New NCSS chair calls for stronger partnerships to tackle Singapore's growing social challenges
Senior Counsel Gregory Vijayendran takes over as chairperson of the National Council of Social Service at a time when Singapore's social needs are becoming increasingly complex.
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SINGAPORE: Social service agencies must work more closely together as they face increasingly complex social challenges, alongside pressures such as artificial intelligence and tighter funding, said new National Council of Social Service (NCSS) chairperson Gregory Vijayendran.
Mr Vijayendran, a senior counsel and partner at law firm Rajah & Tann, began his three-year term last Saturday (Aug 1).
He takes on the role at a time when Singapore's social needs are becoming increasingly complex.
“We might have caregiver fatigue. We might have mental health issues. We might have social isolation,” he told CNA.
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“So when you kind of have this as part of a whole complex set of issues, a challenging set of issues that's facing a family, we need to find a way to reduce the pain points that they may have to get help and to get help fast,” he added.
“Conversely, when we look at it from the lens of the social service agencies, how can we collaborate so that we help meet the most pressing needs?”
GROWING DEMAND FOR SOCIAL SERVICES
Mr Vijayendran also identified AI as a key issue reshaping the sector.
He said agencies should harness the technology to reduce administrative work and raise productivity, while preserving the human qualities that remain essential to social work.
“How do we work intelligently with artificial intelligence? How do we harness the best of AI to reduce some of the admin aspects and focus on what we're good at?” he noted.
“How can we not lose the distinctive edge that we bring to the equation, which is what I would call the compassion factor and the empathy.”
As demand for social services grows, Mr Vijayendran said the sector must also strike a careful balance between providing support and avoiding over-dependence.
While some individuals and families can gradually become more self-reliant, others may require long-term assistance because of their circumstances, he said.
“The question is how do we sort of wean ourselves away from external help, which could be dangerously a crutch and become more self-reliant (and) more resilient,” he added.
“It will entail careful assessment, careful evaluation, and just journeying together with the individuals and the families involved.”
But Mr Vijayendran stressed that success should not be measured simply by reducing people's reliance on social services.
Instead, the aim should be on improving quality of life and enabling people to live with greater dignity.
This also means recognising that some vulnerable groups, such as abused children, may need sustained support over many years as they recover from trauma, he said.
RETHINKING FUNDING MODELS
Against a tougher fundraising environment, Mr Vijayendran said charities should also rethink how they are funded and how they work with one another.
Rather than expanding beyond their core expertise, organisations should focus on their strengths while partnering with others across the ecosystem to deliver better outcomes.
“I think we need to look at this aspect in a more creative way and what that will entail is that we need to think about different ways of funding, different types of funding models,” said Mr Vijayendran.
“If that means partnerships that involve others in the ecosystem, so that rather than mission creep, I play to strengths – this is my core programme. I'm going to ensure that I get funding, and this is the niche, and this is what delivers results.”
Looking ahead, he hopes to see more partnerships between organisations.
“The hope is that tangibly we will see more tie-ups, more partnerships and that we can measure this aspect,” he added.
“But at the same time, I would also want to see more evidence-based research and an even greater maturation, where we see translational research, where Singapore becomes also able to share some thought leadership with our neighbours.”
Ultimately, he said the sector's greatest strength lies in its people.
“This is a high calling,” Mr Vijayendran said of social service professionals. “It involves sacrifice. It involves service. It involves stewardship, but you were called. You were meant to be in the sector for this time to make a difference.”
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