SINDA Annual Report 2017

SINGAPORE INDIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

Moving Forward Together Annual Report 2017

M OV I N G F O R WA R D TO G E T H E R

Vision

Thrusts

To build a strong and vibrant Singaporean Indian community together

Education: Maximising educational opportunities for all students

Mission To build a well-educated, resilient and confident community of Indians that stands together with the other communities in contributing to the progress of multi-racial Singapore

Values Respect, our culture Integrity, our foundation Service, our promise Excellence, our pursuit

Youth: Inspiring youths towards greater achievements Family: Engaging parents to play an active role in their children’s lives Community: Forging a stronger relationship with community partners

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Board of Trustees

Executive Committee

Patron

President Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

Chairman Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Life Trustees Prof S Jayakumar Mr S Dhanabalan Mr S Chandra Das Mr J Y Pillay Mr Sat Pal Khattar Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Mr K Shanmugam Dr N Varaprasad

Term Trustees Ms Indranee Rajah Mr Ravi Menon Mr R Jayachandran Mr Girija Pande Mr Gautam Banerjee Mr Ravinder Singh Justice Judith Prakash Mr K Kesavapany Mr Viswa Sadasivan Mr Shabbir Hassanbhai Mr Timothy Chia Mr Piyush Gupta Dr Sudha Nair

Advisors Dr Vivian Balakrishnan Mr S Iswaran Mr Vikram Nair Mr Murali Pillai

Ms Indranee Rajah

Vice Presidents Mr Shekaran Krishnan Mr K V Rao

Secretary Mr Sarjit Singh

Treasurer Mr R Subramaniam Iyer

Members Dr Joshua V M Kuma Mr R Chandra Mohan Mr K Ramamoorthy Mr Sarbjit Singh Mr T Thambyrajah Mr Darryl David Mrs Rathi Parimalan Mr Mohamed Nasim Dr Rakhee Yash Pal Mr Ramesh Narayanaswamy

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President’s Message Dear Friends of SINDA, SINDA serves as a leading organisation for the Indian community, focused on implementing appropriate and impactful strategies for the betterment of Singaporean Indians. As the social landscape evolves, so does SINDA's direction and its programmes, to ensure sustained outreach and effective impact on our community.

Impacting the Right Group In 2017, SINDA focused on extending its reach and deepening its influence to two groups of people; low-performing students – those who need maximum support and opportunities so that they have a better sense of purpose, the push to do better and the drive to succeed in life; and disadvantaged families, especially those with a low per capita income (PCI). For the latter group, it was not just about financial and other subsidies but also nurturing their holistic growth, making them tougher, more resilient and be able to overcome their circumstances.

We recognise the strong correlation between family, income and academic performance and it was important to us to help these disadvantaged families so that their children have equal opportunities in life.

Empowering Students through Education Our children and students hold immense potential and can achieve great things when they set their hearts to it.

SINDA’s academic programmes look at coaxing their potential and preparing them for better performance, especially at the landmark examinations. While our signature academic programmes – Literacy and Numeracy, STEP, Project Teach and Saadhana – offered students a strong and holistic academic curriculum that complements their day school-learning, many other initiatives were also piloted to ensure that students received educational reinforcement.

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We launched Project Guide, an after-school programme that offered students a conducive study environment to complete their homework and clarify their doubts with able tutors. At select STEP centres, counsellors were also deployed to guide students with personal development and identify those in need of greater assistance. Such students and families were referred to the SINDA Family Service Centre for appropriate interventions.

There has been greater focus at the national level on developing our people to not only be book smart, but also have the right skills and practical knowledge to thrive in the future economy. Digital literacy was an area of emphasis for SINDA in 2017. SINDA and the other Self-Help Groups partnered with Google to roll out ‘Code in the Community’ for kindergarteners and lower primary students.

Through this programme, we introduced our students to coding and digital programming not just for enrichment, but to also encourage them to think creatively and get them excited about technology – beyond the internet and mobile devices. With this initiative, we hope to develop a pool of ardent learners with a strong penchant for innovation and accomplishments, from a young age.

Nurturing Resilient Youth and Strong Families SINDA’s youth programmes continue to be popular and the pilot of the ITE Aspire programme at ITE College Central allowed us to gain new ground with the ITE student community through an activity-based programme that strengthens their resilience, cultivates in them life skills and motivates them towards better academic performance.

Thanks to the success of the pilot, ITE Aspire will be rolled out to all three ITE campuses in 2018.

Direct support and financial assistance benefited more than 5,000 individuals, with almost 500 families case-managed by our social workers during the year.

Parents also benefited from increased parenting workshops which not only saw a new format, but also an increase in frequency, especially at STEP centres.

Connecting with the Community In reaching the right people and increasing the benefit they receive from SINDA, the “flip-model” of engagement was adopted, which saw SINDA penetrate estates and communities with high Indian concentration or a large low-income representation. Through new initiatives including the door-knocking exercise and the SINDA Bus, we were able to connect with people where they lived, better understand their needs and challenges and connect them to the right resources for help. This “flip-model” strategy has served us well and will see greater implementation in the coming year.

SINDA’s greater outreach to the community was supported in earnest by community organisations, grassroots bodies, SINDA Liaison Officers and volunteers. SINDA cannot do it all and dedicated efforts by our partners allowed us to share resources, reach our target audiences and help a larger pool of beneficiaries overcome their challenges.

