SPS Volunteer Awards 2024 – Speech by Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development

Commissioner of Prisons,

Friends and colleagues,

Our cherished volunteers and family members,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. A very good evening to everyone. I am happy to join you for this year’s Singapore Prison Service Volunteer Awards Ceremony.

2. We are here today to recognise and celebrate the contributions of our volunteers and the positive impact they have made in the lives of inmates, ex-offenders and their families.

3. This year, 505 volunteers will receive the Long Service Award. Four volunteers will receive the Throughcare Hero award, for their outstanding dedication in providing throughcare support.

4. We will also recognise 66 partnering organisations for their diverse and invaluable contributions.

5. Thank you, and congratulations to all award recipients for your achievements. Thank you.

Essential Role of Volunteers

6. Singapore’s rehabilitation approach is anchored on the strong partnership between the government and the community.

7. Today, SPS has 4,200 volunteers from all walks of life. SPS also partners with more than 60 organisations including social service agencies and private companies.

8. In addition to working with you, our Captains of Lives and our partners, I also had a chance to meet my overseas counterparts from other correction institutions. When they heard the number of volunteers we have, what you do, and how you contribute, they were in awe. Especially since many of them have volunteers only during the incare stage, but not the aftercare stage.

9. But we are fortunate. We have volunteers for throughcare who are involved throughout the whole process. It is a special, extraordinary thing that we have, where the community and the government work together to care for our inmates. We want to see how we can continue strengthen this so that we can provide them opportunities to have better lives.

10. Through the commitment, resources and networks of our volunteers and partners, we are able to deliver effective and meaningful programmes to inmates.

11. Beyond the prison walls, volunteers and partners provide care and support to ex-offenders as they embark on their desistance journey in the community. This phase is especially meaningful and important. Your support helps the ex-offenders sustain their commitment to change. Your guidance leads them to new prosocial networks and a positive lifestyle.

12. With the support of volunteers and partners, we are also able to reach out to the children and families who have been impacted by incarceration. You offer them much-needed support, and help them rebuild their lives.

Recognising Volunteers

13. To many of you, service to your fellow Singaporeans is not just part of your life. It has become your life’s work. Some of you say “I have been doing this for so many years. If I don’t do this, I feel that something’s missing.” As some of our community leaders say, volunteering “is in our blood”.

14. We are very fortunate to have so many passionate volunteers and dedicated organisations partnering us in this journey, and truly believing in the cause.

15. One example is Jenny Lim, one of the Throughcare Hero Award recipients. Jenny is a volunteer religious counsellor from Christian Counselling Service, or CCS in short. She regularly visits inmates in prison to conduct faith-based programmes and provide them with spiritual and emotional support. Jenny does this because she was touched by the warmth and belief of CCS and the volunteers, when she herself was in prison many years ago. A former drug abuser, Jenny had spent years going in and out of prison. The help from CCS and the volunteers, their belief in her, and their continued support to her after her release had helped Jenny turn her life around. For the last 25 years, Jenny has set out to use her life story to inspire those under her care. Indeed, she is a role model to many inmates, ex-offenders and volunteers alike. Thank you, Jenny.

16. Another example is Sufian, who is also a Throughcare Hero award recipient. Since his release from prison more than 10 years ago, Sufian has made it his mission to help others. He is actively involved in facilitating motivational talks and support groups for inmates in prison. Sufian encourages the inmates under his care to continue to be involved in support groups when they are released. And many of them do. At these support groups, Sufian lends a listening ear and provides moral support to help ex-offenders as well as their families, to overcome their drug addiction and other real-life challenges. He also shares useful advice to help strengthen family bonds and relationships.

17. The dedication and commitment shown by volunteers such as Jenny and Sufian and the rest of you are truly commendable. Please join me in thanking them and all volunteers for your tireless contributions.

Going Forward

18. Looking back, our collective efforts have yielded encouraging results. The two-year recidivism rate continues to be among the lowest in the world. It was 22% for the 2021 release cohort, that is, 4 in 5 ex-offenders continue to stay out of prison within two years of their release.

19. We could not have done it without all of you here. Thank you, for your trust in SPS and for walking this journey with us.

20. We will continue to work closely with our community partners, to sustain and further strengthen our efforts.

21. Corrections 2030 was unveiled by SPS earlier this year at its corporate workplan seminar. It sets out the roadmap that SPS will undertake to reduce long-term recidivism, better support the reintegration of offenders, and prevent intergenerational offending.

22. Neither the government nor any single agency can do it all. This is a whole-of-society endeavour and every one of us plays a part – volunteers, family members and friends.

23. Recently, I visited Ms Nina, not her real name, a mother of 4 young children. Unfortunately, her husband had re-offended again and was incarcerated for drug-related offences. Although this was difficult both emotionally and financially for Nina and her family, she maintains a strong and positive outlook with the help from volunteers and community partners. They include FITRAH volunteers who befriend Nina and her children, MENDAKI who support her children’s developmental and educational needs, and the Indian Muslim Social Service Association who provide them with monthly food distributions. With the many avenues of support for her husband in prison, and for her and her children in the community, Nina is hopeful that their lives will turn around for the better.

24. We have to double down on our efforts to strengthen support for those like Nina and her family, and prevent the vicious cycle of intergenerational drug abuse and offending from taking root.

25. I would also like to thank the family members of the volunteers, their loved ones who may have made sacrifices to enable out volunteers to help others during the weekends and their free time. So, our sincere appreciation to all our volunteers’ family members for giving the opportunity for your loved ones to contribute. Thank you!

Conclusion

26. Once again, congratulations to all award recipients, for your dedication and hard work. It is truly well-deserved and I am absolutely inspired by what you do.

27. Thank you.