Recognition Day for ComLink Plus Families

I’m mighty pleased to have joined the Recognition Day for ComLink Plus families who did well over the past year. This one was organised by the Jalan Besar Social Service Office for the Jalan Besar and Toa Payoh towns.

A stronger safety net is what the Singapore Government strives to build for families needing a leg up — and ComLink Plus is one important way to support families living in rental flats with school-going children, across four areas: financial, work, schooling, and housing opportunities.

Each family is assigned a personal Family Coach to identify core needs and bring together other providers who can help meet those needs — for example, the SSO, HDB, MOE, FSCs, grassroots organisations, and others.

I guess not many people know about this if they’re not involved in the social sector, but a lot of plodding work is done behind the scenes. It’s truly not an easy journey — a journey we hope families will not walk alone. I know this because, as Mayor, I chair the ComLink Plus Committees for a few towns in Toa Payoh, Jalan Besar, and Ang Mo Kio.

As they say in Chinese, 家家有本难念的经 — every family has its own issues and challenges.

Hence, my sincere respect to the families I met last weekend. All of them have overcome great and sometimes chronic challenges, yet they chose not to give up.

Kudos too to the amazing coaches, Social Service Offices, and agencies who come together to do what they can — unsung heroes working quietly behind the scenes.