Speech at SCORE Appreciation Awards 2013

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Acting Minister for Manpower, National Community Leadership Institute

1. A very good afternoon. I am very pleased to join all of you today at SCORE’s Appreciation Awards 2013, primarily to show our deepest appreciation for outstanding employers, supervisors and partners who have gone the extra mile to support ex-offenders in their reintegration journey.
2. Employment, as we all know, is an integral part of our adult life, and for our ex-offenders it means a lot as well. It is an opportunity for them to reintegrate into society. From my personal perspective, work is very much the best welfare. There is a dignity that comes with work. It is an important part of their reintegration journey because for many of them, it is a start of a new life. We know that many of them sometimes will repeat the cycle, but we all hope that at some point they can break the cycle and start afresh. For them, work is significant, because it gives them a strong sense of purpose in life, it helps them to be self-reliant, reconnects them to the community and re-instil in them that sense of self-worth and self-respect, which is key to the whole reintegration process.
3. So I am very heartened to know that since SCORE initiated its active outreach to employers in 2008, more than 3,800 employers have partnered SCORE to provide job opportunities for ex-offenders. Many of these employers have also embraced inclusive work practices, such as structured orientation programmes, On-the-Job Training (OJT) and assignment of mentors to help their new employees, to help ex-offenders reintegrate.
4. For many of you who were involved, you would know that it is not just about providing the job itself. It is actually about preparing your own workforce to help that whole process of reintegration and hopefully through that effort of reaching out to your own existing staff, they will also learn more about what it means and how to also reach out to the rest of society, so that more of us can also learn and to appreciate what it entails.
   
   Project Phoenix – Skills Upgrading for Better Job Opportunities
5. To support SCORE’s active outreach efforts to employers, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) launched Project Phoenix in 2007 to assist ex-offenders to upgrade their skills and prepare them for employment. To date, the programme has benefited more than 20,000 ex-offenders.
6. Project Phoenix started off by providing funding support to equip ex-offenders with English and numeracy skills under the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system. WDA has since extended its funding support to include vocational skills training, training facilities and resources for case management.
7. Through Project Phoenix, ex-offenders can obtain vocational certifications such as WSQ certifications needed to work in industries like manufacturing, logistics and hospitality. They also undergo job interviews with prospective employers before release. In the past year alone, SCORE has placed 1,200 ex-offenders in jobs through Project Phoenix.
   
   Strong Community Support – The Best Way Forward
8. Such meaningful projects serve as enablers to equip our ex-offenders with quality skills to contribute. But, we need strong community support to fully succeed in our reintegration efforts.
9. The effort of the Singapore Totalisator Board towards rallying more community support for our group of ex-offenders is commendable. Since 2008, the Board has partnered SCORE and the Yellow Ribbon Project to encourage society to give ex-offenders a second chance. It has generously donated $2.9 million to fund the Yellow Ribbon campaign, which aims to support ex-offenders and their families in their reintegration efforts through raising awareness, generating acceptance and inspiring community action. For these contributions, the Singapore Totalisator Board will be receiving the Bridge of Hope award today.
   
   Employers and Individuals Who Made The Difference
10. Many employers and individuals have gone the extra mile to help ex-offenders integrate smoothly into their workplaces. And this is where I would add, don’t ever underestimate the extra effort that we put in. That extra mile that might not seem hugely significant to us can mean all the world to the people whom we are reaching out to. Our own small ways and actions can mean a lot to them. It is not just an ex-offender that we are helping, but in many instances, it is about their families as well.
11. ABV Engineering Pte Ltd, which specialises in construction work, has hired 116 ex-offenders since partnering SCORE in 2004. The company’s team of mentors to all new hires creates a supportive working environment to help the hires stay on and progress in their careers. So most importantly, it is not just about providing the job, but also about helping them to stay in the job and to progress.
12. One such employee who showed remarkable progress is 55-year old Mr Chiang, who was employed by ABV Engineering as a welder in 2004. He is meticulous, hardworking and takes the initiative to come up with innovative solutions to solve problems. To recognise his hard work and contributions, ABV Engineering promoted him to a supervisory role, where he continues to be a role model to his colleagues, and all ex-offenders.
13. Another exemplary employer is Singapore Crocodile (1968) Pte. Ltd., which has hired 31 ex-offenders since 2008. Singapore Crocodile has developed a customised orientation programme for ex-offenders and assigns a buddy to every new hire to help them adapt to the work environment and culture. This shows empathy, because we realise that some of these ex-offenders may have been away for some time, and may not be familiar with how the world has moved on. Having these buddies and mentors make a lot of difference. Again, these may be small steps and an extra mile, but it means a lot to them.
14. In addition, Singapore Crocodile believes in taking an open flexible approach and providing each individual with opportunities to maximise his or her potential. Despite the company’s initial concerns about how customers might perceive staff with visible tattoos, they decided to hire Dean, aged 33, after he had excelled in his interview session. Dean proved himself by putting in his best at work, and has since been promoted to an outlet supervisor.
15. Dean was fortunate to have the support of his supervisor Ms Jane Lum, who proactively engages ex-offenders to determine their progress and offers her assistance to them when needed. Dean attributes his success at work to the constant encouragement and guidance given by Ms Lum, and has nominated her for the Model Supervisor award, which she will be receiving today.
16. Ms Jane Lum is not the only supervisor who has gone the extra mile. There are many other enlightened and nurturing supervisors who have played an instrumental role in helping ex-offenders integrate successfully into the workplace. I believe there are many Ms Lums out there to be found, to be groomed and be ready to inspire others. Today, we recognise the efforts of 22 such supervisors who have made the effort to coach, nurture and provide opportunities for deserving ex-offenders to undertake bigger roles at work. I would like to extend heartfelt appreciation to these supervisors for their effort and dedication, and I hope that in their own ways they will be able to inspire many more to follow in their paths.
17. As an MP on the ground, I live in an area where we have a number of people who have been incarcerated. Every case is unique, but when incarceration happens, it usually involves one of the sole breadwinners, which creates a strain on the family. Sometimes shame will be involved, so they may not be forthcoming in seeking help until they are struggling. It puts a strain on their relationships, leading to families and marriages breaking up. As a result of divorce, some have to give up possession of their flats and things really begin to break apart. When such a dysfunctional family results, childrens’ lives are affected due to the lack of guidance. It subsequently becomes a cycle, with a high probability to be repeated by the next generation.
18. We will never be able to completely get rid of the problems that we face in society. People make mistakes, and some make mistakes repeatedly. But there are things that we can do. The community can play a very big part in supporting the family. When we know of these situations, the family can support the inmates when they are in jail and hopefully keep the family intact. We can reach out as volunteers, and go upstream where we are able to support the inmates and prepare them so that when they rejoin the society, and hit the ground running. Some of them might take a while to land a job. But then, you have that important gap where they are struggling to get on their own two feet. They may be disoriented and without the necessary support, the chances of relapse become higher.
19. This is where every individual plays a part. Today, we are here to recognise many of you employers, supervisors, those at the workplace who have made a difference. I would like to urge all of us here to continue on that front, and to encourage more people to do the same. Together we can certainly make a lot of difference in the lives of those whom we are able to reach out to. Never underestimate the difference that we can make as I have seen how such efforts have made a real difference in these ex-offenders’ lives. These are small ways in which we can build a society that we can be proud of - an inclusive society that has a heart.
20. With that, thank you very much and congratulations to all the winners here.