CDAC Annual Report 2018

一 人 一 点 心 社 会 更 温 馨

Annual Report 2018

A little from all

together it’s more

CDAC Annual Report 2018

Vision Committed and Trusted Organisation Empowered and Caring Community

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

Core Values Harmony

Empathy

Resilience

Trust

Aspiration

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 2018 has been a fruitful year for CDAC. We reached out to close to 16,000 Chinese households through our mass programmes such as tuition and enrichment, bursary scheme, and Ready for School assistance. At the same time, we managed more than 800 cases, to give customised and dedicated help to vulnerable families with school going children.

This is our ‘Planting Grass, Growing Trees’ approach. The objective is to ensure social mobility within the Chinese community, and recognising that education for children and stable jobs for parents, are the best ways to bring this about.

This can only be achieved with the strong support of volunteers and partners. I am struck by the passion they bring, as well as their commitment, professional skills and life’s experiences. Our expenditure for the past year was about $26 million, with $24 million spent on charitable activities through programmes and services for our beneficiaries. This is again made possible by the donations from members of the Chinese community, through their monthly contributions to the CDAC Fund.

Thank you for your contribution. My appreciation also goes to the CDAC Board members, Committee members and staff for their dedicated services to the core values and mission of CDAC. To strengthen the ‘Planting Grass, Growing Trees’ approach, CDAC will continue to expand outreach and offer quality programmes to more low-income families. We will improve our programmes to draw in more participation. At the same time, we are identifying the more disadvantaged families to provide them with holistic and deepened support.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

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To this end, we have introduced changes to provide more support to vulnerable families. We expanded our mentoring and tutoring programmes to lower secondary students. We introduced new parent education and family resource programmes to strengthen parental care. We also implemented policy adjustments and process streamlining to provide higher tuition fee subsidy for needy students. We will be making changes to our operating parameters, helping vulnerable families on a multi-year basis, and giving our case workers more room to exercise judgement to provide the best help to the families.

Last year also saw a meaningful step forward in our collaboration with the other Self-help Groups – The Eurasian Association, Singapore, the Singapore Indian Development Association and Yayasan MENDAKI – with the opening of Vibrance @ Yishun, a centre jointly run by all four Self-help Groups. Besides providing programmes for students of different races to learn together, the centre also aims to strengthen our common identity as Singaporeans.

On behalf of all our beneficiaries, I would like to thank our donors, volunteers, partners and the Chinese community for supporting us. Thank you for having trust and confidence in what we do. We look forward to your continued support to make a difference in the lives of our beneficiaries, and inspire them to maximise their potential.

Ong Ye Kung Chairman Board of Directors

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Empowering the

Community

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CDAC’s objective is to uplift less-privileged families in the Chinese community. The children, parents and seniors of these families each require different forms of support. Hence, we have programmes and activities that meet their needs, such as tuition classes and bursaries for students, talks and workshops for parents, and learning experiences for seniors.

We also believe a strong family unit is an important foundation that enables each individual family member to thrive, and we offer programmes and activities that seek to strengthen the ties of kinship, so as to build cohesion and resilience for lowincome families.

We will continue to expand our outreach to these families through these avenues, in order to nurture the growth of a strong and healthy community.

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Empowering the Community

Programmes & Activities Tuition and Enrichment Programmes In 2018, we conducted 1,360 classes at 50 locations, including schools, CDAC Centres and community clubs.

Covering subjects such as English, Chinese, Math and Science, these classes were tailored for a wide range of students who spanned the kindergarten level to those taking their A Level exams.

Holiday Programmes During the June and November/December school holidays, about 100 holiday programmes were conducted for 5,530 participants. Most of these programmes were fun-based experiential learning activities, with the objective of inculcating positive values and attitudes in children. We also weaved in parent-child bonding elements in some of these programmes.

Support Programmes for students at Big Heart Student Care Through this platform, we provide customised programmes and fee subsidies for the less-privileged students. Eligible students who are academically weak are selected for programmes such as Math & Chess, Chinese Reading, and homework supervision. We also grant subsidies to defray expenses for their holiday programmes, enrichment programmes and learning journeys, so that they are able to participate in these activities. In 2018, 310 students benefited from these initiatives.

2017

2018

Students who had benefitted from our programmes

25,670

26,040

Households that had benefitted from our programmes

15,340

15,790

Computed based on the set of key programmes defined in 2018

CDAC Annual Report 2018

Youth Empowerment and Aspiration Programme (YEAP) YEAP provides support to post-secondary students who need help coping with educational expenses. In 2018, $1.73 million was disbursed to 2,400 students in integrated programme schools, junior colleges, ITE colleges, polytechnics, Singapore Sports School, School of the Arts Singapore, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LASALLE College of the Arts.

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Project Aspirar Project Aspirar provides career guidance for students from Secondary 3 to 5. It offers experiential workshops and company visits, where students get to interact with working professionals to find out more about career options in different industries, and gain exposure to reallife workplace environments. 180 students benefitted from these opportunities in 2018.

Bursaries YEAP also organised inspiring programmes, such as work experience stints for students at Barclays and the Bank of China, and soft skills workshops to help youths discover their passion and aspirations. 830 youths participated in YEAP activities in 2018.

