Toa Payoh / Neighbour Cares / Volunteer Befrienders (in partnership with YCLP)

About the Activity

This programme is in partnership with Youth Corps Singapore – Youth Corps Leadership Programme.

Neighbour Cares aims to build a community of volunteers to check in on seniors (especially those experiencing social disconnectedness) regularly for any signs of distress. Through the befriending process, seniors will be encouraged by volunteers to be active and get connected with the wider community in Toa Payoh.

https://tnp.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/man-94-found-dead-toa-payoh-flat-after-neighbours-detect-foul-smell-days

Volunteers must be:

• Between the age of 17 to 35 years old
• Comfortable to converse & interact with seniors. Being fluent in Mandarin, or knowing a dialect (Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew) is a bonus!
• Able to commit to the weekly home visits for a period of 10 weeks from the week of 23 March to 25 May 2025, and participate in the programme milestones (i.e. Welcome Tea session and Orientation & Training on 22 March 2025)

Volunteers are expected to:

• Be responsible – Engage isolated seniors via doorstep visits on a weekly basis through conversations and simple activities, on their own arrangements
• Be proactive – Encourage seniors to be active & connected to their community
• Be accountable – Fill in an online form after each visit to keep the Active Ageing Centre staff informed on the senior's wellbeing

Additional Note:

• Volunteers will be organised into groups of 3-4 pax
• Each group will be assigned 6-8 seniors to befriend
• Day/Time of visits are determined by volunteers' availability as well as the seniors'
• Training will be provided on 22 March 2025
• Transportation costs (eg: cost of travelling to the estate to and fro any points) will not be covered.
• Volunteers will be given a Youth Corps Singapore volunteer t-shirt & a Care Corner volunteer lanyard, to be worn during their weekly visits