Vulnerable Individuals and Families
The rehabilitation and reintegration journey can be filled with many challenges. Support from the community through various in-care and aftercare programmes can help our inmates and ex-offenders stay on course for long term desistance.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) works with other public agencies, and community partners, to support inmates, ex-offenders, and their families on the rehabilitation and reintegration journey.
In addition to broad-based programmes that are available to all inmates and ex-offenders, MHA also works with MM organisations and the M3 agencies, to develop culturally-nuanced programmes to address the specific needs of MM inmates, ex-offenders, and their families.
This workstream is led by Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development.
FITRAH
The FITRAH (Family and Inmates Throughcare Assistance Haven) office was set up in November 2018 to provide a more coordinated and holistic support to MM inmates throughout their incarceration period, as well as their families.
Incare Programmes
FITRAH has developed a structured and values-centric religious programme for inmates. It also prepares Friday prayer sermons that are contextualised to the rehabilitation needs of the inmate.
On average, FITRAH conducts 30 Friday prayer sessions and 50 counselling sessions weekly.
FITRAH’s religious counsellors continue to extend their pro-social support to inmates upon release on a voluntary basis. This could be in the form of befriending or outreach to the individuals to participate in FITRAH’s activities in the community.
Aftercare Programmes and Support
Befriending Support
FITRAH has a pool of volunteer befrienders that provide befriending support to both ex-offenders and their families. The befrienders provide the ex-offenders and their families with social and emotional support, and connect them with the community to expand their pro-social network. The befrienders will also refer those who need, to support systems in the community.
Case Management Support
FITRAH provide case management services to inmates emplaced on the community-based programme.
The 18-month case management programme adopt a family-centric approach that supports the offenders and their immediate family members as well.
Back-to-FITRAH Package
FITRAH officers and volunteers receive ex-offenders at the prison gate on their date of release, and welcome them with a Back-To-FITRAH package which includes fidyah voucher, and an EZ-link card.
Support Group mentoring
Support group sessions and community activities are organised to facilitate the integration of ex-offenders into the community and expand their pro-social networks. FITRAH works with various MM support groups to organise community activities to help expand their pro-social network and pro-social activities. FITRAH also provides mentorship to the MM support groups by providing them with guidance on their directions and focus.
Throughcare Programme
Insan Mukmin
FITRAH collaborates with PERGAS to develop and deliver the Insan Mukmin programme. The programme provides participants with Islamic values and mindset to aid them in their rehabilitation and reintegration journey.
After completing the in-prison component of the Insan Mukmin programme and emplacement to the community-based programme, the participants are assigned a befriender to guide them towards pro-social and positive support networks and facilitate their participation in the social activities organised by various mosques.
The FITRAH office is located at En-Naeem Mosque. Click here to contact FITRAH.
Partnership with Mosques
FITRAH partners with our mosques for a referral process for families of inmates to the network of 31 mosques disbursing zakat financial assistance. At the mosques, families of inmates will be connected to support programmes, as well as Islamic Education programmes under aLIVE, ADIL and Home-based Islamic Learning. The mosques may also refer these families to MENDAKI’s programmes (for e.g. MENDAKI Tuition Scheme, SENSE programmes).
The FITRAH office is located at En-Naeem Mosque. You can also click here to get in touch with FITRAH today.
MENDAKI
MENDAKI supports Focus Area 2 efforts through a specially curated Family Excellence Circle (FEC) Programme for families impacted by incarceration.
The FEC programme is contextualised to better meet the needs and challenges of families impacted by incarceration.
FEC provides a platform for the families to share their challenges. This also creates a network of support amongst the families.
The FEC consists of group work and casework support for families. The facilitated group work sessions are meant to build the families’ resilience and help them develop problem solving skills.
FEC participants and their children will also be supported based on their assessed areas of needs either through MENDAKI’s programmes and services, eg the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme, Mentoring @ MTS or through referral to other services provided by the Social Service Office or the Family Service Centres etc.
M3 Engagement Coordination Office (M3 ECO)
M3 ECO is an integrated office comprising officers from People’s Association, MUIS and Yayasan MENDAKI.
