# Launch of Help Neighbour feature on the OneService App to connect persons in need to assistance

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2021-09-02T05:00:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/launch-of-help-neighbour-feature-on-the-oneservice-app-to-connect-persons-in-need-to-assistance
- **Topics:** Commercial & Industrial, New Launches

## Featured rationale

The geotagged referral channel may strengthen community support for vulnerable residents, potentially enabling quicker interventions that help sustain inclusive and stable neighbourhoods.

## AI summary

The Help Neighbour feature received 58 submissions by August 2021 after its 30 June soft launch, with about 60% involving people already known to agencies.

## Original article

The Municipal Services Office (MSO), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) are piloting a Help Neighbour feature on the OneService App (OS App), to make it easier for well-meaning residents to connect persons in need to relevant assistance. Help Neighbour is a tangible and convenient way for residents to make a difference in their community, as we emerge stronger together from the pandemic.

One-stop platform to alert social service agencies

Help Neighbour is a one-stop platform which residents can use to alert social service agencies to a person who may be in need. With this feature, residents who wish to alert agencies do not need to remember which agency to contact, or which hotline to call. Feedback submitted via Help Neighbour will allow AIC, MSF and their partners to locate and reach out to persons in need more quickly through geotagged data. Help Neighbour complements existing feedback channels and existing initiatives such as the Vulnerable-in-Community (VIC)1 Network and Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS)2 Network that work with the community to look out for and help those in need. 

For a start, agencies are focussing on four main groups of persons commonly flagged by well-meaning neighbours: vulnerable seniors, rough sleepers, cardboard collectors and tissue paper sellers who may be in need. Screenshots of the interface can be found at Annex A. Residents who wish to refer persons in need who are not in the four main groups may still do so via the ‘Others’ category in Help Neighbour.

Benefits of Help Neighbour

The feature helps to preserve the dignity and privacy of persons in need by acting as a direct channel to connect these persons to agencies. After a resident submits a feedback about a person in need through Help Neighbour, their feedback will be channelled to the relevant agency to engage the person and provide assistance as required. The collected information will only be shared with relevant agencies and their partners for the sole purpose of assisting the person in need, and will not be shared with the public. 

Feedback providers will receive an acknowledgement message on the OS App and via email immediately after they submit the feedback. Cases related to injury, harm, or lives at risk should be directed to emergency services such as the Police first; the Help Neighbour feature will alert feedback providers about this.

Residents are encouraged to engage the person perceived to be in need first, when it is deemed safe and respectful to the person’s privacy, to better understand his or her needs and if assistance is indeed required. This would allow agencies to provide quicker and more targeted help. Nonetheless, agencies will assess all feedback and follow up with the person perceived to be in need if they require further assistance.

Help Neighbour was soft-launched on 30 June 2021 on the OS App. As at Aug 2021, 58 feedback has been submitted with about 60% of the referrals already known to agencies. We encourage residents to continue playing their part in building an inclusive and caring society by leveraging this feature to help persons in need. 

Officers involved in case management are available for interview (Annex B) to share more about their experience with Help Neighbour.

1 The Vulnerable-in-Community (VIC) Network proactively reaches out to and befriends individuals in the community who may have needs, specifically cardboard and aluminium can collectors and tissue paper sellers. Our intention is to bring them into the social support system if they are willing. Befrienders would refer those who need help to the nearest Social Service Offices (SSOs) to assess their eligibility for financial assistance and for the support of other relevant community partners [e.g. Family Service Centres (FSCs)].

2 The PEERS Network is a collaboration amongst community groups, social service agencies and government agencies who join hands to support rough sleepers. It currently has over 30 partners and it continues to grow. The Network proactively identifies, befriends, builds trust and links up rough sleepers to assistance. Some of the partners also operate Safe Sound Sleeping Places (S3Ps) that provide rough sleepers and homeless persons with a safe environment to rest for the night and make it easier for befrienders and social service agencies to keep in touch and provide social support in a timely manner to them.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### OneService应用程序推出“帮助邻里”功能，协助有需要者对接援助

市镇服务处（MSO）、社会及家庭发展部（MSF）与综合护理机构（AIC）正试点在OneService应用程序（OS App）推出“帮助邻里”（Help Neighbour）功能，以便好心居民更方便地将有需要者对接至相关援助。在我们共同从疫情中走得更坚强之际，“帮助邻里”是居民在社区中发挥影响力的切实而便捷方式。

一站式平台，通知社会服务机构

“帮助邻里”是一个一站式平台，居民可用以向各社会服务机构通报可能有需要的人士。有了此功能，希望通报机构的居民无需记住应联系哪个机构，或拨打哪条热线。通过“帮助邻里”提交的反馈，将让综合护理机构、社会及家庭发展部及其合作伙伴透过地理标记数据，更快地定位并接触有需要者。“帮助邻里”是对现有反馈渠道以及现有倡议的补充，例如与社区合作关注并帮助有需要者的“社区弱势群体”（VIC）1网络，以及“伙伴携手赋能露宿者”（PEERS）2网络。

初步阶段，各机构聚焦好心邻居常反映的四类主要群体：弱势年长者、露宿者、纸皮收集者，以及可能有需要的纸巾小贩。界面截图见附件A。居民若希望转介不属于这四类主要群体的有需要者，仍可通过“帮助邻里”中的“其他”类别进行转介。

“帮助邻里”的好处

该功能作为直接对接机构的渠道，有助于维护有需要者的尊严与隐私。居民通过“帮助邻里”就有需要者提交反馈后，其反馈将转交相关机构，以接触该人士并按需要提供援助。所收集的信息仅会与相关机构及其合作伙伴分享，且仅用于协助有需要者，不会向公众公开。

反馈提供者在提交反馈后，将立即在OS应用程序及电邮收到确认信息。涉及受伤、伤害或生命危险的个案，应先转交警方等紧急服务；“帮助邻里”功能会就此向反馈提供者作出提示。

在被认为安全且尊重对方隐私的情况下，鼓励居民先与被认为有需要的人士接触，以便更好了解其需要，以及是否确实需要援助。这将有助于机构提供更快捷、更有针对性的帮助。尽管如此，机构仍会评估所有反馈，并在被认为有需要的人士需要进一步援助时跟进。

“帮助邻里”于2021年6月30日在OS应用程序软启动。截至2021年8月，已提交58项反馈，其中约60%的转介个案已为各机构所知。我们鼓励居民继续发挥自身作用，善用此功能帮助有需要者，共建包容关爱的社会。

参与个案管理的官员可供采访（附件B），分享其使用“帮助邻里”的经验。

1 “社区弱势群体”（VIC）网络主动接触并结识社区中可能有需要的个人，特别是纸皮与铝罐收集者以及纸巾小贩。我们的用意是在他们愿意的情况下，将他们纳入社会支持系统。结识者会将需要帮助者转介至最近的社会服务处（SSO），以评估其获得经济援助的资格，并获得其他相关社区伙伴（例如家庭服务中心（FSC））的支持。

2 PEERS网络是社区团体、社会服务机构与政府机构携手支持露宿者的合作网络。目前拥有超过30个合作伙伴，并持续壮大。该网络主动识别、结识露宿者、建立信任，并将他们对接至援助。部分合作伙伴亦营运“安全安稳过夜处”（S3P），为露宿者及无家可归者提供安全的过夜休息环境，并使结识者与社会服务机构更容易保持联系，及时向他们提供社会支持。