This year’s PVPA also celebrates an increase in skills-based volunteering, highlighting the growing trend of more diverse forms of giving.
Singapore, 17 October 2023 – The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) today announced 11 winners of the President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards (PVPA) 2023. Now in its 11th edition since its inception in 2012, the PVPA continues to celebrate individuals and groups that have achieved excellence in giving, representing Singapore’s highest honour for community contributions.
The Power of Intergenerational Giving
This year’s PVPA shines a spotlight on the power of inter-generational volunteerism, proving that excellence in giving is not limited by age. For the first time in PVPA’s history, two winners were selected in the People of Good (Senior) category.
One of the winners, Malcolm Chen, founded Ageless Bicyclists to provide inclusive cycling programmes and learning experiences for individuals with different needs. Aged 78, Malcolm started the initiative based on the values imparted by his mother, with the aim of letting children experience the joys of cycling. Malcolm also uses his skills as a certified cycling coach to uplift the lives of others.
The second winner of this category is Mark Yuen Yu Tai, aged 68, who founded Team MDI to offer free haircut services to seniors, underserved Singaporeans, and migrant workers. Utilising his skills as a former hairstylist, Mark’s genuine kindness and passion have empowered the lives of those he serves. From his perspective, a simple haircut is more than a mere service; it is a source of confidence, conversation, and insight into the lives of those he interacts with.
The power of inter-generational giving is perhaps best illustrated by the City of Good Award winners this year, to honour sustained and collaborative giving efforts with lasting impact. The Girl Guides Singapore and Sree Narayana Mission (Singapore) (SNM) have forged a long-term partnership to cultivate a giving culture among Singapore’s younger generation and bring smiles to the nursing home residents Sree Narayana Mission. This 13-year collaboration underscores the enduring impact of cross-sector partnerships, transforming the lives of the givers and receivers.
Since 2010, the Girl Guides have organised weekly inter-generational interaction programmes with SNM Nursing Home. The yearly programme is held between March and December, involving around 30 groups of students who regularly interact with seniors, fostering cross-generational bonds and instilling values such as empathy, respect, and social responsibility among the Girl Guide volunteers, inspiring them to continue their giving journey beyond the partnership.
These stories reinforce the notion that excellence in giving cuts across generations. Malcolm and Mark demonstrate that seniors too can give back and galvanise others to do good, while the SNM and Girl Guides partnership serves as heartwarming evidence of how efforts to build a City of Good can be sustained over many years.
Leveraging Skills and Expertise to Elevate Impact
Across the various categories, this year’s PVPA also unveils a prominent trend towards skills-based volunteering. Individuals and organisations are not just giving time and money but are generously sharing their unique skills and expertise to uplift and empower those that they serve. This evolving spirit of giving demonstrates that contributions can extend far beyond conventional methods, encompassing diverse and innovative approaches.
One example is Cognizant Technology Solutions, winner of the Organisations of Good (Large Enterprise) category. Through their various outreach programmes, Cognizant leverages their employees’ skills to mentor, train and uplift students, youths, and women, to equip them for the digital economy. The company embodies the ethos of Corporate Purpose, where they embed the company’s purpose into improving the lives of those in the community.
TalentTrust, winner of the Organisations of Good (Non-Profit) category, is another example. The organisation is redefining giving by connecting volunteers with various expertise to improve the operations of other non-profit entities in areas such as Digital Skills, Human Resources, and Volunteer Management, among others. In the public sector, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), winner of the Organisations of Good (Public Institution) category, seeks to empower Singaporeans with digital skills and to build a digital inclusive society through its Digital for Life (DfL) initiatives.
Skills-based volunteerism is not only limited to organisations. People of Good (Open) winner, Janice Soo, utilises her skills as a medical worker to volunteer around 40 hours weekly in various healthcare settings as a kindred spirit to those who in need. She started her volunteering journey when she was 15 years old. Similarly, People of Good (Student) winner, Lee Cai Wei, uses her knowledge of digital tools to uplift lives across borders through online classes.
These stories illustrate how giving can go beyond traditional means and how skills-based giving can positively change the lives of givers and receivers.
