procurement of enrichment programmes for a contractual period. The composition of the Committee is as follows: Chairman – Mr Ong Ye Kung Members – Mr Chee Hong Tat1 and Mr Tan Cheng Gay Alternate Members: Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr Wan Shung Ming Note: 1 Alternate Chairman of Tender Committee

Roles and functions of CDAC management team and staff The roles and responsibilities of the Boards and the management team are kept separate to maintain effective oversight. The day-to-day management of CDAC is delegated by the Boards to the management team. The management team is headed by the Executive Director Mr Pok Cheng Chong (appointed on 12 November 2015).

The roles of the CDAC management team and staff include: (a) carrying out the day-to-day operation of various programmes and activities, and providing secretariat support to the Board and Board Committees; and (b) monitoring the progress of various programmes and activities, and providing the Boards or the Board Committees with timely progress reports.

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Key Corporate Governance Practices 13 Board members and employees are required to, in their respective capacities, act in the best interest of CDAC at all times. Policies and procedures are designed to prevent and address potential conflict of interest situations while promoting the ethical conduct of Board members and employees. The CDAC Boards have approved a Code of Conduct for its Board members, staff and volunteers. CDAC has also put in place its Conflict of Interest, WhistleBlowing, Know Your Donors and Communications policies.

Code of Conduct The Code of Conduct requires Board members, staff and volunteers to protect all confidential information entrusted to him/her, except when the Board authorises disclosure. Board members are also to adhere to a high ethical standard in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. Board members are expected to exercise the duties and responsibilities of their positions, attend meetings and participate in the discussion of issues, policies and other Board matters.

Conflict of Interest All Board members and staff make declaration of actual or potential conflicts of interest on related party and/or interested party transactions which could conflict with their duties.

CDAC requires its Board members, Board Committee members and staff to make a yearly declaration, or a declaration at the earliest opportunity when there is a conflict of interest situation.

Whistle-Blowing CDAC has established a whistle-blowing policy to enable staff or any other persons to, in confidence, raise concerns about possible wrongdoing or improprieties in financial or other matters.

Know Your Donors CDAC has put in place a policy that requires CDAC to perform due diligence checks on donation or sponsorship sources (from individuals and corporations) as measures for antimoney laundering and countering financing of terrorism. CDAC will guard against the misuse of its name and/or reputation by external parties for terrorist or money-laundering purposes.

Public Image CDAC has a documented communications policy on the release of information about CDAC and its activities, so as to ensure that information about CDAC is being released in a clear, timely, consistent and accurate way across all media platforms.

14 CDAC has adopted the recommended best practices in key areas of governance that are closely aligned to the principles enunciated in the Code of Governance for Charities and Institutions of a Public Character. CDAC’s Governance Evaluation Checklist can be found at the Charity Portal website www.charities.gov.sg.

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CDAC

Contact us

CDAC Centres

Enquiry Hotlines

CDAC@ Ang Mo Kio Blk 201 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 #01-1648 S560201

6456 4541

CDAC@ Bedok Blk 138 Bedok North St 2 #01-185 S460138

6241 7994

CDAC@ Bukit Panjang Blk 270 Bangkit Road #01-22 S670270

6465 4411

CDAC@ Jurong Blk 421 Jurong West St 42 #01-1045 S640421

6569 3573

CDAC@ Punggol Blk 512 Hougang Ave 10 #01-67 S530512

6387 5455

CDAC@ Redhill Blk 83 Redhill Lane #01-85 S150083

6475 6567

CDAC@ Sengkang Blk 321B Anchorvale Drive #01-196 S542321

6312 5329

6841 4889

Student & Parent Programme

6603 5555

Family & Worker Programme

6603 5599

Fulfilling Ageing Programme

6603 5566

Volunteers Programme

6841 4889

CDAC@ Tampines Blk 158 Tampines St 12 #01-77 S521158

6783 4649

CDAC@ Tanjong Katong 65 Tanjong Katong Road, S436957

6841 4889

CDAC@ Toa Payoh 381 Lor 1 Toa Payoh L2 OnePeople.sg Building S319758 6258 8339

6891 0992

CDAC@ Yew Tee Blk 627 Choa Chu Kang St 62 #01-160 S680627

6765 3302

Self-Help Groups Centre 6752 7760

www.cdac.org.sg

www.facebook.com/CDACsg

@cdac_sg



enquiry@cdac.org.sg

CDAC Building 65 Tanjong Katong Road S436957

CDAC@ Woodlands Blk 680 Woodlands Ave 6 #01-764 S730680

Vibrance @ Yishun Blk 145 Yishun St 11 #01-41 S760145

General Enquiry

Monday - Thursday: 8:30am - 6pm Friday: 8:30am - 5:30pm

Note: Photographs featuring unmasked individuals were either taken before Covid-19 or during Covid-19 in compliance with the prevailing regulations.

Scan the QR code to learn the CDAC Song

CDAC Song

A little from all Music by Lim Sau Hoong Lyrics by Edwin Chan & Lim Sau Hoong

Reach out a helping hand Let’s all do what we can When troubles fall we stand tall When storms come we heed the call Reach out a helping hand Let’s all do what we can With all our heart and soul We make this family whole Chorus

Bit by bit from all Together we have more Hand in hand we stand Together we all can We all can