2017

2018

Places offered in our tuition and learning programmes

42,540

43,500

5,930 primary and secondary students from financially needy families received bursaries in 2018. These bursaries help them to cope with school expenses, such as stationery, transport, and meals.

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Empowering the Community

Programmes & Activities ‘Ready for School!’ (RFS)

kidsREAD

Launched in 2004, this initiative sees volunteers and community partners helping beneficiary families and their school-going children prepare for a new school year. The 2018 RFS was held on December 2 at Nanyang Junior College. 850 volunteers and 29 partners and sponsors came together to support 6,500 families and their 12,500 school-going children. Each family received supermarket vouchers and transport e-vouchers, while each student received a School-ready Pack to help them buy items such as books, stationery and uniforms.

A collaboration with the National Library Board, this programme reaches out to young children of financially needy families, especially those from non- English-speaking backgrounds. Through weekly hour-long sessions comprising storytelling, activities and independent reading, kidsREAD aims to inculcate a love of reading and help these children build up their English literacy skills.

Each session is helmed by volunteers, who are trained in basic storytelling skills and programme coordination. In 2018, 300 children aged 5 to 8 participated in kidsREAD sessions held at 11 CDAC Centres and Vibrance @ Yishun.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

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Family Resource Programme

“Walk With Me� Parent Education Series

With talks and workshops that focus on topics such as financial budgeting, healthy living and life skills, this programme supports parents, young adults and seniors in building resilience and strengthening family ties.

In 2018, the Family Resource Programme benefitted 1,060 participants from 850 families.

This programme provides talks and workshops that equip parents with skills on how to guide and support their children during the transitional phases of their education. In 2018, 1,180 participants attended 10 talks and 10 workshops held as part of this series.

In 2018, we organised the first Financial Literacy Learning Day. Held at the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability, 150 participants from 70 families learned more about financial planning and budgeting skills.

The day’s line-up featured eight workshops, which used different approaches to engage parents, youths and children on various money management topics.

To help build family cohesion and resilience, we also organise family bonding activities such as an annual large-scale Family Bonding Day. The Family Bonding Day held on 28 July 2018, at Universal Studios Singapore was the largest one, with 5,500 members of 1,400 families taking part.

2017

2018

Participants who had attended parenting talks and workshops

1,130

1,180

Families that had participated in Family Bonding Day

1,100

1,410

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Empowering the Community

Programmes & Activities Project C.A.R.E.

Information Sharing Session

This initiative was started by CDAC volunteer leaders in 2007, to provide opportunities for volunteers to get to know other areas of volunteering work outside of the CDAC, and to encourage youths to volunteer in helping and caring for the elderly.

Conducted in Mandarin, these sessions aim to keep seniors well-informed about schemes and topics that are relevant to them. Previous topics include the Pioneer Generation Package, Lasting Power of Attorney and CPF LIFE.

In 2013, a collaboration with the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) began, enabling the project to gather more volunteers to support the elderly.

This has become a platform for the Chinese community to express their appreciation to seniors for their nationbuilding contributions. In 2018, 500 volunteers from CDAC and SFCCA accompanied 520 seniors to a lunch and followed by a ride in the Singapore Flyer.

In 2018, our Information Sharing Sessions focused on the topic of Advance Care Planning and how to prepare seniors and their family members for end-of-life issues.

Three sessions were conducted over the course of the year, and attended by more than 600 elderly members of the public.

2017

2018

Seniors who had participated in Fulfilling Ageing Programme

2,760

2,970

CDAC Annual Report 2018

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Learning Programmes for Seniors

Granny Quilt Project

Lifelong learning helps to keep seniors’ minds active and positive. Our learning programmes include a wide range of skills and subjects, including Music, Calligraphy & Craftwork, History & Culture, Information Technology, and Health & Wellness. Our News Sharing and Learning Kiosk programmes help to keep seniors updated on current affairs and topics that are of interest to them.

To help seniors stay active and fulfilled through learning activities and volunteerism, we piloted the Granny Quilt Project at CDAC@ Redhill in 2017 and expanded this to CDAC@ Punggol in 2018.

In 2018, we reached out to 1,770 seniors through these learning programmes. We also introduced a new foursession History and Cultural Workshop. Besides classroom learning, the participants also visited historic sites such as Fort Canning Park; and some of Singapore’s oldest streets, including Waterloo Street, Victoria Street, and North Bridge Road.

Seniors gathered twice a week at these centres to sew quilts. They cut, ironed and sewed small patches of specially selected cloth together, making about 300 quilts in 2018. On 30 September, the seniors at CDAC@ Redhill distributed these lovingly made quilts to 76 babies in the Radin Mas constituency, with each patch of cloth in each quilt representing their good wishes for these children.

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Shifting gears in his learning journey

Cheong Chin Kai

”Don’t be afraid. Just go for it. You’ll meet a lot more people, and open the doors to more opportunities.”

Before Cheong Chin Kai started attending CDAC tuition classes for mathematics and science in Primary 4, he remembers often feeling unmotivated as a student. “People tend to give up when they have questions, but they can’t find anyone to get help from.”

A turning point when his mother encouraged him to try attending CDAC’s tuition classes. In these classes, he realised he was able to freely ask the CDAC tutors about anything he didn’t understand.

