In the quiet hours after dark, a group of volunteers gather.
Part of the Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS) network, volunteers walk through our neighbourhoods, rain or shine. Together, they trawl the corners of HDB void decks, multistorey carparks and the pavilions of community gardens, offering support to rough sleepers. Among them is Senior Parliamentary Secretary (SPS) Eric Chua, armed with a warm bun and a bottle of water in hand, as well as a listening ear.
“We want to be friends they can trust,” said SPS Eric in an interview with Petir. For Mr Chua, building such “relational capital” is crucial. Especially when it takes weeks, if not months, for many rough sleepers to feel comfortable enough to share with volunteers the issues they are facing.
And when they do, getting them off the streets is rarely as simple as giving someone the keys to a flat and hoping that the problem resolves itself.
Relating the case of an elderly uncle who was thrown out of his own home by his wife, who was having an affair, Mr Chua added that “relational issues” are often the root cause of why someone ends up on the streets.
Besides family disputes, disagreement with flatmates, sudden job losses and mental health troubles are other reasons for sleeping rough.
“It’s not just about a roof over their head,” shared Mr Chua. Many rough sleepers carry with them the baggage of past traumas that require the help of different social services.
Due to the complexity of this social phenomenon, getting a rough sleeper off the streets for good often requires a concerted effort – one where public agencies, social workers, counsellors and other agency workers work in tandem.
Innovative solutions and trust from the ground-up
While the number of rough sleepers in Singapore is far fewer than those in comparable global cities, difficulties remain.
A street count conducted last year found 496 rough sleepers on a single night count. Among them, nearly half have a place to return to but have chosen to sleep in public. Others have also declined to stay at transitional shelters, citing reasons such as rules, privacy, and distance from their workplaces.
As such, Mr Chua believes that the solution to end rough sleeping is a much more diverse and varied one than most of us would like to think.
“Sometimes, you find that the rough sleepers don’t really want to check in to a shelter and be connected to social services for various reasons,” said Mr Chua.
But for those who do, help comes fast. A tight collaboration between government bodies and community partners on the ground ensures quick action.
“If the rough sleeper is willing, we will do our best to try get them to a shelter on the same night he agrees.”
In recent years, the government has also taken the feedback of one of Singapore’s most vulnerable communities to heart.
Newer shelters have been retrofitted to provide more privacy and storage spaces. For those looking for a temporary respite, initiatives such as the Night Café run by the Catholic Welfare Services four nights a week provides hot meals and support to rough sleepers, with no strings attached.
Examples like this, Mr Chua believes, are innovative ways to build trust with rough sleepers who might be wary of seeking help but still need the support.
Building a compassionate Singapore
Right now, Mr Chua is looking to rally more Singaporeans to the cause.
Central to this effort is the launch of the Partnership to Tackle Homelessness (PATH) fund. Launched in April this year, the $450,000 fund seeks to encourage fresh ideas from both individuals and community partners to help out rough sleepers.
As a hidden community, rough sleepers can be difficult to identify. For personal reasons, many rough sleepers hide their plight, such as choosing nondescript public facilities to take a shower, for example. That makes helping them even harder, despite committed volunteers who walk the streets several nights a week.
To address this, Mr Chua hopes that the new PATH fund can generate more innovative solutions that “go upstream” and contribute to a more “mature ecosystem” to support rough sleepers.
The sooner a rough sleeper connects with a social worker, the higher their chances of successfully rebuilding their life, said Mr Chua, citing a recent Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) study on the subject.
“It sounds quite intuitive, but when you put it into practice, how do we catch rough sleeping early and then intervene early?”
A champion for vulnerable communities
Having spent the past six years walking the ground to engage with rough sleepers, Mr Chua believes empathy is key.
“We as a society can be more aware and empathetic toward our rough sleeping friends in our community spaces…they are fellow members of our community, going through a rough patch in life. Let’s help make sure that they can access help.”
By that, he means providing not just shelter, but also restoring hope, trust and dignity.
In championing the welfare of rough sleepers and building awareness, it reflects SPS Eric’s belief that society should be measured by how it treats people at its margins.
“Whether it is rough sleepers, low-income families, ex-offenders or people with disabilities, it is a privilege to serve and do my share to support these groups.
“I hope that more Singaporeans can join me, and extend our hearts to these individuals,” said Mr Chua.
Keen to make a difference? Join the PEERS network as a volunteer and help support rough sleepers through outreach and ground engagement.
You can also call the ComCare Hotline at 1800-222-0000 or submit a request via the Help Neighbour feature on the OneService app if you know of a rough sleeper in your neighbourhood that needs help.
