Becoming a Community Leader

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PA allows permanent residents to join as volunteer.

Beside RC / NC, there are other committees available in PA and each committee serve different functions in the constituency.  Citizens’ Consultative Committee (CCC) plans and leads grassroots activities at the constituency level and oversees the RC/NC, CSC & CDEC. Community Centre/Club Management Committee (CCMC) maintains and manages the community centre/club and oversees SCEC, WEC, MAEC, IAEC & YEC. The CCC & CCMC can be considered as management team in the constituency and its membership is only through recommendation from advisor or senior constituency manager. Note that chairmen of RC/NC, CSC & CDEC sit in as executive member in CCC while chairmen of SCEC, WEC, MAEC, IAEC & YEC sit in as executive member in CCMC.

The other committees are as follows:

  • Senior Citizens’ Executive Committee (SCEC) manages and plans activities for the senior citizens in the constituency.
  • Constituency Sports Club Committee (CSC) plans and manages sport activities in the constituency.
  • Women’s Executive Committee (WEC) offers opportunities for women to involve in community service. (Exclusively for woman)
  • Malay Activity Executive Committee helps to promote greater Malay participation in grassroots service. (Exclusively for Malay)
  • Indian Activity Executive Committee offers opportunities for Indian involvement in grassroots activities. (Exclusively for Indian)
  • Youth Executive Committee (YEC) promotes social cohesiveness, national consciousness and patriotism among youths. (Exclusively for youth between 15 to 35)

All the committees except NC/RC need not reside in the constituency that they serve. Just visit the community centre and the senior constituency manager will match make you with the suitable committees. You can also request for the particular committees that you want to join.

For all committees except YEC, you will be placed in the committee as an observer for a few months so that the committees could assess your attendance in meeting and involvement before the advisor as committee member endorses you. For YEC, election will be held every two years (2009, 2011, 2013 etc) between July and October (depends on the date of the BGM).

It is all right that you have hidden agenda of joining grassroots so as to qualify for Phase 2B2. However, please join with the mindset of wanting to serve the community.

Through the exposure in executing the projects & activities, you could learn marketing skill (through banner, poster & invitation letter to schools), communication skill (through networking with other PA GROs and seeking corporate endorsement with NEA, NLB, SDS etc) and fund raising skill (through PA or CDC). When projects/activities are well received, this will boost your confidence and you will look forward to involve in more projects/activities.

Lastly, try to look out for committees which are ‘active’, you can do your research by to this website, http://www.pa.gov.sg/1227085333176.html. No point joining those ‘inactive’ committee, as you will attend lenghtly ‘close door’ monthly meeting without any contribution to your community.