Moving Forward Together While education and community assistance remain cornerstones of our initiatives, SINDA is also more invested now in the areas of pre-school, youth and family. Several initiatives were unveiled in 2017 which have spawned new pilots in 2018 – an opportunity for us to provide a more supportive and complementary ecosystem that better caters to the overall development of our community.

The year ahead will be a challenging yet fruitful one and we as a community, must play a part in ensuring that our students and families do not lose ground in a fast-changing Singapore.

Let us work together, with a singular and focused aim of upliftment and betterment of all Singaporean Indians.

Indranee Thurai Rajah President, Executive Committee SINDA

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SINDA-wide Reach Youths Empowered

1,313

Students Engaged Parents and Children Enriched

1,946

6,034 TOTAL:

15,967

* Individuals Connected

1,602 Individuals Received Assistance

5,072

*Number of participants and beneficiaries unique to programmes.

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Summary of Finances INCOME AT A GLANCE 2017

2016

SINDA Fund Contributions

$15,980,495 $14,671,165

$8,981,760 $10,025,102

$1,671,292

$2,698,305

$3,400,000 $3,400,000

Other Government Grants

$3,745,285 $3,527,394

Tuition Programme Fees

$462,222 $682,174

Interest / Other Income

$38,898 $68,508

Net Investment Income

$1,824,957 $1,338,056

$27,123,149

2016

Educational Programmes

Family Services

Government Subvention Grant

$25,448,426

2017

Donations

$1,761,129

TOTAL INCOME

EXPENDITURE AT A GLANCE

$2,394,093

Youth Development Programmes

$1,307,974 $1,522,501

Parent and Children Programmes

$1,224,106 $1,081,150

Community Engagement, Volunteer Management & Donor Engagement Unit

$1,164,830 $1,123,202

Publicity and Marketing Expenses

$383,939 $419,281

Administrative and Governance Expenses / Others

$3,539,209 $2,232,929

TOTAL EXPENDITURE

$19,300,123 $18,798,258

MAXIMISING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS

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Education Statistics

6,034 Students Engaged

3,774

215

STEP Students

Students in Landmark Examination Programmes

490

24

Project Teach Students

Individuals Received Private Education Institution (PEI) Awards

327 Tutors Trained

156

469

Students Received Support through other Tutorial Programmes

Top-achieving Students Awarded for Excelling in their Respective Fields

906 Pre-schoolers in the Literacy and Numeracy Programme

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“When I was in Secondary 3, I was struggling to pass my Combined Science because I had a lot of difficulty understanding Chemistry. I knew I had to get help if I wanted to do better so I joined SINDA’s STEP tuition, which was an affordable option. My STEP tutor took the time to identify my learning gaps, explained the various Chemistry concepts to me patiently and cleared the doubts I had in my school work.

Over time, I developed a firm grasp of the various concepts. I saw that my grades were improving and in turn, my self-confidence improved too knowing that I could achieve anything when I put my heart to it. I also met many students from different schools and the peer-teaching we underwent was very effective.

I continued with STEP tuition until I finished my O-Levels in Secondary 5 and I was awarded SINDA’s Best Overall Student for O-Levels at the Joint Tuition Awards 2017. It was a great feeling knowing that my hard work and dedication eventually paid off! Getting this recognition from SINDA has inspired me to believe Multiple centres spread strategically in the in myself and scale greater heights.”

Prishalini d/o Rajasakaran, 18 Year 2 Student, Nanyang Polytechnic

heartlands islandwide allow STEP to remain accessible and convenient to students across both primary and secondary levels. In addition to tutorials throughout the week, enrichment activities for students and workshops for parents are hosted at STEP centres. As a result, STEP is able to provide students and their families with a holistic development.

STEP

STEP plays a key role in introducing students to other SINDA programmes as well — when students enrol in the tutorial programme, they also gain access to non-academic programmes.

The SINDA Tutorials for Enhanced Performance – a flagship programme of SINDA better known as STEP – is a holistic tutorial programme that offers affordable tuition to students in the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science.

With small class sizes coupled with customised teaching and learning models, the programme aims to improve students' understanding of concepts which will enable them to perform better in school.

Under the Collaborative Tuition Programme (CTP), SINDA works with other Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to grant Indian students easy access to tuition, by allowing them to attend a SHG tutorial centre near their home. The costs of attending such tutorials at a non-STEP venue are borne by SINDA. A total of 3,774 students (2,680 primary and 1,094 secondary) were enrolled in STEP across 22 STEP centres in 2017.

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Educational Programmes that Make a Difference Literacy and Numeracy Designed for Indian children in pre-school, the Literacy and Numeracy programme provides young ones with a strong foundation in reading, writing and basic numeracy.

This six-month programme is led by trained facilitators who cater to the individual needs of each pre-schooler.

In 2017, the Literacy and Numeracy programme was conducted at 27 centres islandwide with 906 pre-school children enrolled in the programme, compared to 894 in 2016. 96% of the students’ literacy scores improved from ‘poor’ to ‘good’ upon completion of the programme.

The resources required for the increased student numbers were made possible through partnerships with grassroots and community organisations, which offered their venues for the programme without cost.

These organisations also worked hand-in-hand with volunteers to assist the facilitators on operational matters.

Project Read A home-based reading programme that provides children aged four to eight with a head start in their schooling journey, Project Read equips children with basic literacy skills and encourages them to read from an early age. This programme is dependent on volunteers, with each volunteer paired with a child for reading sessions at the child’s home.

With the help of 20 volunteers, 21 children benefited from this programme in 2017.

