Amidst growing concerns over the bleak job scenario in Singapore, the Government is gearing up to provide financial assistance to the needy including families whose breadwinners have lost their jobs. The Government will also exercise more flexibility in assessing the potential cases, said Social and Family Development Minister Tan Chuan-Jin.
The Ministry is also looking to strengthen collaboration and information-sharing among the voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and community stakeholders to ensure affected individuals and households receive help promptly.
Apart from retraining and matching affected workers to new jobs, the Government also provides support in the form of the ComCare scheme, a social safety net for low-income Singaporeans. It offers assistance to help individuals meet their immediate needs or tide over difficult periods, as well as over the long-term for those who are permanently unable to work.
“We are prepared to exercise greater flexibility in providing ComCare assistance to help households. For instance, if a retrenched worker requires more time to find a job — as a result of limited jobs for his or her skillset in the labour market — our Social Service Office (SSO) officers are prepared to consider providing the household with a longer duration of assistance,” said Tan.
A full network of 24 SSOs has been set up across the island to make help more accessible, while processes have also been made less onerous. Other initiatives include the Social Service Net, an information-sharing and case-management system that links the ministry with other government agencies and voluntary welfare organisations.