The year he was slated to take the N-Level, Chin Kai, who was in the Normal (Technical) stream in secondary school, remembers one math tutor voluntarily giving him and a few other students additional tuition during weekends. “He was very approachable and very patient.”

CDAC Annual Report 2018

Over time, Chin Kai changed his mindset about studying. “I started to get the hang of it, and I wanted to try and achieve more,” he says. “I also didn’t want to disappoint the tutors, who had put a lot of effort into helping me.”

His hard work paid off. In 2012, he was the top N-Level student in his school, and received the Best Overall Academic Performance for GCE N-Level at the Self-Help Groups Joint Tuition Awards Ceremony in 2013.

He has kept this positive momentum going. After moving on to Institute of Technical Education, he continued on to Polytechnic, where he studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), and was supported by CDAC’s Youth Empowerment & Aspiration Programme (YEAP). Now 23, he just graduated with an excellent GPA score of 3.9. His good results have earned him a place in Nanyang Technological University, where he will continue studying EEE in two years’ time once he completes National Service.

Chin Kai, whose elder brother and younger sister also benefitted from CDAC’s tuition programme, encourages students who are struggling to seek out the support that these programmes can provide. “Don’t be afraid. Just go for it. You’ll meet a lot more people, and open the doors to more opportunities.”

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Creating a meaningful rhythm for their golden years

“Learning Cajon drumming is not just fun, it also trains us to keep our hands agile and our brains alert, and helps to maintain our sense of coordination,� says Mr Goh.

Although the instrument was not widely known in Singapore at the time, Cajon drumming had been shown to be helpful in preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly.

CDAC felt that it was a good chance to encourage seniors to learn something that was potentially beneficial for their wellbeing and introduced the Cajon Drumming Course in 2017.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

CDAC Cajon Drumming members (Far left) Hang Min Tjoe, Christina Tay, Jessie Ong, Ivy Sim and Goh Huan Meng

One senior who signed up was Mr Goh Huan Meng. Now 63, Mr Goh says he never had time to take up any hobbies when he was younger, because he was always busy working. Cajon drumming is now his hobby and it was easy to learn as picking up rhythms and beats doesn’t require a formal foundation in music.

“Learning Cajon drumming is not just fun, it also trains us to keep our hands agile and our brains alert, and helps to maintain our sense of coordination,” says Mr Goh. He has progressed to advanced level of these lessons, and has throughly enjoyed every step of his journey.

Madam Ong Kim Hoe, 73, is also an advanced level Cajon drumming student. As a child, her family couldn’t afford to send her to such classes. But when she retired, her children encouraged her to make good use of her leisure time, and join activities that would help to keep her mind and body healthy.

Madam Ong says the opportunities to perform in public allow her to get to know more people, and are a meaningful way to enjoy her golden years.

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Uplifting Families

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Families facing more complex challenges require support on many fronts, and over a longer time frame. For such families, we take a multi-faceted and longer-term approach in our assistance.

We engage these families more closely, and we provide them with advice and guidance during every phase of their journey, as well as emotional support during difficult times.

These families are also supported by additional programmes that help them to develop competencies and better cope with their challenges.

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Uplifting Families

Approaches & Assistance Casework Management

Support for Workers

To better support low-income families who are facing multiple challenges , case workers are assigned to journey with these families. They assess each family’s needs and provide guidance and support in areas such as finances, health, employment and education. In 2018, 1,610 households (of which 830 had school-going children) were supported through casework management. They received assistance in the following ways:

We help workers by identifying their training needs, advising them on employment opportunities, and referring them to suitable agencies where needed.

Financial Assistance For families or individuals facing financial hardship, we provide financial assistance to help them cope with basic household expenses such as rent, utilities, childcare, and school fees. We also provide grocery vouchers to help them meet their daily needs.

In 2017, we piloted a workshop specially designed for the unemployed, to help them better prepare for job hunts and the challenges they face in their work life.

Encouraged by the positive feedback, we conducted two runs of the workshop in 2018 for 50 workers. Following each workshop, employment case officers journeyed with the participants in their job search by providing appropriate guidance and advice.

Support Groups We run Support Groups for more vulnerable families, such as single-parent and transnational families, and families facing debt issues. These families struggle with a high level of stress, and they are invited to a series of sharing sessions, talks and workshops where they can access useful information about topics such as financial management and the practice of mindfulness. We also organise fun activities that encourage family bonding.

These sessions and events are also opportunities for these families to form connections with one another and with our befriender volunteers, so as to build supportive networks from which they can gain mutual encouragement. Case workers are also assigned to journey with these families, to provide timely advice when they are in need of support. In 2018, 70 households benefitted from these Support Groups.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

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Supervised Homework Group (SHG)

YOUth Can Shine

This volunteer-driven programme is for upper-primary students who require mentoring and tutoring support.

Students are placed in SHG following an assessment by CDAC, and the programme runs for 10 months each year, with weekly three-hour sessions held every Saturday at eight CDAC Centres.

Inspired by the approach of the SHG programme, this initiative provides mentoring and tutoring for students as they transition from primary to secondary school.

This programme aims to reach out to students from the Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) streams in particular. Besides more academic guidance in mathematics, these students may also require more support as they navigate puberty and a change in their school environment. The first edition of YOUth Can Shine was launched in 2018, at CDAC@ Bedok, and served 10 Secondary one students, from the Normal (Academic) and Express Streams.

