Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Page 156

Special Editions
At the policy level, the government is beginning to appreciate that most
important policies operate across departmental boundaries and it is
therefore important to have collective buy in and ownership of the policy
across departments. The problems of an ageing society, diabetes or local
municipal issues cannot be solved simply by one government department.
Among the civil society, there is a greater appreciation that the government
cannot solve every problem. Most community concerns and improvements
require a collective community effort to achieve good outcomes. Putting
the pressure of time aside, the problems may appear seemingly easy but the
process of resolving it in a sustained manner may require engagement that
we are not used to or do not yet have the skills to do, putting the pressure
of time aside. The greater involvement of civil society and community,
however, makes the accountability line harder to establish. This requires
then the negotiation of resourcing and accountabilities. These are again
areas that are unspoken and should be part of the engagement process.
As we mature in our ability to engage and do things collectively, we must
continue to improve the channels for feedback. This will generate insights
on how systems and processes for service delivery can be improved.
Constructive feedback to decision makers should be encouraged and
internal debates of policies, systems and processes should continue. It is
always good to keep a focus on what the real impact is on people’s lives.

Sustaining Social Development
The sustainability of the many helping hands approach predicates on various
players understanding their roles and a regular review and negotiation
of those roles. The Singaporean approach of engaging the many helping
hands builds on the value of participation and social capital. VWOs value
partnerships and co-creation as increasingly most have embraced the
strength of collective and inter-agency collaborations for improvements and
finding solutions. This requires parties, be it VWOS, social service agencies,
volunteers or any agent who provides help, to be ready to engage in
strategic conversations, to be committed to rethinking roles and boundaries
and to place individuals, families and the community at the centre of each
party’s purpose.
The government acknowledges the role of the market but fully appreciates
that it cannot exclusively rely on market mechanisms. Singapore needs both
good social policy and the market to work in tandem and in collaboration
- a challenge that calls for calibration. As economist Amartya Sen puts it:
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