47 community stakeholders recognised for efforts to enhance their neighbourhoods

On 21 September 2024, the Municipal Services Office (MSO) recognised 47 community stakeholders for their active contributions in improving the living environment in their neighbourhoods. These community stakeholders, part of MSO’s OneService Kakis (OSK) network, were presented with a certificate of appreciation by Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs at the annual OneService Kakis Appreciation Event.

MSO’s OneService Kakis network

The OSK network was set up in 2021 to cultivate an informed and active pool of community stakeholders to address municipal issues. Today, MSO has about 3,700 “kakis” in the OSK network.

This year, 47 “kakis” were recognised for supporting or participating in MSO’s engagement initiatives (refer to Annex A for the list of initiatives). Some also led ground-up projects in their neighbourhood with the support of MSO’s Love Our ‘Hood Fund. They come from different segments of the community, including residents, grassroots leaders, non-profit organisations and teachers.

For example, Mr Johny Tan, Chairman of Boon Lay Zone D Residents’ Network, led a project, HeARTland Kindness Mural, to address municipal issues such as corridor clutter, littering at void decks and obstruction of pathways. The project involved painting wall murals around the neighbourhood to promote considerate behaviours among residents. Residents from the neighbourhood were also invited to bond and paint these murals together with the artist. Johny also organised tours for around 100 residents to view the murals. The project was completed in March 2024.

One of the wall murals painted as part of HeARTland Kindness Mural

Temasek Polytechnic (TP) was also one of the community stakeholders recognised for its involvement in Project Code R.E.D. (Research, Engage, Deploy). The TP students had collaborated with MSO to develop solutions to municipal issues as part of their coursework, providing them with real world learning opportunities through these partnerships. Some of these student-led projects incorporated Behavioural Insights (BI) to nudge behavioural change that effectively addressed municipal issues. For example, one of the projects involved students applying behavioural insights to encourage basketball court users to cease noisy activities by closing time. By piloting the different messages in Bishan basketball courts, students found that explicit messages highlighting the desired behaviours led to more users vacating the courts before closing time.

Mockup of digital countdown clock proposed by TP students

Graciousness Survey: Satisfaction with neighbourly behaviours has increased

The Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) has been a key partner in MSO’s efforts to address municipal issues. Since 2021, SKM has worked with MSO to conduct its annual Graciousness Survey[1], measuring residents’ sentiments on social norms related to neighbour noise, second-hand smoke and cleanliness in common areas.

The findings from the Graciousness Survey 2023-2024 showed an increase in satisfaction with neighbourly behaviours, with 81 per cent of respondents expressing satisfaction with their relationships with neighbours, up from 69 per cent from the previous year. The most significant improvement was seen among the younger respondents aged 25 – 44 years.

Respondents cited more positive experiences across neighbourly behaviours that were deemed important to them. Behaviours such as neighbours willing to offer or accept small acts of help from each other as well as reducing unintentional noise and informing neighbours in advance of potential noise-producing activities were perceived to have increased compared to the previous year. More residents were willing to resolve issues directly with their neighbours, rather than to resort to seeking assistance from official avenues. Refer to Annex B for more findings from the survey.

In addition to the survey, SKM also collaborated with MSO and other agencies such as HDB on public education campaigns to promote pro-social norms, including norms developed by the Community Advisory Panel on Neighbourhood Noise, as well as partnerships with various Town Councils, People’s Association and grassroots organisations to support community-led initiatives.

Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs, commended the OSKs for their contributions. She said, “Social norms evolve all the time. With close collaboration between the Government and the community, we can encourage norms that promote greater harmony and cohesion in the neighbourhood, and support efforts to maintain a pleasant living environment for all. I thank our OneService Kakis for stepping forward to lead positive change from the ground up. We hope to empower and inspire more changemakers to impact the community.”

Issued By : Municipal Services Office (MSO)

Date : 21 September 2024

ANNEX A

LIST OF MSO’S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES

S/N

Name

Description

1

Love Our ‘Hood Initiative (LOHI)

LOHI empowers residents to address municipal issues and build community spirit. Through the initiative, participants investigate municipal issues in the neighbourhood, consult subject matter experts, and network and develop proposals with other participants. Participants would receive support and funding via MSO’s Love Our 'Hood Fund for the implementation of the solution ideated through LOHI.