Volunteers guide students not only by supporting them in their schoolwork, but also by serving as role models who can help to develop their character and inculcate positive values through educational indoor and outdoor activities. The SHG programme supported 140 students from 130 families in 2018, with the help of 170 volunteers.

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Keeping family ties strong through thick and thin

“We’re very grateful for CDAC’s help during our times of need. Their support gave us hope, and enabled us to overcome our difficulties.”

The Lee family comprises Mr Lee Kwong Luen, his wife, and their 14-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son. Mr Lee, 47, is a fulltime caregiver to his younger child, who has haemophilia and needs to visit the hospital every week for injections. His wife thus takes on the responsibility of providing for their family.

The family, who lives in a three-room flat, struggled through a difficult period at one point, when they felt they had no one to turn to for help. Things took a better turn when their Member of Parliament advised them to seek help from CDAC in 2011.

The family received financial assistance and was also invited to attend CDAC’s annual Ready for School event, where they received vouchers for school supplies and transport that helped them to better cope with the children’s educational expenses.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

Mr Lee Kwong Luen and family

Two years ago, his wife started a new job with a lower salary.

Thus, in 2017, Mr Lee sought help from CDAC again. Despite these difficulties, he remains optimistic, believing that life must go on. At the moment, he says, the family is able to handle their household expenses.

Besides providing financial support, CDAC also monitors such vulnerable families closely. Case workers follow up with them regularly, and offer support services that can help them become more self-reliant. These include avenues where they can learn financial management skills and seek relationship counselling, which enable them to better cope with future challenges.

Because of his exposure to CDAC, Mr Lee’s son has said that he hopes to become a volunteer, so that he can help families in need.

When he heard this, Mr Lee felt very heartened, and believes that it would be a very meaningful way to give back to society.

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Mentoring young minds boosting family bonding

“There is someone beside me who can teach me, and help me if I have any questions about my homework.”

Madam Wu Baoqin first heard of CDAC’s Supervised Homework Group (SHG) in 2018 through a friend. Through weekly sessions, this initiative gives upper primary children more academic support, with the help of volunteers who also act as the students’ mentors.

Madam Wu is a childcare teacher, and her husband Mr Toh Tien Chai takes care of their four children. Their eldest child, Toh Si Qi, was struggling with some of her subjects in school, but the family couldn’t afford private tuition classes and she hoped that Si Qi could benefit from being a part of SHG. She approached CDAC for help, and after an interview with and assessment of the family, Si Qi was placed in the SHG Programme at CDAC@ Jurong. “It’s fun,” the Primary 6 student says of her SHG experience. “There is someone beside me who can teach me, and help me if I have any questions about my homework.” Her volunteer mentor, Yee Ann, is very patient and friendly, and “if I don't understand anything, she will try to explain it in a simpler way”.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

Toh Si Qi with SHG volunteer mentors (From left) Neo Yee Ann, Angie Koh Shu Xiang, Toh Ee Lin and Hu Xinyi Jasmine

Besides getting help with her schoolwork, Si Qi also looks forward to SHG activities such as art and craft sessions, outdoor games, and its June camp. She also attends CDAC enrichment classes for English, Mathematics and Science, and she and her younger brothers receive subsidies for CDAC tuition classes and bursaries.

To ensure they can access more comprehensive support, the whole family is invited to CDAC events such as SHG Family Day and the ‘Ready for School!’ initiative that prepares families with school-going children for the expenses of a new school year.

A dedicated CDAC case worker helps to keep track of how the whole family is doing, and monitor Si Qi’s progress in SHG. Her parents also know that they can approach the case worker should they need any assistance. “I’m glad that her results have improved, and that she has been able to make many new friends,” says Madam Wu.

Madam Wu Baoqin and her family

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Nurturing

Bui

Communities Par

CDAC Annual Report 2018

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ilding Engaging

rtnerships Volunteers

With 13 centres across Singapore, we ensure our programmes and services can connect with the people who need them most.

To create more awareness of CDAC’s initiatives, we also work with a diverse range of partners, whose support enables us to help more beneficiaries.

Our passionate and dedicated volunteers play an invaluable role in supporting and delivering these programmes and services.

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Nurturing Communities, Building Partnerships & Engaging Volunteers

Outreach

Partners

Our 13 Centres, strategically located islandwide, serve as outreach arms, bringing our programmes and services closer to the community.

We would not be able to implement all of our initiatives without our partners, who provide invaluable expertise and resources. In 2018, 250 partners worked with us to bring our programmes and services to the community.

Here are how some of these partnerships helped our beneficiaries.

Bringing Programmes to Heartlands Through the centres, our programmes and services are easily accessible by our target groups. The centres also work with community partners to organize programmes for our beneficiaries

Reaching Out to More In 2018, CDAC@ Tampines and CDAC@ Yew Tee held their Open House events in April and October respectively.

With the help of community partners, we were able to offer residents many educational and family-bonding activities. On 4 November 2018, CDAC@ Bukit Panjang marked its 10th anniversary with an Open House event.

Over the past decade, this centre has offered an annual average of 370 activities for 5,300 participants. It also worked with 80 community partners to organise about 200 projects.

