Ms Anita Fam,
President of NCSS,
Dr Aawatif Hayar,
Former Minister Of Solidarity,
Social Integration and Family, from Morocco,
Scientific Advisor of Smart City Expo, Casablanca,
General Co-Chair of IEEE International Smart Cities Conference
NCSS Board Members,
Distinguished Foreign Delegates,
Partners From The Private, Public and Social Service Sector,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Introduction
1. Good morning. Every Social Service Summit, I’m inspired to witness practitioners, leaders, and academics coming together to collaborate and innovate towards a better social service sector.
2. But this year’s Summit is especially significant, for two reasons.
a. First, this Summit is held in the 60th year of independence – or what we call SG60. And therefore, it’s a time we can also reflect on our journey. It is fitting to celebrate the pioneers in our sector who established the foundations in our early years of nationhood, and the generations of leaders after them who painstakingly built up our social service ecosystem.
b. Second, this is the first Summit attended by foreign delegates, from 11 countries! We look forward to learning from your experience and perspectives.
3. Ladies and gentlemen, this Summit is one of three conferences that the Ministry of Social and Family Development hopes to organise and lead with like-minded stakeholders, academics, and leaders from all over the world. We hope that these conferences will serve as platforms for the exchange and development of original ideas in the social sector.
a. The first conference is the Asian Family Conference, because families are the bedrock of our society, and therefore this conference focuses on strengthening our families in Asia and beyond. Strong families mean a strong society.
b. The second is the International Conference on Societies of Opportunity, because beyond our families, there is a need for us to create access to opportunities for the members of society, particularly groups who may be disadvantaged. This ensures that within our societies, social mobility can be achieved.
c. And the third is this – NCSS Social Service Summit, for which we are all here today. As a sector, we have come together to collaborate and innovate, in order to better meet the needs of our people and our society.
Key Challenges and Opportunities
4. The theme of this year’s Summit is “Transforming the Future of Social Service through Talent and Technology”.
5. It is indeed opportune for us to consider our sector’s future, amidst the changing local, global, and technological landscape.
a. Around the world, demographic, societal, and global trends spell a greater need for social services.
i. At home, we face an ageing society and rising demand for health and social workers. Mental health is also a growing concern, especially amongst the youth.
ii. Globally, we witness rising trade barriers, increasing geopolitical tensions, and conflicts around the world. Growing costs and employment uncertainties may become a reality. Many countries also face rising inequality, as we discussed three months ago at the inaugural International Conference on Societies of Opportunity, that some of you attended.
b. And yet, our changing world presents new possibilities, especially in the realm of technological advancements and Artificial Intelligence, or AI.
i. The development of technology and AI is rapid, and has an undeniable impact on our social service sector.
ii. Let me begin by unpacking what the advancement of technology might mean for us.
Impact of Technology on Social Work and the Social Service Sector
6. As social service practitioners, I believe we must be mindful of the impact of technology in at least two key areas.
a. First, we must be mindful of its impact on society.
i. With increased access to technology, we can connect with family, friends, and even strangers at the touch of a button. Yet, this same ease of access could lead to an increase in social isolation.
ii. With the digital convenience of delivery apps, online meeting platforms, and digital entertainment, an individual can actually live without any physical social interaction.
iii. While technology has given us access to media content, social media has an impact especially on the mental health of many of us, particularly our young. It can be easy to compare ourselves, our circumstances, and our lives with curated content online. Some studies have tracked an increase in rates of depression and anxiety due to social media usage.
iv. The rise of technology may also leave some behind. We have already seen some displaced from their jobs by AI. Older adults and those not proficient with tech skills may struggle to function in a society which assumes digital fluency.
v. These are just some of the very real issues that face our society and our clients. As part of the social service sector, we must become familiar with them.
b. Second, we must be aware of how technology and AI impacts our sector specifically.
i. Connectedness through technology sparks greater opportunity for sharing data, information, and research findings. This can mean more seamless coordination of services for our clients, and stronger interventions as we better collaborate with one another.
ii. However, we must be extra vigilant of data security. We have seen how poor cybersecurity can lead to data leaks and misuse.
iii. There is also greater reach in our service delivery as AI chatbots, virtual assistants, and remote services such as online counselling become more prevalent.
iv. I read a book by Dr Li Fei-Fei, titled The Worlds I See. She says, and I quote: “Still, even the flashiest hardware is a means to an end, which is why the guiding principle of our work remains the well-being of people, not merely the efficiency of processes.”
v. This perfectly encapsulates the attitude with which we must approach technology and AI in our field. Ultimately, we are a sector built on heart and soul. Our use of data, technology and AI can allow us to provide more personalised and targeted care. But, the human touch and empathy with which we deliver our services can and must be evident even as we leverage technology for service delivery.
The Way Forward for the Sector
7. So what is the way forward for us as a sector?
8. I believe there are three key moves we must make, to remain dynamic, forward-looking and future-ready.
a. First, we must leverage technology for greater impact.
b. Second, we must continue to develop social service agencies, or SSAs, that are strong and capable; and
c. Third, we must uplift professionals within the sector. Let me elaborate.
Leveraging Technology for Greater Impact
9. First, we will help agencies and professionals leverage technology for greater impact, as the volume and complexity of our work increases.
a. NCSS President Anita mentioned the strategies that NCSS is adopting to enhance digitalisation. Allow me to take a macro lens and share our overarching vision for digital transformation in the sector.
