As part of the Growing Together with KidSTART initiative, we are looking for volunteers to help with our outreach efforts. Our target is to support 5,000 KidSTART children by around 2023. Help us to engage eligible families and to reach our goal.
Expected commitment:
– At least 3 months (3 hours per outreach session), various locations.
– Required to attend 2-3 hours of training before deployment.
Befrienders help provide practical and administrative support to assigned KidSTART families. This includes child-minding activities, accompanying family member to the clinic and assisting the KidSTART worker in preparation and execution of KidSTART programmes.
Expected commitment:
– At least 6 months for 1-2 KidSTART families.
– Required to attend 2-3 hours of training before deployment.
Assist in the packing and/or delivery of essential aids or learning packs to the KidSTART families. Some opportunities may require the distribution volunteers to have their own transport and work in pairs (e.g. driver + accompanying passenger).
Provide support for the weekly community-based group sessions for parents or main caregivers and their toddlers (aged 1-3). For e.g. child engagement activities and setting up/packing up.
Expected commitment: At least 3 months.
KidSTART Outreach & Befriender will undergo a short training session before deployment.
The training session will last about 2.5hrs and will be conducted by our own Early Childhood consultant.
"The most memorable moment for me was helping a family to de-clutter their home. Initially, the lady I was helping was feeling very apprehensive about the process of clearing her home. However, as we started working together, she began to feel more confident about deciding what she should keep, donate or throw away. My role was merely to give her encouragement and support so that she could fulfil her desire to have a clutter free home."
"Corporate and individual volunteers have a part to play to help children from low-income families reach their full potential with early childhood care and development. Working with ECDA has allowed our volunteers to not only contribute to the children’s growth and learning in the early years, but also an opportunity to engage the parents in meaningful ways."
“One meaningful experience which stuck with me was how a pair of sisters who were disinterested in the programme when they first joined KidSTART, slowly opened up after I tried to meet them at where they were at, understanding and interacting with them. Now, when they see me at the hawker centers, they will run towards me with affection. Experiences like these give my volunteering journey with KidSTART such meaning and joy. I hope more people can volunteer with KidSTART to help support more families from low-income backgrounds. “
For this two-day event, we partnered with Neighbourhood Health Service Kids (NHS Kids) to offer free screening to children aged six and below residing in rental flats in the Boon Lay area. The event saw about 400 volunteers whom are medical, nursing and social work students from local tertiary institutions.
Besides the generous donation of $1 million as part of SP Group's Kids at Heart programme, volunteers from SP Group also helped to assemble and deliver the welcome and learning packs, and IT tools to the families. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Photo Credit: SP Group
Under the “Healthy with KidSTART” initiative, families will receive food and resources on early childhood nutrition. About 120 KidSTART families received fresh food packages in support of living a healthier lifestyle. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Photo Credit: Prudential Singapore