Kranji Secondary School A partner of CDAC for almost 20 years, the school has provided support in many different ways, from providing facilities for CDAC’s tuition programme, to helping us spread the word about our student enrichment programmes.

The school sets up the Tuition Buddy Programme. Its students facilitate these study sessions and serve as role models and mentors for our beneficiaries. To further value-add to this programme, the school has also organised a number of educational workshops that engage participants further regarding environmental issues.

Creating Awareness To create awareness of CDAC’s programmes and services, we hold a yearly roadshow and networking sessions with schools, grassroots organisations, voluntary welfare organisations, private organisations and government agencies. We also take part in outreach activities organised by our community partners, such as information-sharing sessions in schools and community events.

2017

2018

Activities organised per week at 13 centres

570

610

Activity participants per week at 13 centres

6,500

6,740

CDAC Annual Report 2018

Lianhe Zaobao and Lianhe Wanbao In 2014, Lianhe Wanbao and CDAC jointly organised five big scale community-based Information Sharing Sessions on the Pioneer Generation Package for seniors.

In 2015, Lianhe Zaobao and Lianhe Wanbao worked with us to extend SPH News Sharing Programme at CDAC@ Ang Mo Kio. The weekly programme aimed to keep seniors well-informed about current affairs, and instill a volunteerism spirit among their reporters. Besides volunteering in the News Sharing Programme on a regular basis, the reporters also helped to train CDAC volunteers to conduct the News Sharing session.

Our collaboration with Lianhe Zaobao and Lianhe Wanbao had helped us to build up a pool of volunteers well-versed in engaging the elderly. It also enabled us to expand the News Sharing Programme to six more CDAC Centres to reach out to more seniors.

Lianhe Wanbao and Lianhe Zaobao also introduced their valuable partner, Samsung Asia Pte Ltd to support CDAC during Senior Fair Cum Mid-Autumn Festival event in 2018.

Temasek Junior College (TJC) A relatively new partner, TJC conducts the Homework Clinic to help our student beneficiaries in their school work. It also took up the challenge of engaging a new target demographic— seniors. To date, the college has devised and conducted smartphone workshops for the elderly, teaching participants how to use smartphones, link up to a wireless connection, and access YouTube, WhatsApp and Facebook. These workshops have been very popular with the seniors, who have praised TJC student instructors for their patience and kindness in helping them to bridge the digital divide.

Collaborations with Self-Help Groups Big Heart Student Care CDAC, in partnership with other Self-Help Groups, set up Self-Help Groups Student Care Limited in 2015 to operate Big Heart Student Care. Comprising 21 student care centres located in primary schools, this service benefitted more than 2,000 students in 2018, with priority given to students from lower-income families. Such centres provide a conducive environment for students’ learning and development.

Vibrance @ Yishun Self-Help Groups Centre Opened on 5 August 2018, this centre is a collaboration between the four Self-Help Groups (SHGs) — CDAC, Singapore Indian Development Association, Yayasan MENDAKI and The Eurasian Association, Singapore.

While each SHG runs programmes that meet the needs of their respective communities, the centre also has programmes for all ethnic groups, and serves as a common space for community bonding.

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Nurturing Communities, Building Partnerships & Engaging Volunteers

Volunteers We have a pool of 2,700 volunteers. They help to support and deliver our programmes and services to the community, and their commitment makes a huge difference to our mission.

Development and Training Training gives volunteers a deeper understanding of our beneficiaries’ needs, and equips them with the skills they need to carry out their volunteering duties confidently and effectively.

Orientation Orientation programmes are conducted for new volunteers to help them understand CDAC’s programmes and the variety of volunteering opportunities that are available to them. In 2018, we held five of these orientation sessions for 300 new volunteers, which included sharing by volunteer leaders on their volunteering experiences.

2017

2018

Hours contributed by volunteers

32,000

37,000

Volunteer Training Programme participants

1,160

1,200

We continuously build volunteers’ competencies using the CDAC Volunteer Training and Development Framework. It comprises four levels: Foundation, Proficiency, Personal Development and Leadership Training. Volunteers can be trained, before, during or after their deployment, to enhance their capabilities. In 2018, 54 training sessions were conducted for 1,200 volunteer participants.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

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Engagement

Recognition

We cultivate a welcoming culture to ease volunteer integration and create a quality volunteering experience.

Regular engagement sessions enable us to better understand volunteers’ needs, hear their views on ways to enhance our programmes, and gather feedback for improvement on volunteer management.

Volunteers form a major pillar of strength for CDAC, and we celebrate their commendable efforts on a regular basis throughout the year.

We also strive to keep our volunteers inspired, connected and engaged through programmes and activities that promote interaction and rapport-building.

In 2018, 43 engagement sessions were conducted for 1,050 volunteers.

Held every two years, the CDAC’s Volunteers Day allows us to show our appreciation for our volunteers formally. In 2018, the CDAC Volunteers’ Day was held on 23 September, at SAFRA Toa Payoh’s Jubilee Garden Restaurant. About 700 volunteers attended the event.

It was a particularly special year, as 2018 marked the 25th anniversary of the CDAC Volunteer Engagement and Development Programme. During the event, we presented Volunteer Commendation Awards to seven outstanding volunteers, Volunteer (Team) Awards to three outstanding volunteer teams, and Long Service Awards to 234 volunteers for their tireless contributions.

