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Using a societal issue that you care about, provide ONE example of how citizens can influence the government's decisions.

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Strengthening citizens’ sense of belonging 

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Strengthening citizens’ sense of belonging 

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Provide 2 examples of how citizens' sense of belonging can be strengthened through citizen participation.

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Who is more important (Government or Citizens) in working for the good of society, why?

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Who is more important (Government or Citizens) in working for the good of society, why?

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Citizen participation can lead to a stronger sense of belonging as the citizens would feel as though they have a voice and a say in various government policies, making them feel more positive towards their respective countries and hence, a stronger sense of belonging. One such example is “Our Singapore Conversations” where singaporeans can come and give feedback to the government in person, about various issues they think people are facing in Singapore.
Citizen Participation can strengthen a sense of belonging through means such as volunteering. Volunteering enables people to be exposed to people who are in some ways not as fortunate, and seeing the different plights of people and helping them out can increase sense of belonging as it gives the impression of “We’re in this together”

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1. Citizens can provide feedback through a channel called REACH.
They can provide feedback on national issues and policies .

2. Citizens can also post their feedback on societal issues through the Forum or feedback pages found in media platforms and websites of governments or government agencies.

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Formal group: REACH
It is a platform where people can clarify or give feedback on national issues and policies.

Informal group: Citizens provide feedback on social media, which allows providing relevant authorities ideas for better undertstanding of their policies or programmes.

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formal:samaritans of singapore they help singaporeans cope with thier mental illness such as suicidal thoughts
informal:A nuerodiversity road of love,they help people that has Autism Spectrum Disorder(asd)

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one sociality issue is singaporeans opposing view towards the governments decision.
citizens can influence the governments decision by giving feedback and suggestions such as proposals or draft plans that may enable necessary changes and improvements to be made

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They can have campaigns and persuade the government to address the matter or take action against a certain issue

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Societal Issue: the lack of hiring opportunities for certain groups of people, such as ex-offenders.
This affects the decisions that the government makes, bringing about governmental organisations such as the Singapore Corporation for Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE). They provide rehabilitation, training and aftercare services to ex-offenders and inmates, seeking to enhance their employability to be reintegrated back into society.
(Thus, societal issues can affect the government’s decisions by arousing the need for new organisations/departments/policies to be created/implemented)

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uFormal:   CHARIS
The Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives, Singapore, helps vulnerable groups who face natural disasters and other adverse circumstances faced by the poor and needy, especially in developing countries in the region. They provide they by funding, medical aid and volunteers to help relief their difficulties.
Informal:

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Formal group:SG green plan.They are aimed at improving resource efficiency within the public sector and  to focus on sustainability outcomes.
Informal group:Green drinks Singapore.They are a non-profit group that focuses on bringing together businesses, activists and other individuals interested in environmental causes.

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they made the government to interfere with the migrant worker employer and made them pay the workers on time

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advance Formal: WorkRight initiative is a national employment rights protection campaign that aims to help workers know their employment rights as to ensure employers fulfill their obligations under Singapore employment laws
Formal: CPF
CPF was introduced in 2009 to provide Singaporeans with a lifelong monthly payout in retirement to give them greater peace of mind in retirement.
This strengthens citizens sense of belonging as it gives the citizens a feeling that the government is always looking out for the, motivating them to work harder for the greater good of Singapore
Mercy relief :
Established to respond to human tragedies in Asia. Mercy relief serves the less fortunate and needy regardless of country culture or creed.
Minds:
Aims to advance the development, well-being and aspirations of persons with intellectual disability and their integration into society.
Through citizenship participation in the mentioned VWOs above, citizens are able to increase their sense of belonging as they are able to make friends of different races and backgrounds through this, they will realise that they go through the difficulties therefore strengthening the bond between citizens and their sense of belonging

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formal: ngo
against family violence
informal: sg haze rescue
helping those who need protection from the haze

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One example is the Housing and Development Board (HDB) which uses highly visible designs to add variety to the skyline of the estates and to the facades of blocks. Motifs, dormers and colours help to make each estate unique, so that residents have a sense of identity. Precincts, which comprise approximately 750 flats each, have their own focus of activities. Facilities such as courtyards, walkways and pavilions are meant as areas for interaction. This way, the residents have opportunities to get to know each other

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REACH is a platform that allows citizens to voice out their opinions about the current policies and participate in creating policies by sharing their views. This allows citizens to be involved.

