<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Sep 17, 2009
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Moves to forge bonds <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>$10m fund will help promote intermingling with new citizens </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Sue-Ann Chia, Senior Political Correspondent
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Singaporeans and new citizen Kai Lin (second from right) mingling in May. Organisations can tap into a new $10 million fund for projects to help immigrants and Singaporeans get to know each other. -- PHOTO: MY
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->A DAY after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke of helping new citizens adjust to life here, a Government-led panel has released recommendations to promote integration between immigrants and citizens in the community, schools and workplace.
A key plank is a $10 million fund that organisations can tap over the next three years for projects - cultural gatherings, seminars, social outings and the like - to help immigrants and Singaporeans mingle and get to know each other.
The Community Integration Fund, which will cover up to 80 per cent of a project's cost, will be a boon to groups keen on holding events but which lack the resources to do so.
Other measures announced include getting newcomers to attend basic English courses to improve their command of the language in order to better communicate with Singaporeans.
A third major recommendation is for an updated orientation programme for new citizens to learn about key historical landmarks and institutions, and to be introduced to grassroots communities here.
Some aspects of this new Naturalisation and Integration Journey could be made mandatory for permanent residents (PRs) before they are given citizenship - but no details have been released yet.
These moves by the National Integration Council come five months after it was set up in the wake of increasing numbers of foreigners coming here to work or study. Some Singaporeans found the influx worrying and were concerned about competition for jobs and school places, and the impact that foreigners were having on the social fabric of society.
The council, chaired by Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, included five other ministers and 75 members from the public and private sectors.
At a press conference on Wednesday, flanked by 11 council members, Dr Balakrishnan outlined integration ideas and urged Singaporeans to adopt 'an open heart and mind, and an attitude of helping and accepting each other'.
The varied approaches include programmes to get Singaporean and foreign students to take each other home for meals or to eat out together; seminars to exchange ideas on integration; and paying tribute to new citizens who have done volunteer work here.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Moves to forge bonds <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>$10m fund will help promote intermingling with new citizens </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Sue-Ann Chia, Senior Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Singaporeans and new citizen Kai Lin (second from right) mingling in May. Organisations can tap into a new $10 million fund for projects to help immigrants and Singaporeans get to know each other. -- PHOTO: MY
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->A DAY after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke of helping new citizens adjust to life here, a Government-led panel has released recommendations to promote integration between immigrants and citizens in the community, schools and workplace.
A key plank is a $10 million fund that organisations can tap over the next three years for projects - cultural gatherings, seminars, social outings and the like - to help immigrants and Singaporeans mingle and get to know each other.
The Community Integration Fund, which will cover up to 80 per cent of a project's cost, will be a boon to groups keen on holding events but which lack the resources to do so.
Other measures announced include getting newcomers to attend basic English courses to improve their command of the language in order to better communicate with Singaporeans.
A third major recommendation is for an updated orientation programme for new citizens to learn about key historical landmarks and institutions, and to be introduced to grassroots communities here.
Some aspects of this new Naturalisation and Integration Journey could be made mandatory for permanent residents (PRs) before they are given citizenship - but no details have been released yet.
These moves by the National Integration Council come five months after it was set up in the wake of increasing numbers of foreigners coming here to work or study. Some Singaporeans found the influx worrying and were concerned about competition for jobs and school places, and the impact that foreigners were having on the social fabric of society.
The council, chaired by Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, included five other ministers and 75 members from the public and private sectors.
At a press conference on Wednesday, flanked by 11 council members, Dr Balakrishnan outlined integration ideas and urged Singaporeans to adopt 'an open heart and mind, and an attitude of helping and accepting each other'.
The varied approaches include programmes to get Singaporean and foreign students to take each other home for meals or to eat out together; seminars to exchange ideas on integration; and paying tribute to new citizens who have done volunteer work here.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