We introduced a new trophy design in 2018. The motif of a heart linked to a pair of hands symbolises the partnership between volunteers and CDAC in lending a hand to the beneficiaries, and the passion and compassion that motivates the volunteers. The various colours of the trophies in different award categories combine to form the colours of the rainbow — a symbol of hope.

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Fostering team spirit and inclusive society

“We believe not just in a good cause, but in building society together.”

The support of community partners is crucial to CDAC’s programmes, and South East Community Development Council (SE CDC) and SportsHub Pte Ltd are two such invaluable partners.

SE CDC has worked closely with the CDAC since 2008. To help our beneficiaries improve their financial management skills, it helped to train CDAC staff and volunteers in using the Moneywise board game to engage families about these topics. Together with Citibank Singapore, SE CDC also encouraged our student beneficiaries to develop the habit of building up their savings through the Moneywise Matched Savings Programme.

In 2016, we set up a new centre, CDAC@ Bedok. SE CDC provided part of the set-up cost, and linked us to relevant grassroots organisations. This strong support has continued. SE CDC brings in partners and volunteers to conduct the centre’s programmes, and also organises programmes jointly with CDAC@ Bedok.

(Right) Steph Dong from SE CDC and (left) Patrick Tan, Digital Clinic participant

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CDAC Annual Report 2018

A new programme jointly organised with SE CDC in 2018 was the Digital Clinic where seniors learnt to use smartphones.

(Right) Audrey Gabrielle Liew from SE CDC and (left) Chan Keok, Digital Clinic participant

A more recent partner is SportsHub Pte Ltd, which has been a strong supporter of the Supervised Homework Group (SHG) Programme since 2016. The SportsHub has been sponsoring venues and providing trainers for SHG activities. In 2018, 110 SHG students and 121 volunteers took part in a June Camp, with the organisation’s sponsorship and support.

The organisation has remained a strong supporter of SHG activities, with staff going the extra mile to help out. Said a SportsHub spokesman: “Opportunities for beneficiaries and volunteers to bond and learn together goes a long way in fostering social development and character-building, especially for the young. With our shared beliefs in making our society a more inclusive place to live, play and work together, we will continue to support CDAC through our collaborative approach. We believe not just in a good cause, but in building society together.”

SportsHub Pte Ltd (Back row) Eugene Chong, Germain Yee and (Front row) Ashiq Idris

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A new language to

build new bonds

“We started to include more roleplaying to make the class more engaging. The seniors also had a lot of fun using a game-based learning platform to compete with one another.”

This CDAC volunteer team was formed in 2017 to teach the elderly conversational English, and comprises teenagers Chen Zeyuan, Chua Yi Lin, Luo Wen, Wu Ningjing and Zhu Yujia. They had decided to start these classes because an earlier volunteer initiative to teach seniors basic computer skills had led them to realise that there was an unaddressed gap — many seniors did not know how to speak English, and they were very interested in learning how.

“We decided to design the programme according to what we felt would be most relevant to them”, says team member Luo Wen. “We thought about the possible situations where they might want to use English, and started to plan our lessons from there.”

Over the next six months, they taught about 35 seniors, and used their feedback to improve each lesson. Originally starting with teaching materials in English, they started translating everything into Chinese before each lesson when they found that to be much more effective. They also made the font size of these materials bigger, tried their best to accommodate everyone’s different paces of learning and took the seniors’ advice to keep their teaching style simple and engaging.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

2018 Volunteer (Team) Award Recipients (From left) Wu Ningjing, Chua Yi Lin, Zhu Yujia, Chen Zeyuan (sitting on floor) and Luo Wen

“Instead of complicated explanations, we started to include more roleplaying,” Luo Wen remembers. Because the team members are still students themselves, they were also able to tap on their own classroom experiences. For instance, they emulated their own teachers by using Kahoot!, a game-based learning platform that enabled them to conduct quizzes in class, complete with live score rankings. “The seniors had a lot of fun using that to compete with one another,” she says. Their efforts earned them a Volunteer (Team) Award from CDAC. The team got a lot of advice and logistical support from CDAC during the course of this programme, she adds, and the positive response from the seniors also spurred them on. “One of them thanked us for doing this, and shared that her son’s wife could only speak English, and it had been very hard for them to communicate in the past. Because of these classes, she could start conversing with her daughter-in-law.” The team plans to launch another round of classes for seniors who want to pick up computer skills, and also hopes to continue with these English classes.

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34

Annual Financial Report Highlights Income Highlights 2017

2018

23.64

24.51

Donations/ Sponsorships

0.47

0.53

Grants & Subsidies from Government Agencies

4.43

4.36

Other Income (Fees & Others)

1.92

2.12

30.46

31.52

2017

2018

10.43

11.08

Family & Worker Support

4.27

4.83

Fulfilling Ageing

0.88

0.97

Community Outreach & Engagement

3.43

3.47

Volunteers Engagement & Development

0.61

0.81

CDAC-SFCCA Hardship Assistance & Bursary Schemes

1.76

2.32

Administration & Governance Cost

2.86

2.80

24.24

26.28

For the year ($m) Contributions to CDAC Fund

Total Operating Income

Expenses Highlights

For the year ($m) Student & Parent Education

Total Operating Expenses

CDAC Annual Report 2018

35

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. The Patron, the SCCCI and the SFCCA each nominate their representatives to serve on the two Boards.