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Project Teach

Project Guide

Project Teach is a school-based supplementary programme by SINDA. It improves the academic performance of Indian students in English, Mathematics and Science through intensive tuition sessions conducted in small groups.

This programme, targeting Primary 1 to Primary 6 students who scored a C-grade and below in their examinations, is anchored by strong partnerships with schools, parents and tutors to provide students with optimal support. Students are identified for the programme by school teachers who also serve as SINDA Liaison Officers (SLOs). These classes – held before or after curriculum time at the school’s premises – are customised to the students’ learning needs.

Project Guide is an academic support programme designed for primary level students to complete their homework in a conducive after-school study environment. These students receive guidance with their homework from trained tutors.

Project Teach impacted 490 primary school students across 39 schools in 2017.

SINDA offers intensive, short-haul tutorial programmes to support students sitting for PSLE, GCE N(A)-Level and O-Level examinations.

These coaching programmes, conducted at SINDA, are specifically designed to help students strengthen their grasp of core concepts. In addition to familiarising students with examination formats, these programmes also offer them with answering strategies, memorisation skills and time management techniques.

This programme, piloted in 2017 at four primary schools where Big Heart Student Care Centres were also running, benefited 56 students.

Intensive Coaching Programmes for Landmark Examinations

In 2017, 46 students were enrolled across four programmes: PSLE Maths & Me, PSLE Maths in Focus, 4N(A) Maths and O-Level Maths.

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Saadhana A-Level Tuition Saadhana is a non-profit tuition project run by the National University of Singapore Tamil Language Society (NUSTLS), supported by SINDA and the Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET).

Through this highly-subsidised programme, trained tutors coach junior college students, pre-university students and private candidates in core GCE A-Level subjects over nine months.

NUS students are also at hand to mentor participants and guide them onto tertiary-level pathways and courses.

In 2017, the Saadhana tuition programme impacted 169 students.

Private Education Institution (PEI) Awards In collaboration with established private education institutions as well as donors, SINDA offers a range of awards to individuals, enabling them to attain tertiary qualifications and upgrade their skill sets. The following scholarships were available for students in 2017: • • • • • • • • • • • •

APU – SINDA Scholarship Dr Balaji Sadasivan Study Award KAPLAN – SINDA Scholarship Lighthouse - SINDA Scholarship MDIS – SINDA Scholarship Optimum Solutions - SINDA Scholarship PSB Academy – SINDA Scholarship SAA – SINDA Scholarship SCCCF - SINDA Scholarship SIA – SINDA Undergraduate Scholarship SICCI - SINDA Scholarship SIMM – SINDA Scholarship

SINDA awarded 24 individuals with partial or full scholarships to pursue their studies in diploma and degree courses.

Tutor Development Tutors in SINDA’s educational programmes undergo regular training and teaching development to ensure effective delivery of customised curricula to students, as well as update them on Singapore’s educational landscape and other relevant trends. Tutors also attend specialised training to cater to the learning preferences, styles and pacing of students. In addition, they learn the necessary skills to identify students in need of non-academic assistance as well.

In 2017, 327 tutors were trained through programmes ranging from large-scale seminars such as the Tutor Workplan Seminar, to small-group training sessions and workshops.

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Education Events @ a Glance

Literacy and Numeracy Pre-schoolers at 27 centres islandwide enjoyed more one-on-one time with facilitators to improve their literacy and numeracy skills, in preparation for primary school.

Joint Tuition Awards The Joint Tuition Awards (JTA) 2017 saw 199 recipients from SINDA receive awards from Minister Ong Ye Kung. The JTA is held annually by all four SHGs to recognise significant achievers from their respective tuition programmes.

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SINDA Excellence Awards The SINDA Excellence Awards 2017 witnessed 469 outstanding Indian students and Southeast Asian Games athletes receive top honours from Minister Ng Chee Meng.

SINDA-MOE Partnership Ceremony

Tutor Appreciation Night

Reaffirming the close ties between SINDA and the Ministry of Education, educators from 63 schools were presented with tokens of appreciation during the SINDA-MOE Partnership Ceremony.

96 educators were presented with Long Service Awards at the annual Tutor Appreciation Night, for their dedication and commitment towards improving Indian students’ academic performance.

Tutor Work Plan Seminar 181 educators were enriched by SINDA’s Tutor Work Plan Seminar, vital in helping them better understand academic and student development trends.

INSPIRING YOUTHS TOWARDS GREATER ACHIEVEMENTS

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Youth Statistics

1,313 Youths Empowered

40

154

ITE Aspire Participants

522 Youths in Motivational and Character Development Programmes

192

Youths from Junior Colleges, Polytechnics and ITE in Sustained Leadership Training

257 Youths Mentored through Skills-based Programmes

Participants in Holiday Engagement Activities

73 Fitness Enthusiasts Energised through the SINDA Sports Initiative

75 Participants Engaged through Workshops and Seminars

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“I have a very keen interest in dancing, so when I heard that ITE Aspire offers a mix of life skills and dance, I was very excited to be a part of it! I encouraged my friends to be involved in it as well so that we could all learn from the different experiences and grow together. The many moments we have shared together as a group are memories that will stay with me for a long time.

To me, ITE Aspire felt more like a holistic co-curricular activity (CCA) than a standalone programme. Through the various activities, I learnt a lot about leadership qualities and the importance of having a positive outlook in spite of challenging situations. At the same time, we got to keep fit and improve our dancing abilities also with all the dance practice we got!”

