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Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong today launched the ComCare Fund, which will help to ensure that no
Singaporean is left behind while Singapore progresses. |
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With economic restructuring, a small but
growing minority of Singaporeans will face hardship. ComCare will
provide a safety net for this small group, and serve as a springboard
for them to become self-reliant. With ComCare, there will be: |
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- Targeted
services for needy Singaporeans to achieve self reliance, (through
ComCare SelfReliance); helping the children from needy families break
out of the poverty cycle (through ComCare Grow); and assisting those who
need long-term support including the elderly without family support and
persons with disabilities (through ComCare EnAble).
- Greater
decentralisation of the administration of social assistance to the
community and grassroots organisations, and more flexibility in
rendering help.
- Simplification
of social assistance schemes and processes, to make help more
accessible. |
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The ComCare Fund complements the other
elements of Singapore¡¯s social safety net, such as Medifund, Edusave and
the Lifelong Learning Fund. |
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ComCare will focus on addressing the social
and financial needs of low income Singaporeans and their families. It
will aim to look at the underlying problems faced by the needy and
address them in a holistic manner. ComCare will be based on mutual
responsibility. It will help those who are willing to do their part to
help themselves. |
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Under ComCare, more will be done for needy
Singaporeans, in focused and effective ways. For example, ComCare will
ensure that no child will be denied access to pre-school education just
because his or her family is poor. MCYS will work with Voluntary Welfare
Organisations (VWOs) and Grassroots Organisations (GROs) to proactively
reach out to needy families to get them to put their children in
kindergarten. |
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In addition, the amount of assistance given
to children under the Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme (KiFAS)
will be revised upwards from a maximum of $50 a month, to $65 a month.
On average, a needy family would benefit from a further 43% reduction in
their children¡¯s kindergarten fees. They will typically only pay about
$20 each month to send their child to kindergarten. Please see Annex A
for details. |
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Through ComCare, the government will engage
the community to deliver social assistance more effectively. In
particular, PM Lee emphasised the vital role that GROs, such as
Citizens¡¯ Consultative Committees (CCCs), can play in assisting needy
Singaporeans. The GROs are closer to the ground, and therefore better
understand of the needs and circumstances of needy Singaporeans. |
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The government has therefore announced that
ComCare will allocate $4 million to the CCCs to help them set up CCC
ComCare Funds. The money will help to augment the resources that CCCs
have to assist those in need in their community. It will also give the
CCCs the flexibility to provide assistance to those who might otherwise
not receive any. (Details in Annex B) |
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Community-based organisations, GROs and VWOs
will be empowered to do more for the needy in their midst. $10 million
will be set aside each year under ComCare for innovative pilot
programmes to assist the low-income. (Details in Annex C) GROs and VWOs
can apply to the ComCare Supervisory Committee to tap on this fund to
start pilot programmes to help the needy. |
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MCYS has also been working with the People¡¯s
Association, the Community Development Councils, the National Council of
Social Service, several grassroots organisations and VWOs to develop
pilot programmes that would be funded under ComCare. For example: |
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(i)
ComCare Meals-at-Home for Homebound Needy Elderly
(ii) ComCare Therapy @ Home
(iii) ComCare Silver Connect |
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These programmes underscore the government¡¯s
Many Helping Hands approach in ensuring that no one is left behind.
(Details in Annex D) |
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Some existing programmes will also be
enhanced under ComCare. For instance, MCYS will re-focus its Social
Enterprise Fund into a ComCare Enterprise Fund (CEF) which will focus on
helping needy Singaporeans. |
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The CEF will provide seed funding to start
sustainable business enterprises that will help needy Singaporeans
either by employing them, or by running relevant services to help them.
This will further encourage self-reliance. |
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MCYS will also put in an additional $1m into
the budget of the CEF, so that the fund will have an annual budget of
$3m. (Details in Annex E) |
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The ComCare Supervisory Committee will
announce additional programmes to be launched over the next few months. |
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ComCare will also be simplifying social
assistance schemes and processes. This would allow people in genuine
need to get assistance more efficiently. |
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ISSUED BY:
MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
YOUTH AND SPORTS
28 June 2005 |
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More..... (Annexes) |
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Prime
Minister Lee's Speech |
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Source:
www.mcys.gov.sg Press Release
28 Jun 2005 |
ComCare Fund for needy Singaporeans Launched
