Appreciating Prison Staff Volunteers

           
In April 2001, the Singapore Prisons Department launched a Staff Volunteers’ Scheme to encourage our officers to reach out to inmates, and the underprivileged in our community, promoting work-life balance and extending the scope of our helping profession. Besides tutoring and counselling inmates in drug and penal institutions, staff volunteers also help out at the Singapore Convalescent Home, Pertapis Children’s Home, Red Cross Home for the Disabled and Salvation Army. Family members of our staff are also encouraged to join in these activities to help the less fortunate. 

Since its launch, staff volunteerism has taken a quantum leap. Today, we have approximately 570 registered staff on our volunteer programmes. In conjunction with the national “Volunteers Month” in December 2002, the Department organised a Staff Appreciation Nite on 23 December 2002, in recognition and appreciation of our staff volunteers. Staff Appreciation Nite started off with a presentation of certificates and awards by the Director of Prisons, Mr Chua Chin Kiat, to 26 outstanding staff volunteers. The Director also took the opportunity to thank staff who had responded to the call of volunteerism since April 2001. He stressed the continued need to build a community of volunteers and volunteering within prisons. The candle which Mr Chua lighted in the finale, represents a hope that the fire of volunteerism will continue to burn more brightly in the future.

Caption:

Director of Prisons (top row, second from right), and several Staff Volunteers.