Kesavan Krisnan, 20 Nitec Graduate, ITE College Central

ITE Aspire ITE Aspire is a sustained mentorship programme for ITE students to encourage stronger academic performance and imbue life skills in them. The programme complements students’ academic efforts through communication and study skills modules, while building on their strengths and self-confidence.

Designed with motivational and enrichment elements, each ITE Aspire session incorporates the inculcation of soft skills and values, while engaging participants through dance training conducted by experienced choreographers. The programme’s pioneer batch showcased their impressive dance skills at the SINDA Youth Awards 2017.

ITE Aspire was piloted in 2017 over a period of 10 weeks at ITE College Central with 40 youth participants. In 2018, ITE Aspire will be expanded to all three ITE Colleges.

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Youth Development Programmes that Make an Impact Guidance and Mentorship

SINDA Youth Football Initiative

Popularly known as GAME, the Guidance and Mentorship programme is a group-based mentoring programme for secondary school youth to engage in passion-based activities led by trained facilitators. While engaging in an activity of their choice, participants also gain opportunities to build self-confidence, resilience and leadership capabilities.

The SINDA Youth Football Initiative (SYFI), targeted at 13 to 25 year olds, remains a popular option for Indian youth to engage in, with 154 participants in 2017. This programme, a merger of GAME Football and the SINDA LIONS, seeks to instil in participants core values of discipline, resilience and commitment while honing their football abilities.

In 2017, the programme offered three variations – music, dance and photography – and engaged 103 youths between the ages of 13 and 17.

Youth Victory Youth Victory is a school-based motivational programme that inculcates a positive outlook in students, while improving their academic abilities. The programme offers lower-secondary youth a values-centric, character development programme to improve their social and emotional intelligence, while upper-secondary students are taught exam preparation techniques to increase their academic confidence and performance.

Youth Victory impacted a total of 468 participants across 15 schools, including five STEP centres where study skills workshops were conducted at.

Holiday Engagement Programmes SINDA’s school holiday activities encourage personal development in youth through a series of activities including workshops, enrichment programmes and excursions. While keeping youth gainfully occupied during the holidays, these sessions also reinforce to participants the importance of good social habits and positive peer circles.

A total of 192 youths took part in SINDA’s holiday engagement programmes in 2017, across six sessions.

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“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and I'm happy that the SINDA Youth Club (SYC) offered me the first step to connect with my community better! SYLP further expanded my desire to help people around me – something that I’ve always been passionate about since young.

Through developmental workshops, an international study trip and a social project centred around migrant workers, I developed the ability to analyse societal issues, deconstruct them and address root causes; the happiness that I brought to others as a result of my work was immeasurable!

Along the way, SYLP made me a better person, changed my perspectives and fostered in me the aptitude to serve the community as a youth leader.

I’ve been active at SYC since then, going on to organise many other youth programmes and further enhancing my leadership potential.

To me, SYC is more than a club – it has been a lifelong experience and my fellow youth participants have become family!”

Vasheela Mumtaj, 21 Student Teacher

The programme increases participants’ awareness of social trends and issues as participants collaborate with local organisations on projects, embark on an international study trip, and attend learning modules designed to develop self-directed leadership.

SINDA Young Leaders’ Programme

In 2017, SYLP heightened its focus on thought leadership which shaped participants’ thought processes in devising creative, sustainable and innovative solutions for social challenges. As part of their learning, youth in the programme travelled to Hanoi in 2017, where they visited social enterprises and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

They gained better knowledge on foreign socio-economic issues, challenges faced, and strategies developed by these organisations to effectively address community needs.

The SINDA Young Leaders’ Programme (SYLP) is a five-month programme that grooms youth into active leaders of society.

The 37 youths in this programme also executed seven local community projects based on the insights they gained from their overseas study trip.

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Enriching Programmes that Develop Future Leaders SINDA Youth Leaders Seminar

SINDA Sports Initiative

A flagship programme of the SINDA Youth Club, the SINDA Youth Leaders Seminar (SYLS) is an annual three-day camp that brings together youth from various post-secondary institutions and fosters in them a strong sense of social leadership to serve as agents of change in the community.

The SINDA Sports Initiative (SPIN) immerses youth in a six-month fitness programme to cultivate their mental, social and physical well-being. Participants are encouraged to sustain a healthy lifestyle by taking part in unique team sports and adopting a healthy diet. They also benefit from customised training by a professional trainer and a 90-day fitness challenge.

In 2017, 100 students benefited from this seminar.

ITE Leadership Programme The ITE Leadership Programme (ITELP) is a five-month leadership programme that moulds Indian ITE students into effective leaders. The programme comprises a leadership camp, soft skills modules and reflection sessions for the youth to gain better self-awareness. It culminates in a community project that is conceptualised and implemented by the participants.

ITELP 2017 engaged 17 youths, guided by eight mentors.

SPIN remains a popular programme and saw 73 youths in 2017 across 38 sessions. Of these, 15 sessions were directed by the participants, providing them with a self-led opportunity to sustain their fitness regime.

SYC Speak SYC Speak serves as a platform for youth to engage change-makers and industry leaders on current affairs. Consisting of two components – dialogues and industry visits – the youth benefit from speakers and panellists who provide perspectives on social issues and inspire participants to become positive influencers in the community.

The programme, which saw a revamped format in 2017, engaged 61 participants across three sessions.

