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In 2004, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports introduced a new initiative called STEP-UP (School social work To Empower Pupils to Utilise their Potential) to enhance the capability and capacity of Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) in their provision of school social work.
Administered by the National Council of Social Service, this is the fifth year for STEP-UP, with 175 schools currently onboard in 2008 (as of Feb 2008). |
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| Objectives of STEP-UP |
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The goal of STEP-UP is to complement the school system with school social work programmes that strengthen the social and emotional resilience of students, to enable them to better cope with challenges, and to maximise their schooling experience. The key outcomes of STEP-UP are:
- Early prevention and intervention with students at risk of dropping out of school, antisocial behaviours and delinquency
- Prevent premature school leaving
- Reduce anti-social behaviours
- Prevent students at-risk from entering the Juvenile Justice System
- Empowerment of parents and primary caregivers of students at-risk to better support and manage their children
- Empowerment of teachers and school management to better support and manage their students
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| Funding Criteria |
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MCYS co-funds part of the costs to bring STEP-UP into the schools. Since January 2007, MCYS has increased the amount of programme costs supported under STEP-UP.
MCYS can co-fund up to a maximum programme cost of $50,000 per school. MCYS will provide funding up to 75% of approved programme costs, subject to an annual cap of $37,500 per school, for the first and second year. For the remaining three years thereafter, MCYS will provide funding up to 50% of the approved programme costs, with an annual cap of $25,000 per school.
This will be subjected to a yearly review. Schools interested in setting up STEP-UP should be prepared for long-term commitment to the programme, e.g. resources to support the co-funding, working with the VWO to facilitate smooth implementation of the programme in the school etc.
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| Application |
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A project selection system has been adopted in selecting suitable programmes to support. VWOs will be invited to submit their programme proposal for consideration. Each VWO is expected to work closely with an identified school in customising a programme for the students. The evaluation panel comprises representatives from MCYS, MOE and NCSS. Selection will be based on the merit and benefits of the proposed programme, the experience and capability of the VWO, as well as needs of the identified school.
Programme application for year 2008 is closed.
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| Programme Change |
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| VWOs are requested to notify NCSS through submission of programme change forms by using the templates above. Programme changes should align with STEP-UP guiding principles and outcomes. Please feel free to contact NCSS staff should you have further enquiries. |
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| Termination |
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The termination of STEP-UP programme can be executed at any time of the year but should be mutually agreed upon between the school and VWO. A hardcopy letter should then be sent to NCSS, addressed to:
Ms Susie Tan
Senior Executive
Children, Youth and Family Services
Service Development
170 Ghim Moh Road, #01-02
Singapore 279621 |
The letter does not require a particular format, but should include the following information:
- Brief description of the reason(s) for termination
- Effective date of termination
The letter should be co-signed by the School Principal and the Agency Head. Alternatively, the school and the agency can send in separate termination letters, signed by the School Principal and Agency Head respectively.
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| Annual Report |
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| All agencies are required to submit a STEP-UP Annual Report to NCSS for assessment and evaluation purposes. The forms will be sent out to the VWOs in November and are to be submitted in January of the next calendar year. |
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| Contact for Enquiry |
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If you have any queries on STEP-UP, please get in touch with the following staff from NCSS:
For Programme Enquiries
Ms Susie Tan
Senior Executive
Children, Youth and Family Services, Service Development Division
DID: 6210 2494
Email: susie_tan@ncss.gov.sg
Ms Robyn Tan
Senior Executive
Children, Youth and Family Services, Service Development Division
DID: 6210 2630
Email: robyn_tan@ncss.gov.sg
For Funding Enquiries
Ms Annie Won
Principal Executive
VWO Funding, Resource Allocation Division
DID: 6210 2548
Email: annie_won@ncss.gov.sg
Ministry's Contact
Ms Chai Pei Shan
Youth Development Officer
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
Youth Division
DID: 6354 8005
Email: chai_pei_shan@mcys.gov.sg |
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