To assist offenders in their reintegration journey, M3 Engagement Coordination Office (M3 ECO) organises courses, workshops and learning journeys for offenders residing in Pertapis Halfway House, Jamiyah Halfway House, PPIS Rise Above Halfway House and Selarang Halfway House, as well as their families through support provided by PA MESRA.
The courses and workshops include those that impart lifeskills and improve employment opportunities.
M3 ECO provides support to M3@Towns to engage families of incarcerated persons.
Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMOs) Rehabilitation Network
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Singapore Prisons Service (SPS) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) have been working with various MMOs to disseminate anti-drug messages, conducting rehabilitation programmes for offenders, and providing support to ex-offenders and their families. Following a series of focus group discussions and townhall sharing sessions with the MMOs to improve the efforts in preventing offending and re-offending, the MMOs expressed their interest to form a rehabilitation network to strengthen their existing efforts and to provide coordinated and holistic support to Malay offenders, ex-offenders, and their families.
The MMO Rehabilitation Network was formed, and formalised by Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry of National Development, on 30 November 2021. Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim leads the M3 Focus Area 2 efforts and heads the MMO Rehabilitation Network, providing strategic guidance to rally and steer the collaborative efforts of the Network to support efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Home Affairs and M3 Focus Area 2.
Developments and Events
-
Annual MMO Rehabilitation Network Korban Distribution Event
An annual event supported by MUIS, where members from the MMO Rehabilitation Network reaches out to families impacted by incarceration and provide them with korban meat.
In 2022, seven MMOs came together to reach out to more than 150 families. The event was held at Al-Khair mosque and each family were given 2kg worth of Korban meat.
In 2023, nine MMOs came together to reach out to more than 120 families. The event was held at An-Nur Mosque and each family were given 3kg worth of Korban meat.
-
Launch of MMO Rehabilitation Network Workplan
On 23 May 2023, MHA organized the MMO Rehabilitation Network forum with Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health, and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, as the Guest-of-Honour.
The forum was held to launch the inaugural workplan for the network that was co-created by MHA, SPS, CNB, and members from the network. The workplan shared the strategies that would be adopted by the network to further its efforts in preventing offending and reoffending within the MM community.
The forum also provided MHA with the opportunity to share with members, the developments under the Dadah Itu Haram campaign, as well as updates on SPS’s efforts with working with the MMOs in providing rehabilitation support to offenders.
A focus group discussion on the Dadah Itu Haram campaign was also facilitated for CNB to explore ways to build upon, and sustain, the success of the DIH awareness campaign.
-
MMO Rehabilitation Network Conference 2024
The MMO Rehabilitation Network organised its inaugural conference on 25 January 2024 at Singapore Expo MAX Atria. Themed S.H.U.R.A 2024: Synergizing Strengths for Collective Wisdom, it reflects the spirit of the MMOs coming together to work towards the betterment of the inmates, ex-offenders, and their families. The MMO Rehabilitation Network Conference 2024 seeks to fulfil three objectives – (i) to galvanise closer collaboration amongst stakeholders, (ii) to provide a better understanding on the programmes and services offered by the MMOs, and (iii) to allow members to better understand the needs of the MM inmates, ex-offenders, and their families. .
The conference saw presentations by member organisations as well as by agencies outside of the MMO Rehabilitation Network. They include KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore Children Society, Lions Befrienders, as well as Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association from the CARE (Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders) Network.
More than 200 participants from over 30 organisations attended the conference.
Click here to view the MMO Rehabilitation Network Conference Opening Speech by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law.
Paper on “Working with the Malay/Muslim Community to Prevent Offending and Reoffending”
At the conference, MHA released a paper that documented MHA and the Government’s efforts in working with the MM community to prevent offending and re-offending. Besides showcasing the community’s effort in tackling drug abuse and reoffending issues, the paper aims to inspire more individuals and organisations to join this effort. Click here to download the paper.
-
Learning Journeys and Sharing Sessions
The MMO Rehabilitation Network organises regular learning journeys and sharing sessions to provide members with the opportunity to better understand the various programmes and services provided by the different MMOs. Such sessions also provide members with the opportunity to explore ways on how their beneficiaries can be better supported.