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Singaporeans being more kind and gracious towards others, reveals Singapore Kindness Movement survey

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5 years ago

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According to the latest Graciousness Survey commissioned by the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM), it is said that considerate behaviour among local residents have progressed and corresponded with an improvement in more international acts like volunteering and donating.

In addition to that, more youths are aware of their roles towards building a gracious society, and want to make an impact in creating a greater community.

“It only takes a few seconds to be kind to others, and it can change someone’s day. It can even create a ripple effect where others are inspired to be kind to those around them too. You can be greater with the simplest of acts,” said Angelo, a man who espouses such beliefs and is inspired by his late father to help those in need.

The survey, which is conducted annually, provides behavioural insights and indicators on graciousness and kindness in the country, leading to the targeted communications and initiative that aim to make Singapore a nice, more pleasant place to live in.

The study polled a demographically representative sample of 2,071 respondents via face-to-face interviews from August 2018 to March 2019.

Significant improvements in satisfaction with neighbour relationships

It appears that respondents are generally satisfied with the current state of neighbourliness, and most share that they exchange casual greetings with their neighbours.

The survey also found that respondents believe that they are able to rely on their neighbours in times of emergency.

Commenting on this, General Secretary of SKM, Dr William Wan reflected, “I’m glad to see the overall improvement in neighbourliness. We see our neighbours almost every day and they can be the first to help in times of need. Start with a simple smile, and get to know our neighbours better; it may be the start of a budding friendship.”

Parents recognise their pivotal role in inculcating moral values in children

The survey results continue to show that parents agree they should play the primary role in educating their children about gracious values.

However, parents also feel challenged by external influences such as friends and articles that their children come across on the Internet.

To address this, SKM has various resources available for parents to discuss and interact with their children on. These include Kindsville animation videos uploaded 4-5 times a year on SKM’s YouTube channel, and the accompanying Kindsville Times distributed quarterly to all primary school students. There is a Kindsville Times Jr edition for pre-schoolers, who are also hosted for pre-booked Kindsville Tours at The Kindness Gallery in Stamford Court.

Fear of embarrassment prevents many from being kind

Although there’s a positive sign of improvement to be kind among most people, but the study also found that fear of embarrassment and being mocked appears to hold many from showing their kindness.

Among the general population, lack of situational awareness (i.e. not being aware of others’ need for help/being unsure of how to help) is cited among the top reasons for not being outwardly kind, and older folks in particular were more concerned on whether they had the ability to help.

In a move to help curb this problem, SKM will continue to build on the “Be Greater” campaign that was launched in July last year. To inspire and nudge Singaporeans, the campaign features characters who are based on real people.

On SKM’s YouTube channel and social media platforms, there are 7 backstory videos of the real people and their purposeful acts of kindness, who share their own experiences on why they chose to act as they saw opportunities around them.

This communicates that everyone can be greater by being proactively kind within their own circles, including in very ordinary neighbourhood settings.

Everyday situations, made kinder by these everyday real people, highlight how being greater is something achievable by all. “Be Greater” is a call for everyone to be better versions of ourselves, for a more gracious Singapore.

Partnership with Starbucks to encourage graciousness

Encouraged by the results from the study and the previous collaboration, SKM and Starbucks will organise a second partnership for the continuation of “Be Greater” campaign.

Expanding from One Kindness Café in 2018 to all 143 outlets islandwide this year, patrons who are spotted sharing their tables with others will receive a special edition of Starbucks Be Greater pin from 8-12 July. They will also receive S$1 off their next drink’s purchase which can be redeemed by 14 July.

“I am heartened to see the perception of graciousness improving in Singapore, and more corporate collaborations with the Singapore Kindness Movement,” Dr Wan concluded.

“This shows that we are progressing in the right direction towards becoming a Nation of Kindness. Singapore Kindness Movement will continue to remind Singaporeans that kindness starts from within, and everyone is capable of greatness.”

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Part of Marine Parade experiences flooding after water pipe damage

Flooding occurred in Marine Parade on Friday morning (4 October) after a water pipe was damaged during lift retrofitting works near Block 67 Marine Drive. MP Dr Tan See Leng confirmed repairs are ongoing, with no disruption to water supply. Road access was restored later in the day.

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20 hours ago

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4 October 2024

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SINGAPORE: On Friday (4 October), parts of Marine Parade, including Marine Drive and Still Road South, experienced flooding following the damage of a water pipe.

The incident occurred at approximately 11.40 am during lift retrofitting works at the pedestrian overhead bridge near Block 67 Marine Drive.

Videos shared on social media show floodwaters extending onto surrounding roads.

Dr Tan See Leng, Manpower Minister and also a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, in a Facebook post confirmed that a damaged pipe led to water flowing onto Still Road South and nearby HDB blocks.

Dr Tan said the damaged water pipe has been isolated, and repairs are currently underway, with no disruption to water supply for local residents.

Staff at the Marine Parade Community Centre are in the process of restoring counter services, having previously faced difficulties accessing the area due to flooding.

Dr Tan noted that contractors from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are collaborating with the Marine Parade Town Council to clean the affected region, aiming to complete the cleanup by Friday evening.

In an update posted at 4.53 pm, Dr Tan announced that road access along Still Road South had resumed, expressing gratitude to PUB, the Marine Parade Town Council, and the dedicated workers for their swift action in clearing the area just in time for peak hour traffic.

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WMP raises over S$1,600 in a day to help struggling family clear outstanding water bill

Workers Make Possible (WMP) raised over S$1,600 in a single day to assist a struggling family living in a rental flat. The family’s water supply was reduced due to an outstanding S$900 bill. The mother has been severely ill for months, unable to work, leaving her husband, who earns less than S$2,000 per month after CPF deductions, as the sole breadwinner.

Published

2 days ago

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3 October 2024

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SINGAPORE: A struggling family living in a rental flat had their water supply reduced on 1 October, as revealed in an Instagram post by the workers’ rights advocacy group, Workers Make Possible (WMP).

In an effort to ease the family’s burden, a fundraiser was launched. By the evening of 1 October, S$1,620 had been raised.

Of this amount, S$1,200 was transferred to the family to fully clear their outstanding water bill and address other urgent expenses.

The family, which had been accumulating water bill arrears for several months, was informed by SP Group that their water supply would only be fully restored if they paid S$450 upfront—half of their total outstanding bill of S$900.

According to WMP, the mother of the family has been severely ill for months, leading to her inability to work.

As a result, her husband, who earns less than S$2,000 per month after CPF deductions, is the sole breadwinner for the family, which includes young children.

With the rising cost of living in Singapore, the family has struggled to manage household expenses, leading to unpaid bills, WMP shared in the post.

After contacting SP Group, the mother was told the water supply would resume if half of the arrears were paid. However, she could not afford the required S$450.

This situation occurs amid rising water prices in Singapore.

The government raised the price of water by 20 cents per cubic metre this year, with an additional increase of 30 cents planned for next year.

WMP argued that despite government subsidies, many low-income families continue to struggle to cover their basic utility bills.

“Subsidies offered by the government don’t come anywhere close to alleviating the struggles of poor families in paying these bills. PUB earned about $286 million in 2021,” WMP challenged.

To support the family, Workers Make Possible organised a fundraiser via PayNow. In a 5:30 pm update on 1 October, WMP announced that S$1,620 had been raised.

Of this amount, S$1,200 was sent to the family to clear their water bill, while the remaining S$420 will be used to assist a young warehouse worker struggling with illness and rent payments, WMP clarified.

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