Recognising grassroots leaders' contributions to serving the community

Response to parliamentary question on benefits given to grassroots leaders and advisers

Question

Mr Png Eng Huat: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what are the past and current benefits given to grassroots leaders and advisers in terms of housing priority, primary school admission, allowance, and other benefits in kind.

Response

Minister Chan Chun Sing, Deputy Chairman, People’s Association: Grassroots Leaders (GRLs) are volunteers who serve the community actively. They help bond residents to weave our social fabric; gather feedback for government to improve our policies and services; and they help to close the last mile in our policy communications and delivery.

1. The Government recognises GRLs’ contributions and facilitates their community work. Information on these schemes has been provided during previous Parliament sittings and has also been made available online separately.
2. To facilitate their work, like engaging residents and conducting community activities, GRLs may apply for a special parking label after first purchasing a HDB season parking label. This label allows them to park at designated car parks up to 11pm in the constituency they serve.
3. Eligible GRLs can apply for P1 registration for their children under Phase 2B in schools within the constituency they reside in. This is similar to school and parent volunteers. Eligible GRLs can apply for BTO flats and ECs under a HDB scheme. These long serving GRLs typically help to bond the new communities in the new estates. These schemes recognise the GRLs’ contributions to community building and provide platforms for them to continue strengthening their community services.
4. To facilitate their work in their constituencies, Grassroots Advisers (GRAs) may also apply for the special parking label, after first purchasing a HDB season parking label. GRAs are not eligible for the P1 registration or HDB schemes mentioned above.