The Singapore Together Alliance for Action (AfA) on Emerging Needs and Volunteerism has been set up, and will focus on increasing support for mental wellness in the community, provide space and opportunities for seniors to learn innovatively, and facilitate the matching of donations-in-kind.

Image credit: Loving Heart Multi-Service Centre, a key partner of the mental wellness track under this AfA

Under the Singapore Together Alliance for Action on Corporate Purpose, the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre is inviting businesses to co-design and co-develop a national framework and blueprint for corporate purpose – an approach that places purpose (e.g. social, environmental) as the driving force of a firm besides profit-maximisation.

There will be SG Cares Volunteer Centres (VC) in all 24 towns by March 2022 to enhance town-based volunteerism. The VCs will coordinate volunteers and resources to meet community needs, forge partnerships with local stakeholders, and strengthen their capabilities and processes for better volunteer management.

The Business and IPC Partnership Scheme will be extended by two years from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023. It will provide support to Institutions of a Public Character (IPC) by encouraging corporate volunteerism and promoting closer partnerships between IPCs and businesses.

More volunteering opportunities will be provided through Youth Corps Singapore (YCS) and SG Cares initiatives.

In 2021, the Youth Corps Leaders Programme and Programme X target to offer 1,400 opportunities. In addition, YCS will offer about 4,000 online and physical opportunities.

MCCY is working together with the Tote Board and the National Council of Social Service to develop the first-ever technology hub for non-profit organisations to accelerate their digital transformation. This technology hub will serve as a one-stop portal for key Info-Communication Technology services.

A new Self-Employed Person (SEP) Grant with a grant quantum of up to $50,000 per project will be introduced to support arts and culture freelancers who wish to collaborate on projects with one another, or with other organisations.

Image credit: Joseph Nair

A new Business Transformation Fund will be introduced to help arts and culture organisations become more efficient and sustainable.

It comprises a new Business Transformation Grant (up to $30,000 for a company-specific project and up to $200,000 for a multi-organisational project), as well as commissions and partnerships to pilot solutions.

A second tranche of the ACRP Operating Grant will be introduced to help key arts and culture organisations defray their operating costs. Qualifying organisations will receive $35,000 each, in July 2021 (tentative).

The venue hire subsidy of 80% will be extended for another 3 months from April 2021 to June 2021. MCCY will also expand the list of eligible venues.

Image credit: The Arts House

MCCY will be conducting a review of the Cultural Matching Fund (CMF) with the Ministry of Finance towards an additional top-up of the fund in 2022. The review will build on the fund’s past successes in uplifting the arts and culture sector and encouraging philanthropy, and improve its efficacy by ensuring that it is implemented in tandem with other funding and support measures.

A new Self-Employed Person (SEP) Project Grant will provide additional support to sport and fitness SEPs, to support collaborations among SEPs and/or with businesses to develop projects that enhance the health and wellness of Singaporeans. The grant is capped at $25,000 per application.

For businesses, the $3 million Enterprise Innovation and Capability Development Grant will be topped up by another $22.5 million, and extended over five years (FY2021-2025). Grant application details will be available on SportSG’s website in April 2021.

MCCY will extend the Operating Grant at a quantum of up to 15% of total operating expenses, capped at $10,000 per month, from April 2021 to December 2021 to continue to provide short-term financial support to critical sport businesses.

MCCY will also extend the Training Allowance Grant and the Structured Mentorship Programme by another year to March 2022.

This year, SportSG will launch the Active Health Corporate Playbook, which will include a Health Coach Management Framework, to help organisations embrace sport and leverage health and wellness as their competitive advantage. SportSG will also collaborate with organisations to help them become "Well-Workplaces".

As part of the Nurture Kids Programme, all pre-schools in Singapore will have access to the Nurture Kids Train-the-Trainer initiative by 2022. In addition, more activities and events for families will be rolled out this year under SportSG’s Active Parents programme.

The Changi Chapel and Museum, and Reflections at Bukit Chandu will reopen in mid-2021 and the second half of 2021 respectively.

The Malay Heritage Centre will be closed for redevelopment in early 2022.

The Singapore Philatelic Museum will reopen as Singapore’s first dedicated children’s museum in 2022.

Peranakan Museum will reopen in Q1 2023 with refreshed offerings.

The Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCC) supported vulnerable groups that were affected by COVID-19. The IRCC also disseminated advisory guidelines to religious organisations.

The Mission:Unite Hackathon in November 2020 gathered over 200 participants to pitch innovative ideas on cohesion.

The Harmony Fund supported 13 community-led dialogues and other initiatives that promote racial and religious harmony.

MCCY, the National Arts Council and the National Heritage Board will develop an Arts and Culture Digital Roadmap in consultation with stakeholders. This roadmap will provide a framework for the adoption of digital solutions to improve operational productivity, and enhancing the experiences of audiences and museum visitors to leave a deeper impact on them.

A new dedicated Cultural Medallion (CM) Gallery will be launching in Q4 2021 at The Arts House. The Gallery will showcase the artistic practices and works of our CM recipients.

A national digital repository of the CM recipients’ works will also be made available to the public.

A series of focus group sessions with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds will be conducted in 2021 to identify potential Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) elements to be nominated for UNESCO’s Representative List of ICH of Humanity.

Singaporeans will be invited to share their feedback on the shortlist. More details on the engagements will be available at a later date.

An exhibition that showcases Singapore’s preservation journey of all 73 National Monuments will run at the National Museum of Singapore from June 2021 to September 2021.

National Monuments, including the former Istana Kampong Gelam, the main building of the Istana, the National Museum of Singapore, and the former Empress Place Building, will be undergoing restoration.

There will be a year-long celebration of the Museum Roundtable’s 25th anniversary this year, anchored by two key programmes.

A series of museum tours will be conducted during weekends from May 2021 to June 2021 to explore lesser-known museums in Singapore.

A family-friendly travelling exhibition will be held at various Museum Roundtable museums and public spaces in November 2021.

A public call for artefacts and stories relating to Singapore’s founding values and key milestones in the history of our independence will be put out in Q3 2021. These will be contributed to the galleries and gardens in the Founders’ Memorial.

The National Museum of Singapore will be extending its call for contributions of objects and stories for Collecting Contemporary Singapore until June 2021.

Implementation of the national football project Unleash the Roar! will focus on eight pillars: (i) Let Them Play – increasing interest among our young and rolling out a National Football Curriculum; (ii) Let Them Soar – enhancing coaching support in schools; (iii) Scholarships; (iv) National Service; (v) Enhanced Technical Capacity and Capability; (vi) Science and Technology; (vii) Infrastructure; and (viii) Whole-of-Society Partnership.

The Safe Sport Commission has introduced the Safe Sport Programme to address abuse and harassment in sports through three key actions – Prevent, Address and Assure. The programme includes a Unified Code against misconduct in the sporting environment, enhanced case management, and an Accreditation Framework.

Computer Vision Systems with improved video technology will be introduced, enhancing the suite of technology tools used by Team Singapore athletes.

In addition to campaign support, MCCY and SportSG will facilitate outbound travel for athletes participating in overseas competitions, and schedule participating athletes, coaches and officials for COVID-19 vaccinations.

SportSG will engage industry stakeholders on the Industry Development Plan (FY21-25) to sharpen its approach in growing a more economically vibrant and sustainable sports sector in Singapore.

Two areas of focus will be the enhancement of digital capabilities and innovation, and the improvement of workforce capabilities.

As of February 2021, 510 traineeship positions have been provided under the Force For Good Scheme.

As of mid-February 2021, over 400 opportunities have been offered under the YouthTech programme.

The Youth Corps Internship Scheme will offer 400 placements.

The Asia-Ready Exposure Programme aims to reach 10,000 youths per year on a regular basis after 2022.

MCCY and National Youth Council will promote the healthy use of online platforms and safeguard the mental wellbeing of youths through partnerships with stakeholders such as tech companies.

Youths will be able to navigate youth-centric content, resources, and opportunities in areas such as jobs, skills, and mental wellbeing through Youthopia.

375 youths shared their views across 6 sessions of the Emerging Stronger Conversations from July 2020 to September 2020.

Over 440 youths participated in the Youth Action Challenge. Season 3 is scheduled for the second half of 2021.

Over 350 youths voiced their views at the dialogue on criminal justice and sentencing framework, and 3 dialogues on women-related issues.