It’s not crazy to think our society is turning out to be selfish with each passing day. As more and more cases of crime and racism stack up, you aren’t wrong in believing so.
However, some citizens do think there’s still some hope left and we can turn around this behaviour. It may need a generational change but it’s achievable. As they say, no good deed goes wasted, and these people strongly believe in the same.
In fact, what this society needs today is a little bit of empathy and kindness. And if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s exactly this. With a little support and lots of tolerance, we can be a society worth living in.
That’s what the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) organisation aims to do. It aims to create a more gracious society that’s more considerate of each other. So, how exactly does it plan to achieve this?
In line with the World Kindness Day on November 13, 2023, let’s recap our interview with SKM’s chairperson Ms Junie Foo last 2021.
Focus On Neighbourliness
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The not-for-profit organisation aims to work on pressing issues like neighbourliness, mental health, as well as racial and religious harmony.
“We always try to remind Singaporeans that we are neighbours by chance and friends by choice. Even though the pandemic has forced us into unfamiliar situations, we can choose to be friendly to our neighbours,” says Ms Junie.
About this, Ms Junie says, “We aim to launch initiatives to remind Singaporeans to be tolerant and respect the beliefs of our fellow Singaporeans.
Pre-pandemic, we launched the initiative, ‘Just an Extra Chair’, to encourage Singaporeans to invite their neighbours from other faiths or even guest workers from other countries to bask in the festivities and share a meal together.”
Ms Junie says SKM will also continue to organise dialogues and initiatives geared towards cultivating tolerance and respect for race and religion.
Importance of Society’s Mental Health
Another issue close to the Singapore Kindness Movement is the importance of mental health. We cannot stress how important it is to talk and communicate and that’s exactly what the organisation has been doing.
“SKM has hosted dialogues and discussions to raise awareness of its [mental health] importance,” she says.
Ms Junie adds, “We will continue pushing for initiatives to address the issue of mental wellness in Singapore and help Singaporeans understand and destigmatise mental health issues.”
SKM’s online publication ‘The Pride’ tackles current affairs and the above social issues through a positive lens.
“By discussing social issues and current affairs that are important to our community, we hope to encourage the public to consider other perspectives and strive towards building a more inclusive and caring society,” Ms Junie says.
Plans of Building A More Gracious Society
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Ms Junie believes that small acts of kindness have larger ripple effects and by doing so, more people will engage in the acts of kindness. The Singapore Kindness Movement wants to highlight these individuals and show their appreciation.
Ms Junie also believes that the best way to build a more gracious society is to build the next generation. Parents play a vital role in shaping the future of our society as they shape the future of their children.
“The best way for parents to contribute is for them to teach their children the importance of empathy and being kind,” she says. Adding, “The best advice I can give young parents is to make kindness a priority.
Make sure that you impart values into your children that will allow them to look beyond themselves and be considerate of others.”
However, it’s your behaviour that makes you kind and not your words, which is why Foo says that parents be strong strong role models themselves for kids to follow.
“A parent must set an example of kindness in both word and deed,” she says.
Making Children More Empathetic Towards Each Other
Ms Junie says to cultivate empathy in our children, parents and schools must provide opportunities for their children to practice empathy.
Schools must engage in acts that allow children to practice kindness. Ms Junie believes this will create a habit and being kind would be almost second nature to them.
Earlier this year, the Singapore Kindness Movement recognised the efforts of such children with Friend of Singa (FOS).
The students between Primary 1 and Primary 6 will be honoured as FOS ambassadors who went the extra mile in an act of kindness. The organisation hopes will encourage other children to emulate it at home and school.
Children And Mental Health In Singapore
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With the pandemic disrupting children’s routines, parents and educators need to pay extra attention to their mental health.
Ms Junie says, “I think that prevention is better than rehabilitation. It is essential that we equip children with knowledge of common mental health conditions and ways to manage them. We must also develop empathy and care towards persons with mental health conditions in them so that they can provide support for their peers if needed.”
As parents try to balance Work From Home (WFH) and Home-Based Learning (HBL), Foo says parents can use this opportunity to teach children about the importance of boundaries and empathy.
“I think parents should set clear boundaries and expectations for their children during ‘work and study’ hours and get them to understand its importance,” she notes.
“However, parents must also be flexible,” she adds. “We must be mindful that change is difficult for everyone, including children. We must not blow up at them should they cross certain boundaries,” she advises.
Ms Junie says when children follow boundaries, they must be given praise, affection and small rewards.
She further adds that by reinforcing appropriate and desirable behaviour, children will repeat the same, and over time, it will coalesce into a good habit.
Making Singapore A Kinder Society
With Singapore achieving remarkable progress since its independence, the country offers one of the best quality lives in the world. Religious harmony remains a major aspect that’s strongly been a part of the island’s culture.
Singapore is a melting pot of different traditions and cultures. It’s this multi-ethnicity that’s visible in its languages, streets, shops and way of life. So has it reached a precipice? Is it downhill from here?
Ms Junie says, “There is no place like home. I want to make Singapore the best home for all its people. I want them to be able to feel comfortable and supported. We need to work together as a nation where we are not only tolerant but also respectful of each other’s beliefs.”
For Singapore to progress, she says, “Let us create a society that readily lends itself to acts of kindness, volunteer work, and philanthropy for the society. A kinder you can make us stronger even with the smallest act of kindness. Let’s be greater.”
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