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Youth Events @ a Glance Guidance and Mentorship (GAME) Youth experimented with different instruments and honed their music skills during the 10-week GAME Music programme, intended to fulfil participants’ musical potential.

Discover the Magic Within 50 youths picked up magic tricks and impressed their family and friends during the June edition of the Holiday Engagement Programme.

ITE Leadership Programme (ITELP) 17 Indian ITE students graduated after five months of extensive leadership training, in which they gained greater insight into social concerns and devised practical solutions to address these issues.

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SINDA Young Leaders’ Programme (SYLP) SINDA LIONS Battling a number of challenges and persevering against all odds, the SINDA LIONS football team did SINDA proud by emerging as the Under-21 League and Cup double champions in 2017!

22 youths from SYLP embarked on a learning journey to Hanoi, visiting social enterprises and NGOs to better understand social challenges and execute their own projects back in Singapore.

SINDA Sports Initiative (SPIN) Through SPIN, 73 teenagers were introduced to less common sports such as boxing and canoe polo. Exposure to these sports and various fitness activities reinforced discipline and positive habits, while helping them to discover new interests.

SINDA Youth Leaders Seminar (SYLS) 100 youths from junior colleges, polytechnics and ITE discovered what it meant to be an agent of change during the 3D2N residential seminar. This seminar was conducted during the school holidays.

GAME Girls

SINDA Youth Awards Kesavan Krisnan, Valedictorian at the SINDA Youth Awards, was one of 95 youths who received awards for having made significant academic improvement and being exemplary to their peers at various youth programmes over the year.

20 Indian girls aged 15 to 20 participated in a girls-only group mentorship programme that not only included fun activities but also empowered participants to develop their self-awareness and confidence.

ENGAGING PARENTS TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR CHILDREN'S LIVES

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Family Statistics

1,946

5,072

Parents and Children Enriched

Individuals Received Assistance

115

1,050

1,295

Individuals Engaged through Family-bonding Activities

Children Attended Enrichment Workshops

Clients Benefited from Information and Referral Services

488

100 Book and Shelf Beneficiaries

113

Mothers and Children Empowered through Project Athena

78

Fathers Bonded with their Children

490 Parents Benefited from Parenting Workshops

1,111 Families Received Celebrate!

Festive Vouchers

Families Aided through Casework

809 Students Received Education-related Financial Assistance

914 Individuals Received Help through SINDA's Partner Organisations

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“The parenting workshops were very insightful to my husband and me as we learnt a lot about the important role that each one plays in a family — be it parents or grandparents — in being exemplary to our children. These sessions presented us with great opportunities to understand the range of parenting techniques there are and equip ourselves with the knowledge and skill sets required to guide our kids as they grow up.

We also learnt to plan our children’s time constructively so that their lives do not just revolve around academic matters, but also healthy mental, social and physical development — areas that will serve our children well as they grow up.

As parents, it is our responsibility to raise well-rounded children and it was great that SINDA provided such avenues for us to learn and enhance our skills. Can’t wait to attend more sessions!”

Shamala Devi d/o Tamaraiselvan, 32 Homemaker

Equipping Parents with the Right Skills SINDA’s parental workshops play a vital role in providing parents with a head start in catering to the various stages of their children’s growth.

As a result, parents are better-equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to raise resilient and capable children. These programmes also reinforce the need for positive role models within the family unit and promote stronger parental involvement in their children’s lives.

Through such programmes, 490 parents gained invaluable parenting-related support from SINDA in 2017. Furthermore, families were also encouraged to partake in a variety of other programmes for holistic familial development.

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Engaging Programmes that Forge Stronger Bonds Parenting Workshops The following parental programmes were held by SINDA in 2017: Raising Resilient Children Focused on equipping parents with the right skills to manage their children, this workshop helped parents understand the various sources of stress that their children might undergo and proposed ways in which parents can help them counter these.

Primary 1 & Secondary 1 Starters These preparatory workshops for students entering Primary 1 and Secondary 1 and their parents, sought to inform and familiarise participants with the parenting resources available to help their children cope with a new school environment.

Early Childhood A one-day workshop that introduced parents, parents-to-be and caregivers of children aged six and below to a wide range of topics – from developmental milestones to numeracy skills – and ultimately providing them with an understanding of their child’s needs in the early stages of growth.

Dare to Discipline Designed for parents of Primary 4 to Primary 6 students, this programme equipped parents with the knowledge and methods of exercising loving discipline.

DQ Cyber Wellness Parents were taught to make informed choices about online media to match family priorities, encourage responsible online behaviour and prepare their child for digital literacy at school.

Modular Parenting Workshops Conducted at STEP centres, these interactive workshops aimed to raise awareness about the importance of parental involvement in their children’s lives.

Understanding your Child Parents were exposed to the various learning styles of children and the appropriate parenting techniques for these, in order to aid optimal moral development and academic achievement.

Triple P – Positive Parenting Programme Through three sessions, parents were taught simple and practical strategies to help them manage their children’s behaviour confidently and build strong and healthy relationships with them.

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Book and Shelf A conducive learning environment for children should never be compromised and SINDA ensures that every child has access to essential resources for effective home study. Through the Book and Shelf programme, SINDA provides pre-school and primary-level children from low-income families with age-appropriate reading resources and bookshelves.

