Homelessness in Singapore, where home ownership is among the highest in the world, is being addressed by a charity that leads displaced individuals towards a better life.

BY SANDHYA MAHADEVAN
 

Help finally came in the form of a representative at Family Service Centre, who referred him to New Hope Community Services (NHCS) and its newly opened shelter for the homeless, Transit Point @ Margaret Drive (TP@MD). The 55-year-old spent close to seven months there before being able to get back on his feet and buy an HDB flat for himself.

A SAFE SPACE
Edwin is not alone. In March 2020, when Malaysia abruptly closed its borders to contain the spread of the pandemic, many Malaysians and Singapore Permanent Residents, who commuted to Singapore daily, found themselves in a similar situation.

When the Singapore Government announced its Circuit Breaker lockdown on April 7, 2020, about 300 people came forward in search of shelter.

More than half that number comprised those for whom sleeping on park benches, outside the library and other public places was a way of life. “These rough sleepers find themselves in a state of homelessness due to circumstances that range from sickness to gambling and addiction problems, or from simply not being able to afford a place for the night on their meagre income,” explains Pastor Andrew Khoo, who founded NHCS in 2003 with the mission to house and shelter ex-offenders and other men in crisis.

Sure enough, when it opened 18 years ago, Transit Home @ Spooner was the first of his kind. But Pastor Khoo soon realised the need for a place to cater to rough sleepers such as Edwin, who had fallen on hard times. “There were halfway houses, and shelters supported by Catholic institutions and temples, but none that catered specifically to their needs or could house that many people for a prolonged period of time,” he elaborates.

Transit Point @ Margaret Drive offers shelter to rough sleepers as well as other needy individuals, such as Malaysian workers in Singapore, who found themselves without accommodation when the borders closed during the 2020 lockdown.

“PEOPLE NEED TO BE INSPIRED TO MAKE CHANGES ON THEIR OWN, AND IT IS NO DIFFERENT WITH THE HOMELESS OR ROUGH SLEEPERS. THESE PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR CONFIDENCE AND HOPE IN LIFE, SO THEY NEED US TO WALK ALONGSIDE THEM AND INSPIRE THEM. THAT IS THEIR STEPPING STONE TO REINTEGRATING INTO SOCIETY,” SAYS PASTOR ANDREW KHOO, FOUNDER, NHCS.

It is hard to imagine such a problem in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, where one assumes that everyone has the means to afford basic necessities like food and shelter, if not more.

But a study by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy published in 2019 proved otherwise. It estimated that at least 1,000 people, in a population of 5.5 million, live on the streets in Singapore.

The same year, Pastor Khoo set about his plans. The idea of establishing a transit home such as TP@MD – which would shelter and help rehabilitate rough sleepers – was birthed over a kopi (coffee in Malay) appointment between Pastor Khoo and Lee Kim Hua, a senior director at the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The site in Margaret Drive, which once housed Singapore’s first polyclinic (a healthcare facility managed by the Ministry of Health that provides subsidised outpatient medical care) was secured in mid-2019.

With the onset of the pandemic, there was no time to lose. The shelter needed to be set up and be in operation in record time to house the deluge of people who came in seeking help.

While NHCS staff, social workers and volunteers braved the elements – not to mention the risk of Covid-19 infection – to scour the city in search of stranded people and rough sleepers, an equal number of staff and volunteers worked hard on the ground to get the place ready. For this, they reconfigured the original layout of the site to a shelter that could house 70 people.

Renovating a property in the midst of a pandemic brought its own set of challenges. Sourcing items was just one of them, as even the bed frames ordered from Malaysia could not reach the team due to border closures.

Funds were also running low to facilitate a project of this scale. But thanks to the combined efforts of many, the place was set up in time. “Today, if you were to go to TP@ MD, everything that you see – cupboards, tables, chairs and fans – are all generous donations by individuals and organisations,” says Pastor Khoo in gratitude.