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1. One example of how citizen participation gives us the ability to strengthen our sense of belonging is Our Singapore Conversation. This organisation provides a platform for Singaporeans to share their views, hopes and dreams about Singapore. Consequently, this creates opportunities for Singaporeans to share their views and opinions about a specific topic.

2. Another example, is the YouTube channel series Can Ask Meh? In this series, Singaporeans share and talk about their private and personal stories about a traumatic event or incident that they have experienced. This series can strengthen our sense of belonging as citizens can relate to other’s experiences through similar hardships. Additionally, this can also help spread awareness about unspoken topics.

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for workers who do not recognise their rights.
formal groups: they can give out pamphlets to the workers to inform them of their rights
informal: they can give speeches out in the public to inform them that they have rights and they will be treated well

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Formal group: Aware. Aware provide research, advocacy for women’s rights  in singapore and also support services for women.

Informal groups: smile masks project .sew face masks with clear ‘smile panels’ and donating them for free in order to support individuals in the deaf and hard of hearing community who rely on lip-reading.

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Individual:

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One societal issue in Singapore is the need for basic services for Low income households. To reduce the struggles for families who have Low  income. citizens can give feedback to the government to take  action or help in community activities. policies include, welfare benefits to the poorest in society. For example, unemployment benefit, food stamps, income support and housing benefit. Minimum wages. Regulation of labour markets, for example, statutory minimum wages.

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Formal: One example of a formal group is AIDHA. It helps migrant workers by providing them with classes for English, Computer Literacy, entrepreneurship and financial skills which helps them maximise their income.
Informal:

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Societal issue: Helping Migrant Workers
Citizens can influence the government’s decisions by extending a helping hand to those who are vulnerable. This will cause the government to take action.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many people have spoken up about the dormitory conditions of migrant workers. This is lead to a rise in NGOs and individual groups to help migrant workers. For example, Project Chulia street and many other individual groups aimed to raising S$358,620 last year to distribute care packets, containing items like soap and a prepaid phone card, to 43,000 migrant workers. This had caused Singapore’s government to improve the dormitory conditions for migrant workers and implementing safe distancing in the dormitories.

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Individual
1. An example is REACH, where citizens can provide feedback on what they think about the country’s policies. This will enable the government to think about the policies and change them to satisfy citizens, which makes citizens feel like they belong to Singapore more.
2.

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Formal : Ministry of mental health is a group that aims to promote good mental health among youths.
Youths can also reach out to them for support if they wish to find someone to talk to
Informal : Teachers. A teacher's job is not just soley teaching students their subjects, part of their job is to care for students well-being.

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Formal:
The government provides the community with things it needs, when they are needed. For example, the covid-19 pandemic affected the income of many households. As a response to this, the government set up financial aids for these households to help them during tough times like these.

Informal:
The Smile Mask project is a project which aims to help those with hearing disabilities. Due to COVID-19, everyone is wearing masks. As a result, those who rely on lip-reading to understand others have been finding it difficult to communicate. This project produces masks with a clear screen, allowing our mouths to be seen. Hence, those who need to lip-read will be able to, while still being protected from the virus.

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Formal group: reach
Reach

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informal:Singapore Anti Narcotics Association (SANA) which aims to help former drug addicts bounce bace this group allows volunteers to connect with former drug addicts and help them re-enter the society
formal: registration evaluation authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH) which aims to improve the environment and protection of human health from risks posed by chemicals, while enhancing the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry

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One societal issue is migrant workers. The citizens made the government improve the workers working conditions and the workers can have a day of in a week for recognition of what they do

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Contributing to the needy .This can influence the government’s decisions to help the needy for example, low income families. They can provide these families by providing them with daily necessities.

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Formal grp: reach
They allow citizens of sg from all walks of life to have a part in ‘designing’ how they wish their future sg to look like. This would strengthen their sense of belonging as they would feel that they would have a part in play of their future

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Formal group: Green Drinks Singapore is a non-profit environment-focused society that connects the community, including businesses, activists, academia and government, for knowledge sharing and collaboration opportunities. They hold discussion panels and work together with their stakeholders to see how the industry can collectively do better.

