SINGAPORE: The Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) launched its largest volunteer recruitment drive on Saturday (Apr 22), with a call for 10,000 volunteers to join in its Silver Alliance for Seniors – a series of outreach programmes aimed at improving the lives of seniors.
The programmes, which were first launched about four years ago, range from home refurbishment works – like painting, cleaning and fumigation – to volunteers befriending seniors living in the area and taking them to local areas of interest. Last year, about 9,000 volunteers took part.
Saturday’s recruitment drive launch comes as the area, like most of the country, grapples with an ageing population. It also comes amid ongoing efforts to increase assistance for low-income seniors that live in the district’s more than 30,000 rental flats – more than half of the total number in Singapore.
“This volunteer-driven effort to better their living environment is a continuous task,” said Central Singapore District Mayor Denise Phua at the launch, which saw students from Teck Ghee Primary School, Pathlight School and Raffles Institution help clean 32 units in Ang Mo Kio.
“We need the help and strength of many more volunteers – individuals, groups, or organisations,” she added. “I hope that many more will come forward.”
