G ROUP N O 8-032

DON E BY: WILLIA M ZHA O ( 4O1) CHA N HON G KIT( 4O1)

JOEL LIM ( 4O1) KEVYN YON G ( 4O2) TA N WEI JIN ( 4O2 )

W3: Working With Workers

Agenda

Introduction Rationale Area of concern Underlying Problem Objectives Service Goals Plan of Action Challenges Our Progress Timeline Reflections Bibliography

Introduction

Organization: Transient Workers Count 2 (TWC2)

Service Recipients: Migrant Workers from China and Bangladesh involved in the construction industry

Services: 1) English lessons 2) Computer lessons

Organization – TWC2

Founded in 2003 as an ad hoc group Non-profit organization dedicated to improving the

lives of low-wage migrant workers Registered charity under the National Council of

Social Service (NCSS)

TWC2’s Services

Provides funding for urgent, essential medical and surgical treatment, when no other help is available to a worker

Help with alternative accommodation when employers fail to provide it

Operates a food programme in which a free breakfast and dinner is served every weekday

Assist and advice workers when they need to lodge complaints to the Ministry of Manpower or the police

TWC2 in the News

The Straits Times, 18 August 2012

TWC2 in the News

Lianhe Zaobao, October 31, 2011

TWC2 in the News

TODAY, 24 July 2012

Our Service Recipients

According to MOM, as of December 2012, the number of migrant workers in Singapore involved in construction alone add up to 293,400

For most of the last decade, their average basic pay has been stuck at $18 a day

They: - Pay high agency fees to secure a job in Singapore - Earn low wages which are further reduced through illegal

deductions - Receive poor accommodation - Have long working hours with little/no days off

Migrant Workers in Singapore

Migrant Workers in Singapore

Migrant Workers in Singapore

Project Rationale

Migrant workers contribute immensely to Singapore’s society and economy, yet they often suffer unconscionable exploitation

Migrant workers are among the most vulnerable sections of our society, disadvantaged by language and cultural displacement, social prejudice against their ethnicity or national origin They are often destitute and unable even to feed themselves, do not have any family here to fall back on

Project Rationale

All labour is dignified and should be treated with respect and consideration; no worker should be subjected to inhumane or degrading treatment

Motivated by a sense of fairness and humanity to alleviate their plight and provide them with what they rightfully deserve

Area of Concern

Migrant Workers, mainly from Bangladesh and China

They hold low-wage jobs in construction, and cleaning services industries

Underlying Problem

The existence of language and cultural barriers between migrant workers and locals Hence, they are unable to integrate into our society Migrant workers are unaware of how to safeguard

their rights Hence, they are often exploited by their employers

Objectives(English)

To equip migrant workers with skills to better integrate themselves into our society + to better safeguard their rights

English Lessons –

allay language barriers

Computer lessons –

navigate MOM website, check work permits

etc

To expose migrant workers to Singaporean culture To raise awareness for TWC2 to the public and

migrant workers

Our Service Goals

To learn more about different cultures

To develop interpersonal skills such as leadership and effective communication

To empathize with the less privileged

Plan of Action

Phase Process Purpose Time Frame

Phase 1: Planning and preparation

-Contact organization and do needs analysis -Going down to their soup kitchen programme to get to know them -Promote our computer skills and English courses through flyer, etc

-For us to understand them better and for them to feel comfortable with our presence -Building a peer to peer relationship -Get to know their needs

Mid January– March

Plan of Action Phase Process Purpose Time Frame

Phase 2: Lessons( Part 1)

-A series of English lessons -Conducted once every week at a venue provided by a Church

-Enable migrant workers in Singapore to grasp simple conversational English -Eliminate the language barrier that exists between them and locals -Provide them with the confidence to approach and interact with locals

Mid April – June (2 to 3 cycles, 4 sessions per cycle)

Plan of Action

Phase Process Purpose Time Frame

Phase 3: Lessons ( Part 2)

-Teaching the migrant workers some basic computer skills -Conducted every Saturday morning at an internet café -Conducted in a 4 weeks span

Equip migrant workers with some basic computer skills Enable them to check their work permits on the MOM website

Include creating an email account, draft an email to allow them communicate with their boss better

Mid April – Mid May/June (2 to 3 cycles, 4 weeks per cycle)

Plan of Action

Phase Process Purpose Time Frame

Phase 4: Creating Resources

Come up with resources for our lesson packages such as worksheets and lesson plans

-To provide TWC2 these resources that they can use in the future to further educate them in these 2 areas -To make teaching easier and more convenient

April - September

Plan of Action Phase Process Purpose Time Frame

Phase 5: Interaction with Locals/local culture

-Ongoing ‘makan’ sessions ; possibly during lessons -Allow migrant workers to be exposed to local culture through local cuisine

-Provide opportunities for migrant workers to enjoy local cuisine and hence get to know more about local culture -More time and opportunities for us to interact with them

April - September

Plan of Action

Phase Process Purpose Time Frame

Phase 6: Publicity -Outreach to more migrant workers at places where most migrant workers are at about TWC2 -Giving pamphlets

-To raise awareness of TWC2 to more migrant workers so they can know of this platform where they can receive help -Raise awareness of the plight of the migrant workers to more locals

Mid June – September

Our Progress To Date

Completed Phase 1 Volunteered at Soup Kitchen Sourced and confirmed venue for lessons : Please give details Gave out flyers on lessons

Embarking on Phase 2 Computer Lessons: Start on 13 April 2013 English Lessons : Start on 15 April 2013 15 students per class

Timeline

Challenges

For the migrant workers to have trust in us (large age gap, diverse backgrounds)

Managing workload amongst the five of us (lack of manpower for teaching)

Looking for suitable locations and times to conduct our lessons (nearby workers’ dorms, reasonable cost, workers’ other commitments)

Reflections

Wei Jin

This project being my first service learning project has shone light on how tough it is to initiate a SL project. From sourcing for a partner to crafting lessons. It has really opened my eyes to the many problems minority groups in Singapore face and what we, as small as we think we are, could do to help them. I believe we will be able to achieve great things through this project.

Reflection

Hong Kit

Through this project, I have learnt to interact with migrant workers. I feel that it is a good opportunity for me to understand the problems that they face, as this is something that most people would not know. Also, learning the skills to teach foreign languages is also something new and I’m glad this project has exposed me to such skills.

Reflection

William

This project is so much different from what I had done last year. Serving the migrant workers is really a new experience and so far, this experience is really exciting and enhancing. It is really rewarding to realise that I’m able to help more people of different backgrounsd and I believe I can learn so much more as I continue to serve them. Interacting with them also allows me to know more about them, be it their background or their work or even their family in their homeland. Of course, I do enjoy working along with them.

Reflection

Kevyn

Bibliography

Reflection

Jie han