Informal group: World Wildlife Fund aims to educate individuals from all walks of life on how a simple action can add up to make a big difference to our environment and safeguard the world’s biodiversity. They also work with businesses both locally and within the Asia Pacific region to help them identify sustainable business practices, as well as on how they can reduce their ecological foot print on the planet.

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Formal group: The Salvation Army offers help to people who have fallen on hard times or even drug offenders, it provides food and shelter for the homeless and operates food distribution centres. Salvation Army also provides services like the social service program that helps meet the basic needs of daily life for those without the resources by providing food, clothing, financial assistance to pay utilities, and other necessities.

Informal Group: The Red Cross society is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide, which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Red Cross is a big international organisation that is privately run, one of its goal is to organise nursing and care for those who are wounded on the battlefield.

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Group 1: Formal groups and informal groups can contribute to the needs of society.
Group 2: Individuals and organised groups can influence the government's decisions.
Group 3: Citizen participation can lead to the strengthening of their sense of belonging.

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formal group: salvation army.
salvation army is a place where people can bequeath clothes or old items that they no longer use to the less fortunate. this gives the needy to use items they never had the opportunity to use before, meeting both their "physical and spiritual needs"

informal group: people can volunteer at ADHD/ASD Warriors Singapore. they specialise in helping those who suffer from ASD, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ODD and related needs. this allows people to experience helping others who are in need of help and are different from us, developing. society’s outlook towards these type of people, making it a more harmonious place to stay.

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Formal : Transient Workers Count Two ( TWC2) works on the promotion of fair treatment of migrant workers working in Singapore. They want to create a society that recognises their contributions to households, the economy and the country. TWC2 ensures that migrant workers have an unbiased resolution of their cases, access to medical care, dignity in work and living conditions, and protection of their autonomy. Lastly, the organization educates the public about the social conditions in which exploitation, abuse and injustice occur. This strengthens citizens sense of belonging as they can participate in activities promoting fair treatment of migrant workers. Furthermore, citizens feel it is their responsibility to ensure their “guest”(migrant workers) have a safe and equal environment in their home.

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Formal group:
Voluntary welfare organisation which are voluntary groups formed by people with a common interest. They established the Mercy Relief to respond to the human tragedies in Asia. Mercy Relief serves the unfortunate and needy regardless of country

Informal:
Caregiving welfare association.
As part of the Caregiving Welfare Association (CWA) efforts to reach out to family caregivers, we encourage family caregivers to join us at our monthly caregiver support group sessions.

Very often, caregivers are unaware of where to seek assistance from, many individuals end up bearing the heavy burden of looking after their loved ones themselves and suffering in silence. This affects them emotionally, physically and mentally – resulting in caregiver burnout at the end of the day.

We believe that there are many benefits which caregivers could gain from by participating in such group work. For example, individual gains mutual support from one another, and through the sharing of personal experiences, one could learn how to manage or even overcome such struggles eventually

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Informal group: the nature society(Singapore) is a non-government, non-profit organization that spreads the importance of conserving Singapore’s natural environment through a wide range of activities such as guided nature-appreciation walks, talks, overseas eco-trips and collaborations with schools and the community.
Formal group: The people’s movement to stop haze Was launched following the aftermath of the 2013 haze fiasco, this organisation aims to encourage Singaporeans to take a proactive stance against the haze problems, instead of whinging about it.

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for workers who do not recognise their rights.
formal groups: they can give out pamphlets to the workers to inform them of their rights
informal: they can give speeches out in the public to inform them that they have rights and they will be treated well

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Citizens can influence government decisions through REACH, a formal organisation that gives citizens the platform where they can send in feedback and give ideas or suggestions to the government to change or have certain policies. Through REACH, citizens are able to communicate to government officials when they hold engagement sessions called Listening Pointsengagement sessions called Listening Points. Suggestions from citizens can help shape Singapore’s future and make it a more inclusive society.

For example, a societal issue is racism. A leading group that promotes racial harmony that was organised by  in 1997 by the Community Development Councils