Children’s Enrichment Programmes With an aim to enrich children’s lives and prepare them for the future, SINDA organises enrichment programmes and activities for them throughout the year. Targeted at pre-school and primary level students, these enrichment programmes supplement students’ academic learning and contribute towards their character development. A total of 1,050 children were engaged in 2017 through the following enrichment programmes: • Adventure & Holiday Enrichment Camps

100 children between the ages of four and eight benefited from this programme in 2017.

Project Athena Project Athena empowers single Indian mothers to become independent and resilient individuals who in turn raise confident children. Through counselling and group therapy, trained social workers guide mothers and their children in overcoming challenges and leading meaningful lives together as a family.

• Digital Literacy • Fun Maths & Science • Motivational Programmes • Post PSLE Workshop • Pre-school Enrichment • SINDA-NLB Book Rangers' Club

113 single mothers and children benefited from this programme in 2017.

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Active Fathering To reinforce the integral roles that fathers play in the lives of their children, a series of programmes including an ‘Adventure Camp with Dads’ and ‘Breakfast with Dads’ were organised in 2017. These sessions were infused with fun and active elements which allowed participating fathers and children to discover more about one another and in the process, strengthen their bonds. Through such experiential learning, fathers were also able to develop effective parenting skills and learn proper communication techniques.

In 2017, 78 fathers and children enjoyed these sessions.

Family-bonding Activities SINDA organises enriching programmes and activities throughout the year to create opportunities for families to spend time together. These programmes allow families to understand one another and ultimately, build stronger familial bonds. Each activity – unique in its own way – promotes the overarching idea of family members understanding the need to be positive influences in each other's lives.

In 2017, 115 family members were engaged through such programmes to strengthen their bonds.

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“My husband has been the sole breadwinner in my family so we were fortunate to have been able to tap on SINDA’s various assistance schemes.

Over the past three years, my children have been receiving the ‘Back to School’ vouchers and school kits, together with the SINDA Bursary. These have been of great help to us, ensuring that my children have the necessary school supplies and their expenses covered.

Beyond financial assistance, I also discovered that SINDA offers many programmes and services to help us improve ourselves! My children attended SINDA’s academic programmes which were very effective.

For us parents, there were counselling sessions and parenting workshops to enhance our parenting abilities.

I can see a difference in my family now; we are able to communicate better and express ourselves freely to one another. We are a much happier family these days, thanks to SINDA’s programmes that have helped us in many ways!”

Nangai d/o Supramaniam, 46 Homemaker

Holistic Support for Family Development

SINDA’s family-focused endeavours are supported by the SINDA Family Service Centre (SFSC), which serves as a onestop centre that caters to the needs of every individual in the family – both young and old.

Once introduced to the SFSC, clients' needs are assessed by experienced social work practitioners who provide counselling, assistance and financial aid. Where appropriate, clients are also connected with national help schemes.

Regular home visits enable social workers to track clients’ progress while allowing SINDA to remain as a source of support for the family, as they work through challenging circumstances.

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Programmes for Families Requiring Additional Assistance Celebrate! Festive Gift Vouchers

Assistance & Counselling

Through Celebrate!, SINDA is able to spread festive cheer through $100 gift vouchers to low-income families during Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas. In 2017, 26 volunteer organisations assisted SINDA in distributing such gift vouchers to 1,111 underprivileged families during festive seasons.

The SINDA Family Service Centre (SFSC) impacts the community through its core work of information and referral, casework, counselling and disbursing social and education-related assistance schemes. SINDA’s social work practitioners provide assistance in various areas including parenting, marriage, finances, family violence and interpersonal issues so that clients are equipped with the right knowledge, skills and resources to overcome challenges and become self-sufficient.

In 2017, SFSC offered the following services for community benefit: • Information and Referral: 1,295 clients • Casework and Counselling: 488 families Education-related Assistance Schemes: Before and After School Care Subsidy: 7 students • Post-Secondary Bursary: 169 students • Pre-school Bursary: 79 children • School Kits: 1,957 • SINDA Bursary: 554 primary and secondary students •

Assistance jointly offered with partner organisations: • Comcare (with MSF): 23 clients • Home Access (with IMDA): 74 households • NeuPC (with IMDA): 276 households • Singapore Press Holdings Foundation: 438 families • The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund: 103 primary and secondary students

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Family Events @ a Glance

Back To School Festival (BTSF) Children discovered the world of coding at BTSF, where close to 2,000 school kits were distributed to students from low-income families to help them with their expenses in the new year.

Project Athena Mothers’ Day A mother and son enjoying a game of Jenga at the Mother’s Day Dinner – one of the many fun activities organised specially for families in the Project Athena programme.

Code in the Community

Fun Science

The four SHGs partnered with Google in rolling out the Code in the Community programme in 2017, where close to 500 students from SINDA attended sponsored coding classes. Participants impressed their parents with a demonstration of their digital skills at the programme’s graduation ceremony in May.

A series of engagement programmes during the school holidays saw 45 primary school children experience the fun side of Science and have a go at whacky experiments!

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Post-PSLE Soccer

Parenting Workshops

34 Primary 6 students celebrated the end of their PSLE exams by challenging Team Vasantham to a friendly game of soccer.

Participants also learnt more about healthy lifestyles and positive habits, while their parents gained valuable tips from expert speakers on being well-prepared for secondary school at the Secondary 1 Starters Seminar.

A series of parenting workshops throughout 2017 helped parents gain insights into the current educational landscape, as well as learn the right skill sets to cater to the emotional and social well-being of their children.

Leadership Camp 110 upper primary students pushed their limits through a high-element obstacle course and team-building activities during a 2D1N camp held at Sentosa. The various missions around the island taught them to overcome their fears, build upon their strengths and improve their social skills while having loads of fun!