Strengthening Community Connections Through Impactful Leadership
The PVPA also celebrates leaders who strategically employ their influence and voice to inspire others to do good. Yuvan S/O Mohan, the winner of the Leader of Good (Youth) Award category, has been serving as Chairperson of SINDA Youth Club (SYC) for the past two years. During his tenure, he successfully rallied 20 Indian Youth Leaders from SYC to develop a conversation toolkit, which promotes safe and open discussions among youth on sensitive topics related to race and religion.
In the Leader of Good (Adult) Award category, Yap Su Yin was recognised as a trailblazer for establishing Singapore’s first Community Justice Centre. Her leadership capabilities in restructuring organisations and empowering those around her have generated substantial impact. For example, she started NTU Service Week, the first initiative by a local university dedicated to promoting giving.
The Social Kitchen, winner of the Organisations of Good (SME) category, was also honoured for leading the way in inclusive employment.
Mr. Seah Chin Siong, Chairman of NVPC, emphasised, “It is truly inspiring to witness individuals of all ages and a myriad of organisations from various industries uniting as a collective force, working collaboratively to cultivate a new social impact. This unified effort serves as a catalyst, propelling us forward in the ongoing mission to cultivate and empower champions of giving and volunteerism.”
Mr. Tony Soh, CEO of NVPC, said, “This year’s PVPA winners have shown how each of us can contribute time, talent, treasure, ties, and testimony to change the lives of individuals and communities around us. They embody excellence in giving and inspire us to play our part to build a more caring, inclusive and compassionate society.”
With 239 nominations received this year, the PVPA continues to inspire generations of Singaporeans to build a City of Good.
PVPA 2023 Award Categories and Winners
The 11 winners of PVPA 2023 were selected by a distinguished panel of judges, including former PVPA recipients, alongside business and community leaders across varying sectors.
Kindly refer to the full list of winners as well as the judging panel at www.cityofgood.sg/pvpa, or in Annex A and B respectively. The PVPA awards encompass four pillars: People of Good, Organisations of Good, Leaders of Good, and the prestigious City of Good Award.
| PEOPLE OF GOOD AWARD | ORGANISATIONS OF GOOD AWARD | LEADERS OF GOOD AWARD | CITY OF GOOD AWARD |
| People who are exceptional givers and have voluntarily devoted their time, talent, treasure, and/or voice to create a positive impact in society. | Organisations that are active contributors to the community for the last 3 years, with emphasis given to contributions in the last fiscal year. | Individuals who are exceptional multiplier leaders and have mobilised others to devote their time, talent, treasure and/or voice to create and multiply their impact in society. | Cross-sector partnerships that have achieved significant and sustainable impact, resulting in lasting contributions to society. |
About National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC)
The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) is the steward of the City of Good vision for Singapore, where individuals, organisations, and leaders come together to give their best for others. Through our brands, programmes, and initiatives, we facilitate partnerships with non-profits, organisations, public sector bodies, and individuals to enliven the giving ecosystem within Singapore. We invite you to join us in becoming a #CityofGood together. Visit us at www.cityofgood.sg
About the Presidents’ Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards
The President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards (PVPA) is the pinnacle award and platform to recognise individuals, organisations, leaders and cross-sector partnerships that have achieved excellence in giving. These awards represent the highest honour for giving to the community and are conferred by the President of the Republic of Singapore. It is organised annually by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), with support from the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY).