10. We envision a social service sector enabled by technology, one that is Innovative, Data-powered, Efficient, Accessible, and Linked – or IDEAL for short. Let me elaborate.
a. First, an Innovative sector is one that proactively leverages emerging technologies that impact social services.
b. Second, a Data-powered sector is empowered to make better decisions based on evidence, to maximise the impact of our work.
c. Third, services can be made more Efficient but also Accessible by leveraging AI, automation, and digital experiences where appropriate;
d. Lastly, digitalisation can help us Link our eco-system, through providing common platforms to coordinate services and share data effectively. This complements our broader effort to encourage strategic partnerships and collaborations across the sector.
11. To realise this vision for digital transformation, we will start by ensuring our systems are well-integrated and support service delivery.
a. Over the years, we have rolled out systems such as SSNet, OneCV and CaseConnect, to improve the integration of social services.
b. Building on these efforts, MSF will be rolling out a new system named CaseCentral, to replace SSNet progressively.
c. Leveraging new technologies such as AI, CaseCentral will transform case management through streamlined processes, automated workflows and providing holistic insights on clients and their families.
d. This will enable MSF and SSAs to deliver integrated and timely support for our clients.
12. To complement our systems, we will also implement digital tools that support the sector.
a. One example, as Anita has mentioned, is Scribe, an AI-powered tool that transcribes and summarises conversations in multiple languages, including English, Mandarin, Malay, and even Singlish, into case notes.
b. This was developed by Open Government Products (OGP), and made available to eligible SSAs since January this year.
13. With these new systems and tools, we can leverage technology to enhance our sector’s reach, deepen our impact, and better serve those in need.
Strengthening the Capabilities of SSAs
14. Our second move is to strengthen SSAs. We are deeply invested in doing so, and have already come some way.
a. For example, in 2022, NCSS launched the Organisational Health Framework for Social Services. This comprehensive tool allows SSAs to assess themselves across multiple domains and identify areas of growth and improvement.
b. As of mid-last month, 46 SSAs that embarked on capability-building projects, with support from the Community Capability Trust, saw improvements in their scores under the Framework. This reflects that they have become better equipped to provide effective services.
15. We will do more. This SG60 year, we want to recognise and amplify the tremendous impact that SSAs make in shaping lives and communities. To honour their impact and empower their future, I am heartened that the sector can now benefit from the $7.5 million dollar SG60 Towards Sustainability Fund.
i. The Fund will provide a special one-off grant of $30,000 to eligible SSAs, to encourage them to build robust capabilities for measuring the impact of their programmes in a systematic and meaningful way.
ii. With enhanced evaluation capabilities, SSAs will be better equipped to assess the effectiveness of their initiatives, refine their services, and deliver stronger support for their clients.
iii. They will also be in a better position to attract sustained funding from donors, which ensures that their impactful programmes continue to thrive.
16. With these efforts, it is both timely and critical to strengthen NCSS’s role from membership body to sector developer, as NCSS President Anita mentioned.
17. And therefore, NCSS will journey alongside SSAs and continue to offer relevant resources where applicable, to complement the SG60 Towards Sustainability Fund.
18. SSAs are the cornerstone of our social service landscape. We remain committed to recognising their contributions, amplifying their impact, and strengthening their capabilities.
Uplifting Professionals
19. Now, allow me to turn to another important group – the social service professionals themselves.
i. Our professionals are at the heart of the social service sector. Today, we have more than 20,000 in a wide range of job roles – from social workers, psychologists, occupational and speech therapists, to youth workers and professionals in corporate functions, just to name a few.
ii. Their commitment, expertise, and service are an immense contribution to our society.
20. This is precisely why MSF designated this SG60 year as the Year of Celebrating Social Service Professionals.
a. As we reflect on our journey and envision the path ahead, it is vital to honour the contributions of social service professionals, because they have been instrumental in shaping Singapore into a more compassionate and caring nation.
b. This year, we have publicised the meaningful work of social service professionals on various channels, to raise awareness of the different roles in the sector and inspire greater appreciation for their many contributions.
c. We also launched the Social Services Heritage Trail, in partnership with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), to tell the story of our sector and its professionals. Through a journey across key historical sites, the Trail showcases how communities and individuals stepped forward to support those in need.
d. Later this evening, the inaugural Social Service Professional Awards will also be presented. This will acknowledge the excellent work of diverse professionals across career fields ranging from social work to therapy to corporate services.
21. On top of recognising professionals, we are committed to supporting them in the important work they do.
a. To retain our dedicated professionals, the sector must also offer salaries that reflect their hard work and skillsets.
b. That is why we regularly review the salary ranges in our Skills and Salary Guidelines, and engage employers to strengthen adherence to them, to ensure that the sector is competitive and talented people want to join us.
c. Today, about 80% of employees in the social service sector are paid according to these guidelines.
d. We will continue to uplift our social service professionals at each stage of their careers, from offering avenues and grants for professional development and upskilling, to working with SSAs to create supportive and empowering work environments.
Conclusion
22. Allow me to conclude by quoting a well-known saying: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
a. It is in coming together that we have the confidence to face the challenges and harness the opportunities of the future.
23. At this juncture, I would like to thank all our partners for journeying with us over the years.
a. In particular, I want to celebrate our social service professionals.
b. You have worked tirelessly to serve the community, with passion and commitment.
c. Thank you for making our society more caring and inclusive.
24. May our time together at the Summit allow us to foster stronger collaborations, learn from each other, and develop new capabilities that will strengthen our sector.
25. I wish you all a fruitful time at the Summit. Thank you.