Grassroots leaders help to mediate neighbour disputes informally

Response to parliamentary question on the role of Grassroots Leaders (GRLs) in neighbour disputes and training provided to GRLs

Written PQ 5465 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) in each year from 2020 to 2023, how many residents (i) sought help from or (ii) were referred to People's Association grassroots leaders (GRLs) to assist in resolving neighbour disputes; (b) what proportion of such facilitations resolved the neighbour disputes; (c) what training are GRLs provided to perform these duties; and (d) whether all GRLs who are deployed for these duties are first sent for training.

1. The People’s Association (PA)’s core mission is to promote racial harmony and social cohesion, and build a strong and resilient community in Singapore. This is achieved through our network of volunteers on the ground, serving and connecting with our residents across all neighbourhoods in Singapore. Amongst these volunteers are our Grassroots Leaders (GRLs), who are the critical backbone of our volunteer network and they serve our community actively. They help to bond residents to promote neighbourliness, gather feedback for the government to improve our policies and services, and be the last mile in our policy communications and delivery. They have become established and trusted leaders in their communities because of their sincerity, patience, good knowledge of government policy and rapport built with their neighbours over the years.
2. From time to time, there will be local neighbour disputes of different natures arising from a variety of factors such as personal differences and local neighbourhood disamenities. As residents involved in these neighbour disputes are often known to the GRLs, GRLs would step in to try and resolve these conflicts peacefully and amicably by providing informal counselling and mediation. GRLs do not track the number of neighbour disputes that they have had to assist in, as such interventions are part of their day-to-day volunteer work in the community.
3. To better support GRLs in mediating community disputes, PA provides training in basic mediation techniques and skills for nominated GRLs. PA has also developed protocols to guide trained GRLs on the steps to take during mediations. These steps include visiting neighbours in pairs and maintaining neutrality throughout the mediation process. Developing a core group of GRLs trained in mediation would also support the Government’s efforts in strengthening the Community Dispute Management Framework (CDMF).