Annex A: PVPA 2023 – Winners List
People of Good Award Category
| Award | Recipient | Description |
| People of Good Award (Open) | Soo Jie Er, Janice | Janice’s volunteering journey began when she was just 15 years old. Her volunteer work spans across numerous causes, including eldercare, healthcare, migrant workers, special needs, youths and children. |
| People of Good Award (Student) | Lee Cai Wei | Cai Wei is the Founder of Sisters by Heart @ Singapore, a non-profit organisation supporting children and young adults. |
| People of Good Award (Senior) | Malcolm Chen | Malcolm founded Ageless Bicyclists in 2015 with a mission to provide experiential inclusive cycling programmes and learning for children and adults with different needs. |
| People of Good Award (Senior) | Mark Yuen Yu Tai | Mark founded Team MDI in 2016, an organisation that offers free haircut services for seniors, underserved Singaporeans, and migrant workers. Over the last few years, he has grown his volunteer pool of hair cutters to over 100. |
Organisations of Good Award Category
| Award | Recipient | Description |
| Organisations of Good Award (Large Enterprise) | Cognizant Technology Solutions Asia Pte Ltd | Cognizant’s Corporate Purpose is to engineer modern businesses to improve everyday life. Through ‘Outreach’, Cognizant’s ESG’s Social pillar, their social purpose aims to improve everyday life by supporting inclusion in tech and community impact across various themes. |
| Organisations of Good Award (SME) | The Social Kitchen | With a vision and mission to create “Sustainable Food powered by Sustainable Workforce”, The Social Kitchen provides on-job-training and employment opportunities for the vulnerable community. The Social Kitchen partners with various community organisations to operate their kitchen and café to optimally benefit disadvantaged communities. |
| Organisations of Good Award (Public Institution) | Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) | IMDA’s Digital for Life (DfL) movement aims to help Singaporeans embrace digital as a lifelong pursuit, enriching their lives. The DfL movement serves as a platform to bring together corporates, community organisations, government agencies as well as individuals to play a part, co-creating solutions and catalysing change. |
| Organisations of Good Award (Non-Profit) | TalentTrust | TalentTrust operates in a niche space of charitable activities — developing other NPOs’ capabilities to amplify their impact. Despite being a small NPO with only 4 employees, they were able to work with 32 non-profits in the last 3 years. |
Leaders of Good Award Category
| Award | Recipient | Description |
| Leaders of Good Award (Youth) | Yuvan S/O Mohan | Yuvan has held the position of Chairperson at SINDA Youth Club (SYC) since 2021. In addition to overseeing 15 initiatives annually, he has actively engaged with 600 youths and contributed to the development of 84 leaders. Moreover, he volunteered and played an instrumental role in increasing the National Youth Council’s Change Makers volunteer base from 25 to 60 between 2017 to 2023. Yuvan manages a team of 60 youths every month, providing essential support for 240 projects a year through funding. |
| Leaders of Good Award (Adult) | Yap Su Yin | Su Yin established Singapore’s first Community Justice Centre, personally identifying its CEO who continues to helm it today. She dedicated many years as alternate to the Deputy Chairman. Su-Yin is well-respected in the non-profit sector, having been an integral member of the sub-committee responsible for reviewing the Charity Council’s Code of Governance. Furthermore, she served as a judge for the Charity Transparency Awards during its inception years. |
City of Good Award Category
| Award | Recipient | Description |
| City of Good Award | Sree Narayana Mission (SNM) Singapore & Girl Guides Singapore | Every year, from March to December, Girl Guides Singapore sends 30 groups of 10 to 15 Girl Guides from around 22 schools under its division to conduct weekly Intergenerational Interaction programmes for seniors at SNM Nursing Home. Through these interactions, students develop empathy, understanding, and respect for the elderly. This experience fosters a sense of social responsibility and compassion within students, helping them develop stronger relationships with the community they serve. |
Annex B: PVPA 2023 – Judging Panel
People of Good Award Category
- Ms Theresa Tan, Senior Social Affairs Correspondent, The Straits Times
- Dr William Wan, General Secretary, Singapore Kindness Movement
- Mdm Zulaiha Yusuf, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, MENDAKI Singapore
- Mr Cho Ming Xiu, Founder and Executive Director, Campus PSY (Singapore)
Organisations of Good Award Category
- Mr Ng Boon Heong, CEO, Temasek Foundation
- Jeffery Tan, Group General Counsel, Chief Sustainability Officer, Director – Group Legal & Corporate Affairs, Jardines Cycle & Carriage Limited
- Mr Benny Lee, Executive Vice President, Royal Golden Eagle (RGE)
- Ms Dipa Swaminathan, Founder, ItsRainingRaincoats
- Ms Wong Su-Yen, Chairperson, Singapore Institute of Directors
- Ms Pamela Chng, Founder, Bettr Barista
Leaders of Good Award Category
- Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim, CEO, Make-A-Wish Singapore & President, PPIS
- Dr Goh Wei Leong, Co-Founder & Advisor, HealthServe
- Mr Lim Tanguy, CEO, Law Society Pro Bono Services
- Dr Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, Mount Elizabeth Hospital
- Mr Tan Lin Teck, Deputy CEO, National Youth Council
City of Good Award Category
- Ms Lee May Gee, Principal Private Secretary, President’s Office (Istana’s Representative)
- Mr Seah Chin Siong, Chairman, NVPC
- Mr Anil David, Founder, Agape Connecting People
- Prof Tan Tai Yong, President & Professor, Singapore University of Social Sciences
