SINGAPORE – The newly-opened Sembawang Recreation Centre that caters to migrant workers is the first of nine such centres to provide dedicated spaces to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) serving the workers.
ItsRainingRaincoats and Passion To Serve will conduct regular activities for workers at the centre, which officially opened on April 14.
NGOs have been invited to run programmes in other recreation centres, but were not previously offered dedicated spaces there.
ItsRainingRaincoat’s founder Dipa Swaminathan said that the new space in Sembawang will allow the organisation to run larger classes such as English language courses, organise festive bazaars, as well as offer chiropractic sessions for migrant workers.
The group will also be able to host corporate events, such as corporate social responsibility activities, and students on community service projects, she added. It is challenging to host such activities in the charity’s existing space at 470 Upper Paya Lebar Road, a two-storey building that houses a free shop for migrant workers on the ground floor, and a lounge area on the second floor.
Meanwhile, Passion To Serve is set to run regular digital literacy and English enrichment classes for workers, who can spend time in a reading corner that the NGO has set up in its Sembawang space.
The two organisations were chosen by the Minister of Manpower (MOM) to operate at the centre through an open request for proposals exercise. Details such as the length of their lease, as well as rental premiums, were not publicised.
Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon, who officiated the centre’s opening, said its layout and peaceful environment has facilitated the hosting of a wide range of activities, such as a Lunar New Year bazaar earlier in 2024, as well as food trucks, barbecue parties and movie screenings.
The centre occupies a land area of about 4,000 sq m – just over half the size of a football field.
The Sembawang centre is the first recreation centre to be housed in a historical building.
Completed in 1963, the building originally housed British charity Aggie Weston’s first rest house outside the UK, where members of the Royal Navy could go on their days off. The Aggie Weston website said its rest houses were “a bar without drink”, eventually provided seamen with lodgings and recreational activities.
Since then, the premise at 301 Canberra Road has also been used by HomeTeamNS as a clubhouse.
Dr Koh said that the centre will serve more than 27,000 workers living in the area, adding that the centre has several air-conditioned training and function rooms that are unique to it.
He said the centre offers workers a chance to participate in activities organised by NGOs and MOM’s other partners, in air-conditioned training and function rooms that can be converted for health screenings, computer classes and engagement activities.
On the inclusion of dedicated spaces for NGOs, Dr Koh said it signifies ongoing efforts by the authorities to work with partners to support migrant workers’ well-being, and ensure they have access to services.
While ItsRainingRaincoats and Passion To Serve have secured spaces, he said that the authorities will ensure other partners have opportunities to use the centre’s communal spaces and sporting facilities to engage workers.