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 10 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 25 members, including Board Chairman Mr Chua Thian Poh.

3 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.

4 TThe 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.

5 Board members comprise individuals with diverse skills, qualifications and backgrounds, which include accounting, auditing, law, banking, investment, public services, general management and business. The Board members accept their roles

without any remuneration.

Board Meetings and Attendance 6 CDAC held a total of two Board of Directors’ (BOD) meetings and two Board of Trustees’ (BOT) meetings in 2018.

Board meetings

Meeting dates

Attendance

BOD Meeting

25 May 2018

12/17

BOD Meeting

31 October 2018

13/17

BOT Meeting

21 June 2018

14/25

BOT Meeting

20 November 2018

14/24

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Corporate Governance

Board Meetings and Attendance

Directors (17 Members)

BOD meetings

Directors

BOD meetings

Ong Ye Kung (Chairman) 2/2

Ng Poh Wah 1 1/1

Ang Kiam Meng

1/2

Ng Siew Quan

2/2

Baey Yam Keng

1/2

Adrian Peh Nam Chuan

1/2

Chee Hong Tat 1 1/1 Phua Kiah Mai 2 0/1 Gan Kim Yong 2 1/1 Sun Xueling

2/2

Hee Theng Fong 1/1 Tan Bock Huat

2/2

Hong Poh Hin

1/2

Sam Tan Chin Siong

2/2

Lim Sau Hoong

1/2

Gilbert Tan Chye Hee

1/2

Low Yen Ling

2

2/2

Wan Shung Ming

2/2

Patrick Ng Bee Soon 1 0/1

Alex Yam Ziming

1/2

Trustees (25 Members)

Trustees

BOT meetings

BOT meetings

Chua Thian Poh (Chairman) 2/2

Lim Swee Say ²

1/1

Ong Ye Kung

2/2

Paul Loo Lip Giam ²

0/1

Cheng Wai Keung

1/2

Olivia Lum Ooi Lin ³

0/1

Tony Chew Leong-Chee

1/2

Philip Ng Chee Tat

0/2

Ch’ng Jit Koon

2/2

Roland Ng San Tiong

0/2

Thomas Chua Kee Seng ²

1/1

Pang Lim

2/2

Gan Kim Yong ¹

1/1

Pek Lian Guan ¹

1/1

Ho Kiau Seng ²

0/1

Phua Kiah Mai ¹

0/1

Charles Ho Nai Chuen ¹

1/1

George Quek Meng Tong ¹

0/1

Ko Oon Joo ²

0/1

Seow Choke Meng

2/2

Kuah Boon Wee ¹

1/1

Tan Aik Hock

1/2

Patrick Lee Kwok Kie

1/2

Tan Cheng Gay

1/2

Lee Sze Leong

1/2

Anthony Tan Kang Uei ¹

1/1

Lew Chee Beng

1/2

Teo Siong Seng ²

0/1

Liew Mun Leong

2/2

Wu Hsioh Kwang

0/2

Lim Ming Yan

2/2

Zhong Sheng Jian ²

0/1

Notes: (1) Directors and Trustees who were appointed with effect from 21 June 2018.

(2) Directors and Trustees who stepped down with effect from 21 June 2018.

(3) Resigned with effect from 3 October 2018.

7

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.

CDAC Annual Report 2018

37

Term Limit for Board Members 8

The CDAC Boards are formed through a tripartite nomination in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of CDAC. The Board term is two years. The current term is from 21 June 2018 to the Annual General Meeting in June 2020. 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. In total, one Board Director, (namely Mr Baey Yam Keng, since 23 June 2006) and six Board Trustees, (namely Mr Chua Thian Poh, since 23 June 2006; Mr Cheng Wai Keung, since 12 June 2004; Mr Tony Chew Leong-Chee, since 2 June 2008; Mr Patrick Lee Kwok Kie, since 2 June 2008; Mr Ch’ng Jit Koon, since 22 May 2000; and Mr Tan Cheng Gay, since 22 May 2000), 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.

9 A term limit of four consecutive years is currently set for the Chairmanship of the Finance & Establishment Committee.

Organisation Structure 10 The Board of Directors has, with effect from 21 June 2018, dissolved the five Core Programmes Board Committees

(namely the Student & Parent Education, Family & Worker Support, Fulfilling Ageing, Community Outreach & Engagement and Volunteers Engagement & Development) and set up an Executive Committee (EXCO) so as to achieve better synergy

among the Core Programmes. The EXCO also implements the Board’s fiduciary, strategic and policy decisions. Five other Board Committees are set up to improve CDAC’s oversight of management and accountability to its stakeholders.

They are the Audit & Risk 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) 1

Investment Committee

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

Executive Director

Student & Student & Parent Education Education

Family & Worker Support

Note: (1) Formed with effect from 21 June 2018.