Father and Child Bonding 78 fathers enjoyed quality time with their young children and bonded through a series of father-child opportunities. From preparing breakfast together to trying out exciting adrenaline-packed activities, they surely strengthened the special relationship they shared!

P1 Starters Science Centre

Digital Literacy Workshop Series

While their pre-schoolers were captivated by the exhibitions at the Singapore Science Centre, 88 parents learnt how to better prepare themselves for the challenges that lay ahead as their children enter primary school.

Some 200 children, ranging from pre-schoolers to primary school students, gained a better understanding of digital literacy through tailor-made programmes that offered them a fun and engaging experience with technology.

FORGING A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS

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Community Statistics

1,602 Individuals Connected With

479 Volunteers

100 Indian Business-leaders’ Roundtable (IBR) Members

300

400

Partners Collaborated with SINDA

Households Connected via Door-knocking

Volunteer Hours Accumulated during SINDA’s Programmes and Services

212 Educators served as SINDA Liaison Officers (SLOs) in their Respective Schools

Participants at the Little India Health Walk

209

4,730

34 Organisations and Educational Institutions Supported or Funded

514 Community Partners Engaged through Townhall Meetings

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“The Tamils Representative Council has partnered with SINDA on multiple occasions – organising workshops, forums and bursary awards for students. Through such combined efforts, we have been able to recognise students who have performed well academically and also increase our assistance to families in need.

When community organisations collaborate, we are able to share resources, use funds effectively and tap on one another’s expertise to benefit a larger pool of people in a timely and appropriate manner. We are happy to have created better awareness and impact among the Indian community. I look forward to more collaborations with SINDA in the future, with a focused aim of uplifting the community.”

Pandiyan Vellasami PBM, 55 President, Tamils Representative Council

Engaging Key Community Partners & Stakeholders Community support is invaluable to SINDA in its mission to uplift the community.

Success in SINDA's efforts is made possible through meaningful partnerships with stakeholders – community organisations, grassroots, religious, sub-ethnic groups and business entities. Such partnerships allow for the sharing of specialised expertise, knowledge and resources between stakeholders to benefit as many people as possible in the community. As a leading organisation for community change, SINDA continues to engage organisations through collaborative strategies for even greater community outreach.

Also backing these efforts is a dedicated pool of SINDA volunteers who are instrumental in powering the organisation’s programmes and reaching out to those who are in need of assistance. Our volunteers collaborate closely with us to engage the community through a range of mechanisms and function as SINDA ambassadors who enhance awareness amongst the Indian community as a whole.

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Outreach and Engagement Programmes that Bridge the Community Ground Engagements

Project Give

SINDA’s door-knocking exercise was implemented on a larger scale in 2017, to strengthen engagement with the community and gain a better understanding of the needs of Indian families not known to SINDA. Through close collaboration with grassroots, community organisations and Grassroots Advisors, this initiative allowed SINDA to penetrate areas with high Indian concentration. Leading these efforts were SINDA volunteers who were specially trained to engage with and identify the needs of families, as well as share more about SINDA's programmes and schemes with them.

Where necessary, families were referred to SINDA for deeper intervention.

Project Give (PG) has been SINDA’s flagship fundraising campaign since 2001 to raise funds to support the educational and financial needs of Indian students in Singapore.

The campaign, which runs through the year, is heightened during Deepavali to encourage the community to remember the less-fortunate during the festive season and contribute generously.

The 2017 campaign engaged more families through the PG booth at Little India and saw strong partnership with the Little India Shopkeepers & Heritage Association (LISHA) and the Indian Heritage Centre to reach out to and engage more families.

Eight constituencies were engaged in 2017, with 209 Indian families benefiting from the visits.

SINDA Volunteers The Indian Business-leaders’ Roundtable (IBR) IBR was established to create a forum for newly-arrived senior Indian business leaders who have made Singapore their home.

It allows them to use their resources to give back to society by working with SINDA in its endeavour to uplift the Indian community. Five years since its inception, IBR has contributed to worthy causes and has evolved to meet the needs of the community.

IBR has 100-strong members. Its activities in the year included a dinner co-organised with Henderson-Dawson CCC Welfare Fund Committee that raised funds for SINDA beneficiaries and two dialogues with ministers and industry captains.

Volunteers are crucial to many SINDA programmes, with unique and fulfilling volunteering opportunities available at SINDA for those who wish to spend their time in a meaningful manner. In 2017, 479 volunteers contributed a total of 4,730 hours of support by assisting in programmes and services. 263 of these volunteers were part of long-haul SINDA programmes such as GAME and the Literacy and Numeracy programme. The remaining 216 volunteers were involved in short-term programmes and SINDA events.

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Engagements @ a Glance Donor Appreciation Lunch An appreciation ceremony was hosted for 45 significant donors to acknowledge their passion for and commitment towards the betterment of the Indian community.

SINDA Townhall Meetings A series of townhall meetings with 514 leaders and members of the Indian community enabled people to learn more about SINDA and collaborate on initiatives.

The common goal was to work towards enhancing children’s academic performance and enriching the lives of community members.

Project Give Singapore’s first female president, Mdm Halimah Yacob, visited the Project Give booth weeks after her inauguration and mingled with SINDA’s beneficiaries. The annual fundraising campaign which is intensified during the Deepavali festivities, supports the needs of Singaporean Indian students.

