Social workers in Singapore: More than kindness and patience required as work evolves with societal shifts
As they are being recognised for their vital contributions, authorities see the need to ensure competitive salaries and good work environments
SINGAPORE — In the bustling streets of Singapore, where the hectic pace of life often overlooks the silent struggles of its youth, Flora Tan, a senior social worker at Care Corner Singapore, stands as a steadfast pillar of support.
The 28-year-old recently earned recognition at the annual Outstanding Social Worker Awards, being one of three social workers honoured at the ceremony held at the Istana on 17 November. She received the Promising Social Worker Award from guest-of-honour, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
President Tharman acknowledged the critical role that social workers play, saying, "You are often the first person whom those facing major difficulties turn to for help and advice on everything from financial and housing assistance, to employment, to emotional support. You also played a key role supporting those impacted by the pandemic."
From defiance to trust
Tan sheds light on the often-misunderstood world of youth work. "This one youth that I met, he was expelled from school because he got into a fight. And when he met me, he said, 'I do not need youth workers'," she told Yahoo Southeast Asia.
Undeterred by the initial rejection, she persisted, reaching out despite the defiance. "He sent me a picture of his middle finger, but I continued engaging him whenever I saw him," she said.
Months later, an unexpected text marked a turning point. "He texted to ask me if I was free to talk. So it turns out that he was going through some relationship issues. He later texted me a picture of a thumbs-up gesture.
"From middle finger to thumbs up, it shows how important it is for our youth to feel they have someone behind them unconditionally," she reflected.
Tan's dedication to the field traces back to her own struggles during her junior college days, when she felt lost and purposeless amid studying for the A Levels. It was this introspection that ignited her passion for working with young people, rooted in experiences witnessing friends coping with familial issues and self-harm.
"When I was 17, I had a friend who had a lot of family issues," she recalled. "We would spend hours just sitting together. She would share with me a lot of the emotions that she felt, and she was also coping with it at that time by self-harming."
The memory resonates as Tan recognises this struggle is common among many young people today. "Adolescence is that time where emotions can feel very intense and overwhelming. Youths are typically misunderstood. What they really need is a safe, supportive, trusted adult to share what's on their heart," she said.
Is social work just about kindness and patience?
Flora was recognised for her innovative approaches like the "Make Up Your Mind" programme, which involves using woodworking and creating various wood items as a therapeutic activity. It aims to enhance the mental health of students, such as those who exhibit juvenile delinquency and behavioural issues.
Her grasp of today's youth challenges comes from constant, round-the-clock engagement sessions with them on the ground. She also believes that the role of a social worker is evolving, and it demands a host of skills beyond empathy – conflict management, evaluation, advocacy for social justice and systemic navigation.
"The kind of issues that we encounter today, especially among young people, they're not straightforward at all. For example, if they're committing a crime, it could be a whole slew of reasons," she explained.
"It could be lack of feeling competent in school, or they don't feel that there is some skill that they can grow in or develop, and so they turned to fast cash, getting money in illegal ways. They could feel that they don't have a future they can foresee worth protecting. So actually, there are many reasons behind a particular behaviour.
"(Social work) is more than just about kindness and patience. It requires critical thinking about complex issues people face."
How social work has evolved
Tan Sze Wee, president of the Singapore Association of Social Workers, also highlighted the evolving landscape of social work. Reflecting on the profession's roots, she emphasised the core principle of identifying and bridging societal gaps.
Tan recalled the historical challenges faced by families back when her association was established in 1971. They lacked access to education and financial assistance, and there were few educational opportunities for children with disabilities.
"Now look where we are now; the narrative has changed. The focus has shifted from mere access to education to viewing it as a fundamental right. We now emphasise inclusion, equal opportunities, and supporting the aspirations of individuals with disabilities," she said.
She stressed the continual need for social workers to stay attuned to societal shifts and the commitment to advocating for vulnerable individuals and families across various domains like disabilities, child protection, mental health, and the seniors.
Expressing concern over misconceptions about the profession, Tan emphasised the necessity to raise awareness and enhance the understanding of the roles of social workers. While frontline work is crucial, equally important roles like data analysis and policy shaping addressing social issues also require social work perspectives and values.
Meeting increasing demands for workers
Addressing the demanding nature of the job and mental health support, Tan mentioned several initiatives to support social workers, such as regular mentorship and peer support and ongoing efforts to create better work environments.
However, she expressed concern over the membership engagement, saying, "We have more than 2,000 registered social workers, but in terms of membership, we have about 600. It suggests to us that our social workers may not be seeing the value proposition of coming together."
During a Parliamentary response in 2021, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) addressed concerns about the shortage or surplus of social workers. It highlighted that the number of social workers has grown in the past five years, and attributed the growth to programmes like the Singapore University of Social Sciences' Bachelor in Social Work, alongside ongoing Continuing Education and Training (CET) initiatives.
These efforts have contributed to a pool of 2,100 registered social workers by the end of 2020, with MSF expecting the supply of social workers to be sufficient to meet the increase in demand in the coming years.
This ministry added it will continue to work with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) and the Ministry of Education to plan the pipeline of graduates from Institutes of Higher Learning with social work qualifications. It will also ensure the attractiveness of social work positions by improving human resource competencies and promoting salary guidelines that advocate competitive remuneration packages.
Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli announced in March that salaries within the social service sector would experience an increase ranging between 4 and 15 per cent. MSF and NCSS have revised the salary guidelines for various professions and job levels across the sector.
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