Come drop in at this centre by Hoy Fatt Road
Chances are, you’ve never heard of a Family Service Centre (FSC). You may have walked past one at your void deck and have mistaken it for your Resident’s Network (RN) corner. It's an easy mistake to make. But these centres serve a different purpose.
Share to:
Chances are, you’ve never heard of a Family Service Centre (FSC).
You may have walked past one at your void deck and have mistaken it for your Resident’s Network (RN) corner. It’s an easy mistake to make. But these centres serve a different purpose.
Think of them as community helpdesks, providing support and guidance to individuals and families facing personal, family, or financial challenges. Whether it’s navigating difficult circumstances, accessing assistance schemes, or seeking counselling and support, FSCs connect residents with the help they need.
This one at Lengkok Bahru caught our writer’s eye, with its fully-furnished drop-in space, complete with a pantry and a living room that felt like an extension of one’s home.
Stepping inside, one quickly realises that the space does not resemble the traditional image of a social service agency. Instead of counters and waiting areas, visitors are greeted with cosy seating areas, a pantry, children’s reading corners and open communal spaces. The centre was designed to feel like a co-working and co-living environment — one that encourages residents to drop by, connect with one another and feel at ease.
We naturally had to try their free coffee and have a chat with one Senior Community Mobiliser, Ms Faridah.
“A lot of my work is drinking kopi and talking to people. I’d realise that people feel more comfortable and open in such an informal setting,” she shared.
A lot of the work is about building trust and a relationship with the community. “We try to activate the community. They also become our eyes and ears, sharing with us the troubles that go on in the estate,” she explained.
During COVID, South Central Community FSC realised that more residents were becoming isolated, lonely, and jaded from staying at home all day. They succeeded in getting a space in Hoy Fatt Road that was capable of serving the needs of those who lived in the vicinity.
Forming the community with unseen work
Faridah shared about how their work involves finding the strengths of the surrounding community, rather than constantly seeing them as dependents, needing help.
Brendon, the Assistant Manager of Child Learning, Development and Partnerships, chimed in, “we don’t use terms like ‘clients’ or ‘beneficiaries’. We refer to them as members of the community,” because they believe everyone has something to add.
Indeed, over the months, the community has added much.
They have monthly ‘Village Town Halls’, where ten chosen leaders come together to plan events and initiatives.
These leaders are like the Village Chiefs, making it their duty to keep our communities together, through much of the unseen work that we take for granted. Think about the last time you met some friends. Who was the one who organised it, confirming the place, time, and date? On the surface, this seems easy, but if you have to do it regularly, you would realise that it is never an easy task.
Most recently, they organised a flea market to sell the food and drink made in their own homes. For Mother’s Day two weeks ago, they held a small potluck to gather the whole community together.
During another session, members shared recipes through volunteer-led cooking sessions in the community kitchen. After the big cookoff, they then shared the food with everyone present.
These are the events that turns neighbours into friends, and not just people you avoid eye contact with during the long walk down a corridor. At these events, everyone feels welcome. They even have a 32 strong community WhatsApp group that anyone can join to stay updated with the latest happenings.
Helping the next generation
As we sat there, students rushed in at 4:30pm. It was a specially curated group, and over time, the students had gotten to know each other as friends. The children’s reading programme was about to begin, and they were all excited for it to start.
Brendon noted that we often overlook simple things the centre provides, such as a safe space to study.
One story I often remember from my days as a social worker was a time when I visited a teenager who was going to school once or twice a week. “Why don’t you go to school,” I quizzed.
It’s very cold in the morning.
In my mind, I thought she was joking. This is Singapore! How cold could it get?
I don’t have hot water to bathe with in the morning.
Just then, her brother popped out of the room, and exited the house.
Where is he going?
To get free WIFI at the McDonald’s.
Hot water. WIFI. Things we usually take for granted can have a huge impact on a person’s life. For that teenager, they were barriers to attending school and staying connected to the world around her.
Brendon shared that many students drop in for various reasons, such as making a free cup of Milo, getting some cold water after a street football game, or even just to enjoy the cool air-conditioning on a hot and humid day.
Brendon and his team at SCCFSC try their best to make the space as welcoming as possible, starting from the smallest details. Everyday, they place a board at the side welcoming people in.
Bringing together the previous generation
That evening, seniors sat around the centre, playing board games and chatted with each other. Many of these seniors shared that they found the centre by just strolling past, and popping their curious heads in.
Some of these seniors also volunteer to read and take care of the children who hang out at the centre when their parents go to work. The centre gives both the young and old a meaningful way to spend their day, while providing opportunities to make new friends and stay connected to the community.
As I exited the centre that evening at 530pm, the centre was still bustling with activity. In the programme room, the lights were off, and a children’s movie was playing. Children squeal with delight as the action scenes began.
In the background, I heard that unmistakable sound of Rummy-O tiles being shuffled and the young-at-heart bantering and egging each other on to make a mistake, setting themselves up for an easy win. Social workers and community workers sit near the back of the centre, focused and concentrating on their work. It’s what a community supporting each other looks like, with no walls, barriers, and no wrong door present.
Interested to volunteer or drop in yourself? Visit Block 50 Hoy Fatt Road, from Mondays to Fridays, 10am to 630pm, and grab yourself a Milo! Or follow them on Instagram, @sccfsc.
