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Integrating New Citizens and Permanent Residents

04 July 2010 3 comments

The role of the Integration and Naturalisation Champions (INCs) mirrors Singapore’s early efforts in attracting immigrants to this tiny island of about 700sq km.  It is not only about attracting new immigrants but making them stay, and this can happen only if new immigrants feel welcomed and develop a sense of belonging.

The Bishan-Toa Payoh North INCs believe that the integration of new citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) should be a combined effort of the different segments of the community.  The INCs decided to form a three-tier committee comprising key grassroots leaders from the Citizens’ Consultative Committee (CCC) and the Community Centre Management Committee as the first tier, representatives from the Residents’ Committees as the second tier and neighbourhood merchants and shopkeepers forming the third tier together with some of the new citizens and PRs who have stayed in the estate for more than two years.

Initially, the INCs also relied on house visits as a platform to visit and meet new citizens and PRs. The INCs found that these house visits did not allow them much time for quality interaction.  They then decided to conduct their own house visits with their own feedback forms customised to gather information from new citizens and PRs about their expectations, interests and aspirations.  With this approach, the INCs gained a more in-depth understanding about the types of activities and programmes that appealed to them.  Furthermore, through such meaningful house visits, the INCs themselves felt closer to one another and to the new citizens and PRs.

The Bishan-Toa Payoh North INCs discovered that simple gestures like a ready smile and a helping hand go a long way in making newcomers feel welcomed. The INCs did not try to go big in their integration efforts.  Instead, they focused on having more small-scale activities like Block parties, tea sessions and karaoke sessions at the Residents’ Committees Centres to strengthen rapport and deepen engagement between new citizens and PRs and local residents.

The story of how Bishan-Toa Payoh North Integration and Naturalisation Champions integrate new citizens and Permanent Residents is the second in a series of six stories on our grassroots leaders’ journey towards realising the Vision for the Community. 

Read the other stories here:

• Bridging Private and Public Estates
• Residents’ Committee Youth Chapters
• Using New Media to Enhance Outreach Efforts
• The Ties That Bind
• The Tampines West Experience

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