GIVING IN SINGAPORE
It is thus important to draw clear distinctions between encouragement and enforcement. This lends further insight as to how kindness is practised in Singapore.
According to the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) 2023 Giving Study, Singapore’s giving culture remains resilient. Notably, the proportion of people volunteering their time has rebounded to around pre-pandemic levels of 30 per cent, while 62 per cent donated money. Beyond cash giving, respondents also reported participating in some form of giving whether through in-kind donations, micro-volunteering, or buying goods and services from non-profits, charities or social enterprises.
Importantly, the study affirms that people are most motivated to give when they view giving as an altruistic act, volunteering and donating to help others, rather than out of obligation or self-interest. Conversely, the research cautions that when giving becomes a transaction or obligation, it can backfire and ultimately undermine authentic generosity.
These trends urge us to reflect on how such findings should inform both policy and organisational practices in encouraging compassionate citizenship, both in and beyond the workplace.
Values are best nurtured young. In schools, the Values In Action (VIA) programme which replaced the Community Involvement Programme (CIP) in 2012, gives students exposure to hands-on service and reflection, without focusing on fulfilling minimum hours. It creates structure for children to pick up and nurture civic habits.
NVPC’s study found that some youths linked their motivation for giving to early exposure in schools and to seeing direct impact. In this way, VIA lays the groundwork for the motivations that sustain youth participation in giving.
In the corporate sphere, the language has shifted: What was once called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and typically led to standalone initiatives as a way to “give back” is now framed as Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) as a strategy to ensure sustainability. Yet challenges remain if changes are only in name and not mindset.