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SINDA-IBR & Henderson Dawson CCC Charity Fashion Show The Bollywood Cutting Edge IV fundraising dinner at the Sheraton Towers was a sold-out event, raising funds for SINDA and needy residents at Henderson-Dawson Constituency. The funds benefited participants who were enrolled in SINDA’s youth mentorship and e-learning programmes.

IBR Dialogue and 5th Anniversary The Indian Businessmen Roundtable celebrated their 5th anniversary with a dinner and a dialogue session with Mr S Iswaran in March 2017 where he shared invaluable insights on Singapore’s future economy.

Ground Engagements SINDA rolled out an islandwide door-knocking exercise to connect with Indian heartlanders and tend to their needs and concerns. Together with IAECs and grassroots bodies, SINDA reached out to 209 households at eight constituencies.

Little India Health Walk 400 people from all walks of life participated in a heritage trail around Little India organised by SINDA and its community partners to raise greater awareness on diabetes and the importance of healthy living.

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Corporate & Marketing Communications SINDA’s Corporate and Marketing Communications Division functions as the key communicator of the SINDA brand to stakeholders and disseminates key messages to audiences. In addition to marketing SINDA’s programmes, services and events, the division also undertakes corporate communications and manages media relations.

Online Community

Corporate Website

SINDA’s online platforms are integrated to serve as an information hub for users on SINDA programmes, services and events. In addition, content marketing on these platforms deliver key messages to audiences and builds brand affinity.

SINDA’s website was revamped in 2017 to be a one-stop information portal and includes more content marketing such as success stories and video capsules. The website garnered the prestigious W3 Gold Award that honours creative excellence on the web.

2016

Website

309,475 411,204

2017

Visitors

43%

Facebook

Pageviews

80,003

84,971

25%

84,971

New vs Returning Visitors

196,694

48,824

2%

Users

3,417

80.6% vs 19.4%

Instagram

7%

23%

83.3% vs 16.7%

Social Media

15,000

Electronic Direct Mailer

45,482

Facebook

2016

Followers

2017

15,815 16,237

Twitter

Users Engaged

51,023 48,824

Total Reach

598,970 1,993,358

Demographic of Online Audiences

5%

7%

35 - 54

37%

41%

18 - 34

58%

52%

>55

Twitter

Instagram Followers

Impressions

380

45,482

Engagement

Posts

2,269 3,417

Facebook

Website

44,788

475

Youtube

14,606 Views

290 171

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Broadcast Media

SINDA in the News

Broadcast marketing remains significant in SINDA’s efforts to maximise audience reach. In 2017, SINDA had a presence on Vasantham, ZEE TV, Vijay TV and Oli 96.8FM.

126 mentions of SINDA were made in 2017 across news media platforms: Media Mentions by Theme

Broadcast Coverage 7% (9)

17% (21) Radio

28%

TV

260 mins

72%

663 mins

12%

share of voice on television in 2017

5% share of voice on radio in 2017

Community Education

24% (30)

52% (66)

Youth ( ) — Number of Mentions

Media Mentions by Medium 17% (21)

Beyond programme advertising, the following programmes were also produced:

28% (35)

Themed Radio Capsules A new radio series on Oli 96.8FM centred on social messaging that advocated positive values, virtues and social responsibility.

Broadcast Print

55% (70)

Online ( ) — Number of Mentions

WonderMinds Education capsules on Vasantham featured simple do-it-yourself home experiments that encourage students’ interest in Mathematics and Science.

Family

Media Mentions by Language

12% (15)

10% (13)

Tamil

35% (44)

English Chinese

43% (54)

Malay ( ) — Number of Mentions

SINDA Connections SINDA Connections was revamped after five years, with a sleek and modern layout incorporating brighter colours. In 2017, each issue of the magazine was sent to 66,000 households and community organisations.

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Corporate Services SINDA’s corporate services provide extensive support to all departments within SINDA, as well as internal and external stakeholders in enabling the organisation to fulfil its corporate objectives. Some significant initiatives in 2017 were:

Staff Welfare An employee-centric approach to SINDA’s practices in the aspects of talent acquisition, induction, development and retention was adopted. The staff-driven ‘People Matters Club’ sharpened its emphasis on the need for staff to lead a healthy lifestyle. A plethora of staff benefits were made available to all staff members, regardless of their duration of employment with SINDA.

Integrated Human Resource Information System (HRIS) A one-stop integrated web-based HRIS system was launched in phases to improve employees’ experience when gaining access to information. Streamlining the process into a single user-friendly system meant that staff only needed to log in to a central portal to gain access to all functions of the HRIS, including personal, payroll, expense and leave information.

Client Resource Management (CRM) The CRM system serves as a central repository that allows SINDA to promptly and seamlessly follow up on queries, systematically record all beneficiary engagements and generate reports to support planning and decision-making.

A 100-day campaign was launched to recalibrate and reinforce accurate and timely data capture.

IP PBX Telephone System & IT Infrastructure Upgrade A new IP PBX telephone system was rolled out to all staff. The new phone allowed for the integration of phone networks and real-time call routing that helped enquirers speak to an available SINDA staff member promptly.

Furthermore, a major upgrade of IT servers helped SINDA decrease the number of servers used by more than half. The upgrade in hardware enabled SINDA to cut costs on maintenance while enhancing performance.

1 Beatty Road, Singapore 209943 | Tel: 1800 295 3333 | Email: queries@sinda.org.sg www.sinda.org.sg

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