The government in Singapore has announced that as of next year civil servants will get a day off every year to volunteer at any charitable institution of their choice.
This particularly benevolent policy has been adopted to encourage civil servants to expand their volunteering efforts into their local communities.
“A culture of volunteerism is essential for fostering a caring and cohesive society in Singapore. The Public Service is playing our part by supporting and encouraging more public officers to volunteer,” the head of the civil service, Peter Ong commented on the initiative in statement.
Next year, in order to enhance staff volunteerism, the civil service will collectively adopt at least 50 charities to encourage volunteering. A senior figure will also be appointed in each department to champion and support volunteering outside of the office.
“We believe that the adoption of different charities will allow for sustained commitment among public officers who will build meaningful relationships with their adopted charities,” Ong concluded.
Robert joined the HRreview editorial team in October 2015. After graduating from the University of Salford in 2009 with a BA in Politics, Robert has spent several years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past he has been part of editorial teams at Flux Magazine, Mondo*Arc Magazine and The Marine Professional.
