SINGAPORE – Touch Community Services will add three new active ageing centres to its existing five in 2026, two dedicated spaces for people with intellectual disabilities, and its first workplace mental wellness centre that will open in the central business district.
It will also introduce community engagement hubs, called Touchpoints, in Tampines and Marine Parade, said its chief executive officer James Tan on March 13.
Called Touchpoints, these hubs will multiple services under one roof, to serve families, children, youth, seniors, caregivers and persons with special and wellness needs.
Mr Tan made the announcement in his opening speech at the inaugural Touch J.A.M. (Joy, Art and Music) Carnival, which runs till March 15 at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza.
The carnival, which aims to raise $3.3 million for the charity’s programmes, was launched by Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, and Law.
The launch festivities included performances by Touch’s children and youth beneficiaries and a catwalk by artists with intellectual disabilities sporting Journey x Snoopy merchandise that features their work.
Journey is a brand of lifestyle products under Touch Community Services that showcases the creative talents of people with intellectual disabilities.
The carnival’s Journey x Snoopy pop-up store includes a series of newly designed limited edition bags and charms featuring Galactic Playground, an original artwork created by 27 artists from Journey.
One of the artists, Mr Hee Wan Po, 58, said he enjoyed putting up the catwalk performance with fellow Journey members.
Journey beneficiary Jocelyn Kong, 37, who does packing and quality check of products at the brand as part of vocational training, said she was happy to see Mediacorp artiste Rebecca Lim, who was making her first official appearance as a Touch ambassador.
Besides food, drinks and games, the event includes live performances from Touch beneficiaries and by South-east Asian singer-songwriter Lullaboy every evening, with a special fan meet on Sunday afternoon. Local band 53A will perform on March 14, while Glenn Yong will take the stage on March 15.
“Events like this create opportunities for Singaporeans to connect, for families to spend meaningful time together, and for people from different walks of life to contribute in their own ways,” said Mr Chua.
“In many ways, this reflects the kind of society that we want to build right here in Singapore. One that’s caring and inclusive, one where everyone is engaged, accepted, and also given the opportunity to thrive.”
The carnival is supported by Singapore’s national grid operator SP Group, whose $2.1 million contribution will support over 700 children and youths aged seven to 17 years from lower-income families over three years through the SP Champ League.
This initiative will provide beneficiaries with mentoring, academic tutoring and enrichment activities to build cognitive skills and improve social mobility.
The remaining $1.2 million raised will go towards the Heart of Community Fund, to support its programmes that benefit over 216,000 individuals under Touch’s care, as well as fund outreach programmes that promote cyber wellness and mental health.
Admission to the carnival is free. All proceeds from game coupons, snack bags and donations at terminals around the event plaza will go to the fund, as will a portion of the earnings by food and beverage vendors.
TOUCH Youth Enablement Students performing a dance on stage at the carnival on March 14.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Fourteen-year-old Owen Sim is a superhero fan who has loved martial arts since young.
Coming from a lower-income family, he did not have the chance to pursue his interest until his family got to know about Touch Young Arrows, a programme that provides children from low-income and single-parent families with free academic coaching and enrichment activities.
In 2024, SP Group donated $500,000 to Touch Community Services to support at-risk youth from lower-income families, providing them with digital learning resources, academic coaching and enrichment activities. This served as a pilot run of SP Champ League.
In the past two years, Owen has attended STEM programmes, including one called “superhero science”, as well as a mixed martial arts programme.
“I learnt a lot of cool moves in martial arts and learnt self-defence.”