Community Development
Guided by the Asset-Based Community Development approach, Allkin Singapore facilitates opportunities and platforms that enable interdependence and mutual care among community members.
What We Do
Guided by the Asset-Based Community Development approach, Allkin Singapore facilitate opportunities and platforms that enable interdependence and mutual care among community members. Everyday citizens, including our clients, contribute their strengths, talents and experiences towards the well-being of their community, and towards supporting the vulnerable in their neighbourhood. They also work alongside professionals to co-create solutions that not only address the community’s needs, but also enable it to become more resilient.
How We Enhance & Enrich Lives
Here is how we contribute to the social service sector in thought leadership and capacity building:
Thought leadership and Impact to the Social Service Sector
In response to the urgent need for community building, we partner with like-minded individuals and organisations to lead the social service sector towards change through thought leadership and capacity building.
We conduct sector training and learning journeys for professionals, volunteers, and residents to prepare the sector to be ready to shift towards a community-driven approach to building an ecosystem of care, where community is empowered to support one another to address emerging challenges.
Community Hubs
As part of our focus on community-building, our two Community Hubs situated at Blk 414 and Blk 643 in Ang Mo Kio act as catalysts in bridging social connections in the neighbourhood, enabling residents to lead ground-up initiatives for their neighbours, and encouraging interdependence and mutual self-help among community members.
Through community participation and action, residents also contribute their gifts and assets towards the wellbeing of their own community and the vulnerable in their neighbourhood.
Community Trails
Our community trails are immersive resident-curated learning journeys that involve residents sharing the discoveries of strengths and gifts in their community.
This trail brings people around the neighbourhood, and highlights the stories of individuals, associations, local economies, institutions, and others who have helped shape the well-being of the community.
Community Celebrations
Festive occasions and events, such as birthdays, school holidays carnivals and block parties, are a common staple in community life.
These celebrations bring people from different walks of life to share and build a network of support within the community. Therefore, fostering a spirit where residents are more welcoming of others in the margins and willing to extend a helping hand to those in need.
Community Walks
Discovery is a vital process in building communities, as we may not know what is already out there. Through community walks, we discover the concerns, interests and hopes of residents, and map these diverse assets and needs.
We then foster the connections between people who may have some needs to the gifts and skills available. Through time and intentional engagements, these connections grow into trusting relationships where help is no longer asked but willingly offered.
Community Lunches
Our community lunches are by-resident-for-resident initiatives that bring together neighbours through food. Residents contribute towards preparing and as they share a meal with fellow neighbours, they build a trust and connection with each other.
Through this, we create an interdependent relationship where fellow residents naturally look out for each other in times of need.
Community Food Distributions
Our resident-led fresh food distribution project aims to enable low-income families to improve their access to healthy, nutritious food learn more about how they can incorporate healthy eating into their lifestyle.
By mobilising community partners such as local market vendors in community to donate groceries, and medical health professionals who give insight into healthy eating, community members are able to meaningfully reach out to and engage vulnerable neighbours in their community on a regular basis.
UNIQLO’s Neighbours Helping Neighbours Clothing Redistribution Centre
In collaboration with residents and our corporate partner UNIQLO Singapore, the Neighbours Helping Neighbours Clothing Redistribution Centre aims to bridge the gap of access to clothes for families experiencing low income, through the circulation of preloved UNIQLO clothes which are donated by customers in stores.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, resident volunteers also organised Facebook Live sessions to distribute the UNIQLO clothing to fellow neighbours who might benefit from them.
Photovoice Community Gallery
Photovoice is a research project that uncovered the assets and gems within a neighbourhood. Over six months, 35 residents from diverse backgrounds captured the places, spaces, and faces of Ang Mo Kio that enhanced the lives of its people.
These residents and student volunteers co-curated the Photovoice Community Gallery at Blk 414 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, which was launched officially by Allkin's Honorary Advisor Dr Vasoo and CEO Dr Vincent Ng.
Discover the gems captured by the residents in English, Malay, Mandarin, or Tamil!
By The Numbers
103
citizens mobilised as contributors
Introduced community-centric practices to
700
social service professionals through ABCD trainings
26
beneficiaries-turned-contributors developed greater confidence and social capital in contributing to their communities
53
initiatives organised alongside residents brought about sustainable ground-up change