The initiative was piloted in 3 constituencies - Mountbatten, Pioneer and Bukit Gombak in 2021-2022. MSO subsequently expanded LOHI to all constituencies and adopted a thematic approach tackling common municipal issues such as illegal parking, neighbourhood noise, cluttered corridors, and pet dog issues in 2023-2024.

2

Love Our ‘Hood Youth Challenge

MSO and National Youth Council jointly organise, fund and mentor youths (aged 15-35) to pilot innovative municipal projects. It offers up to $10,000 for each youth team to implement creative solutions that improve the living environment.

MSO has supported a total of 23 projects involving close to 120 youths under Youth Challenge, since it started in 2018. The initiative is held every two years since 2023.

3

Adopt A ‘Hood Initiative

MSO partners secondary schools, where they "adopt" nearby areas to implement improvement municipal projects. MSO supports the schools through Love Our 'Hood Fund and other resources such as educational materials and data.

MSO has supported a total of 5 Adopt A ‘Hood initiatives by Dunman High School and Broadrick Secondary School since 2022.

4

Project Code R.E.D (Research, Engage, Deploy)

MSO collaborates with Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) through Project Code R.E.D to support students in developing projects that address municipal issues. MSO offers funding support to IHLs for approved projects related to challenge statements. The funding amount may vary, with a maximum of $10,000 per challenge statement available.

MSO has supported a total of 27 projects under Project Code R.E.D. since its inception in 2018, involving IHL partners Singapore University of Technology & Design (SUTD), National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Management University (SMU), Temasek Polytechnic (TP), Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP).

5

Love Our ‘Hood Fund

The Love Our ‘Hood Fund supports ground-up initiatives or projects that improve the living environment and/or foster a sense of community within the neighbourhood. MSO and Our Singapore Fund jointly fund up to 80% of ground-up projects addressing municipal issues, capped at $20,000 per project.

As of Sep 2024, MSO has supported 15 such projects.

ANNEX B

SINGAPORE KINDNESS MOVEMENT GRACIOUSESS SURVEY 2023-2024: KEY FINDINGS ON THE STATE OF NEIGHBOURLINESS

State of Neighbourliness

Overall satisfaction on relationships with neighbours has increased from last year, with more than 4 in 5 satisfied with their relationship with neighbours.

2022-2023

2023-2024

Satisfied

69%

81%

Neighbourly aspirations

Across different neighbourly behaviours, the most often cited as “important” were:

Not smoking in common areas, or near windows, balconies or other areas

Playing their part to keep common spaces clean and tidy

Keeping noise levels down, especially during quiet hours

Satisfaction with Neighbourly Behaviours

Satisfaction with neighbourly behaviours has significantly increased. The largest improvements came from offering help to each other, or being considerate when it comes to noise.

2022-2023

2023-2024

Neighbours willing to offer / accept small acts of help from each other

36%

59%

Reducing unintentional noise (by using door stoppers, furniture slides)

30%

50%

Informing neighbours in advance if carrying out activities that may produce noise

36%

56%

Not smoking in common areas, or near windows, balconies or other areas

33%

47%

Playing their part to keep common spaces clean and tidy

36%

49%

Keeping noise levels down, especially during quiet hours

34%

47%

Room for Improvement

While experiences were more positive compared to 2023, respondents felt there was room to improve on the following behaviours:

Not smoking in common areas, or near windows, balconies or other areas

Keeping noise levels down, especially during quiet hours

Resolving Neighbourly Inconveniences

When it comes to neighbourly inconveniences, there were fewer who claimed to have encountered disturbances compared to 2023. Among those who did, they were more likely to attempt casual forms of resolution than seek official avenues.

2022-2023

2023-2024

Did not encounter neighbourly disturbances

28%

36%

Approached neighbours directly to find out ways to resolve neighbourly inconveniences or disturbances

33%

39%

Sought help from official avenues to resolve neighbourly inconveniences or disturbances

28%

34%

Tried mediation at the Community Mediation Centre if neighbourly inconveniences or disturbances could not be self-resolved

22%

30%

Informing Neighbours in advance about noise-producing activities

More claimed to have informed neighbours of noisy activities compared to the past year.

2022-2023

2023-2024

Informed neighbours in advance of noisy activities

62%

71%