Fulfilling Ageing

Community Outreach & Engagement, One-Stop Service

Student & Volunteers Parent & Engagement Development Education

Corporate Services

Stakeholders Communications

38

Corporate Governance

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. In 2018, two EXCO meetings were held. The composition of the EXCO is as follows: Chairman – Mr Ong Ye Kung Members – Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mr Chee Hong Tat, Ms Lim Sau Hoong, Ms Low Yen Ling, Ms Sun Xueling, Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong and Mr Alex Yam Ziming

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 2018. The Composition of the ARC is as follows: Chairman – Mr Adrian Peh Nam Chuan Members – Mr Chua Pin, Mr Yap Boh Pin¹, Mr Charles Ho Nai Chuen² and Mr Yeo Ek Khuan² Notes: (1) ARC member who stepped down with effect from 21 June 2018.

(2) ARC member who was appointed with effect from 21 June 2018.

Finance & Establishment (F&E) Committee The F&E Committee provides oversight on 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. There were four F&E Committee meetings held in 2018. The composition of the Committee is as follows: Chairman – Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng¹, Mr Tan Cheng Gay² Members – Mr Ang Kiam Meng³, Mr Roland Ng San Tiong, Mr Ng Siew Quan, Mr Seow Choke Meng, Mr Wan Shung Ming, Mr Yeo Ek Khuan³ and Mr Tan Aik Hock⁴ Notes: (1) Mr Thomas Chua stepped down as Chairman of the F&E Committee with effect from 21 June 2018.

(2) Mr Tan Cheng Gay was a member of the F&E Committee and appointed as Chairman with effect from 21 June 2018.

(3) F&E Committee member who stepped down with effect from 21 June 2018.

(4) F&E Committee member who was appointed with effect from 21 June 2018.

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 2018. The composition of the Committee is as follows: Chairman – Mr Tony Chew Leong-Chee Members – Mr Ko Oon Joo¹, Ms Lynn Koh Beow Ko, Mr Lee Sze Leong, Ms Lim Li Ying, Mr Ong Lay Khiam, Ms Sun Xueling¹ and Mr Patrick Ng Bee Soon² Notes: (1) IC member who stepped down with effect from 21 June 2018.

(2) IC member who was appointed with effect from 21 June 2018.

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. The SC meeting was held once in 2018. The composition of the Committee is as follows: Chairman – Ms Lim Sau Hoong Members – Ms Elim Chew, Ms Goh Sin Hwee, Mr Han Keen Juan, Mr Ng Kim Hwee, Mr Peter Ong, Mr Woo Keng Choong

CDAC Annual Report 2018

39

Tender Committee (TC) The TC 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 Gan Kim Yong¹, Mr Ong Ye Kung² Members – Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng³, Mr Chee Hong Tat4,5, Mr Tan Cheng Gay⁴ Alternate Members – Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr Wan Shung Ming Notes: (1) Mr Gan Kim Yong stepped down as Chairman of the TC with effect from 21 June 2018.

(2) Mr Ong Ye Kung was appointed as Chairman of the TC with effect from 21 June 2018.

(3) TC member who stepped down with effect from 21 June 2018.

(4) TC member who was appointed with effect from 21 June 2018.

(5) Alternate Chairman of TC Roles and Functions of CDAC Management Team and Staff The roles and responsibilities of the Boards and the management team are kept separate in order to maintain effective oversight. The day-to-day management of CDAC is delegated by the Boards to the management team, which is headed by the Executive Director. The roles of the CDAC management team and staff include (a)

(b)

carrying out the day-to-day operation of various programmes and activities, and providing secretariat support to the Board and Board Committees; and monitoring the progress of various programmes and activities, and providing the Boards or the Board Committees with timely progress reports.

Key Corporate Governance Practices 11

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, Whistle-Blowing 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 level of ethical standards in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. Board members are expected to exercise the duties and responsibilities of their positions, and 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.

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 clearly, timely, consistently and accurately way across all media platforms.

12 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 Centres

✆ 6456 4541

CDAC@ Tanjong Katong 65 Tanjong Katong Road, Blk B Level 1 S436957

✆ 6603 5577

✆ 6241 7994

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

✆ 6258 8339

✆ 6465 4411

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

✆ 6891 0992

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

✆ 6569 3573

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

✆ 6765 3302

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

✆ 6387 5455

Self-Help Groups Centre

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

✆ 6475 6567

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

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

✆ 6312 5329

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

✆ 6783 4649

CDAC@ Ang Mo Kio Blk 201 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 #01-1648 S560201 CDAC@ Bedok Blk 138 Bedok North St 2 #01-185 S460138 CDAC@ Bukit Panjang Blk 270 Bangkit Road #01-22 S670270

✆ 6752 7760

CDAC Centres & Self-Help Groups Centre Opening Hours Monday - Friday Saturday - Sunday

1pm - 10pm 10am - 5pm

Contact Us Enquiry Hotlines General

✆ 6841 4889

Student

✆ 6603 5555

Family

✆ 6603 5599

Worker/Senior

✆ 6603 5566

Volunteer

✆ 6841 4889

www.cdac.org.sg

www.facebook.com/CDACsg

@cdac_sg



enquiry@cdac.org.sg

Address

Office Hours

CDAC Building 65 Tanjong Katong Road S436957

Monday - Thursday Friday

8.30am - 6pm 8.30am - 5pm

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

Scan the QR code to learn the CDAC Song