Speech by President Halimah Yacob at Outstanding Social Worker Award Presentation Ceremony 2019

Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Social and Family Development

Ms Long Chey May, President, Singapore Association of Social Workers

Assoc Prof Esther Goh, Chairman, OSWA 2019 Selection Committee

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good afternoon. It is my pleasure to join you today to recognise the recipients of this year’s Outstanding Social Worker Award (OSWA). This is the 20th year that we are organising the OSWA Ceremony, so let me also take this opportunity to congratulate everyone on this milestone!

Social work in Singapore has come a long way. Social work first started as a profession in 1949 with the arrival of almoners from Britain, who were the forerunners of today’s Medical Social Workers. They presided over the administration of charitable funds to ensure fair distribution of financial aid to needy patients and their families.

Since then, the profession has dynamically evolved. In the 1960s and 1970s, social work played a defining role in dealing with poverty in the context of a rapidly industrialising society. Social workers helped to meet the basic needs of the disadvantaged by providing them with food and shelter. Later, as our economy grew, the social needs landscape changed and social workers had to instead deal with increasingly complex social and family issues. Over the last few decades, social workers have remained resolute in working with the community to meet ever-changing social needs.

Contributing as a social worker is no easy feat, but the lasting impact of strengthening the lives of others is undeniable. Over the past 20 years, OSWA has honoured 56 outstanding and promising social workers for their leadership, influence and unwavering dedication. Each of them is an inspiring story in itself, but allow me to speak about just four winners who have gone beyond their call of duty to create an indelible impact in the profession and the broader society.

Dr Sudha Nair was the inaugural award winner in 1998. She was a pioneer in providing specialised services in the area of family violence. An influential leader and change maker, Sudha continues to make a positive impact on others today. She is currently the Executive Director of PAVE, one of Singapore’s Family Violence Specialist Centres. Since 2015, Sudha has also been contributing beyond the social work profession as a member of the Public Service Commission (PSC). Together with others at PSC, Sudha plays a critical role in the Public Service by selecting and developing scholarship holders and appointing officers to senior management positions.

The second award winner I would like to highlight is Dr Goh Soon Noi, Head of Medical Social Services at Changi General Hospital. Soon Noi was the OSWA recipient in 2000. Her passion in raising capability in social work research and innovation is evident in the work that she has done. In 2016, Soon Noi formed a consortium consisting of social work academics, the National Council of Social Service and Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) to host the 8th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health. The conference brought Singapore’s brand of social services to the world, with close to 900 delegates from over 30 countries attending the conference.

The third past OSWA recipient I would like to mention is Mr Samuel Ng, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Montfort Care. Samuel received the OSWA in 2001. Since then, Samuel has grown Marine Parade Family Service Centre (FSC) from a single centre to a multi-centre agency, now known as Montfort Care. Today, Montfort Care runs multiple services - children, family and eldercare services – that address the needs of society with great diversity and depth.

Last but not least, is Ms Long Chey May, Master Medical Social Worker of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital. Chey May was the OSWA recipient in 2008. Since winning her award, Chey May had gone on to start two new medical social work departments and is currently the Group Chief Patient Officer of the National University Health System (NUHS). Like Sudha, Chey May contributes beyond the realm of social work to design a quality experience for patients of NUHS.

I am encouraged that both Chey May and Samuel are further contributing to the profession in their respective capacities as President and Vice-President of SASW. All four of them have served the social work profession and our nation in impeccable ways. Please join me in thanking them for their selfless contributions all these years.

I would also like to congratulate three social workers – Ching Yee, Seng Meng and Shen Yong – who will be conferred the Outstanding and Promising Social Worker Awards today. You have made tremendous contributions in your respective fields in children and youth work as well as hospice care. I hope that you will continue to advance our social work profession.

To all our social workers, thank you for your hard work in supporting individuals and families’ in-need. May we continue to work together to build a caring and cohesive society for all. Have an enjoyable evening ahead.