A story published in Our Better World (OBW), the digital storytelling platform of the Singapore International Foundation, brought in further donations while creating awareness of the issue of rough sleepers in Singapore. The story, which was viewed 316,062 times, led to 996 actions, including 758 shares and 201 comments on social media. Thanks to the OBW video and other forms of publicity measures, members of the public donated several pieces of furniture – including lockers and fans – that have indeed been useful for the residents.

MORE THAN A ROOF
The issue of rough sleeping goes beyond just providing a bed or a roof, says Pastor Khoo. The goal of NHCS and its five shelters (which include those that take in families) has always been to take a long-term point of view to ensure the social, emotional and mental needs of its clients are met. “Many of those who find themselves without a roof over their head are not necessarily lazy – there are many complex reasons for their state. This means that each case comes with its own unique challenges,” he explains.

NHCS works closely with trained social workers, who come up with care plans based on the individual needs of the rough sleepers – from tending to their health issues to helping them find permanent housing and placing them in jobs.

NHCS career coaches such as Gerard Chee extend their support and help match displaced people to suitable jobs. “During the pandemic, there was a shift in the job market, as restaurants and hotels wound down. Many in this sector lost their jobs, and we had to find them other opportunities in safety management, logistics and security,” says Chee, adding that NHCS also guides them in exploring other opportunities. “In addition, we encourage them to learn new skills. For instance, we regularly partner with training providers to enable our clients to acquire the skills of a cleaning supervisor, forklift driver, security officer and others.”

Over the years, the approach of NHCS has helped more than 900 families and 1,000 individuals. Its job support programme, which was initiated three years ago, helps over 100 individuals a year.

Ex-offender Derek*, who was released from prison under the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme, is one such person. After a few months at Transit Point @ Spooner and having participated in NHCS-initiated skills training programmes, he was recommended for a cleaning supervisor job.

“BEING AT TP@MD GAVE ME A UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO THIS HIDDEN PART OF SOCIETY. IT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE AND HOW I VIEW OTHER PEOPLE,” SAYS EDWIN, A FORMER BENEFICIARY.

Aside from arming him with the skills, the course further empowered him with its focus on improving his communication and problem-solving abilities. This, Derek says, has made a big difference in how he performs, and how his peers and bosses respond to him. “My life is much better now, not just because of the higher pay but also the trust and support my employers have in me to carry out my job,“ he adds.

BUILDING A FUTURE
The “client-centric” approach of NHCS separates it from other non-governmental organisations that also provide care to homeless people, says Chee. Although they use the word “client”, the approach is more personalised than formal.

Earlier this year, NHCS opened Kampung Siglap, a retreat and training centre in the eastern part of Singapore, for its clients and those from other social service organisations. Its objective is to help people who are facing homelessness and unemployment improve their situation. “A troubled mind does not have the bandwidth for talks. That’s why our focus is on retreats and training sessions that are interactive and creative,” explains Pastor Khoo.

The repurposed school block in Siglap houses spaces for contemplation, courts for various ball games, several training rooms and even a cooking studio, which is largely served by the in-house herb garden. There are also dormitories and private rooms for live-in camps, so people can gather and engage with each other – and yet practise the necessary social distancing measures. An idyllic garden setting with motivational quotes adds to the inspired journey. There’s also a café that is open to the public.

“Nobody can force anybody to change – not even close family members,” says Pastor Khoo. “People need to be inspired to make changes on their own, and it is no different with the homeless or rough sleepers. These people have lost their confidence and hope in life, so they need us to walk alongside them and inspire them. That is their stepping stone to reintegrating into society.”

As Edwin says, being at TP@MD gave him “unique insight” into this hidden part of society – a group of unseen people and their experiences. “It changed my perspective on life and how I view other people.”

For Pastor Khoo, the whys and hows are not important when people come to him. “We need to provide the initial aid, which is giving shelter, and then we can address other issues,” he says. He believes that the solution to the problem of rough sleepers is not something the government can provide either. “They do not have the resources to offer support that goes beyond providing structure. The three Ps – public, private and people – have to come together and extend help that has compassion at its core.”