EPLMF Recipients

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Dr Ng Kok Hoe

  • PhD Social Policy, London School of Economics
  • Profession: Assistant Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS

“The Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Scholarship gave me the opportunity to complete my training in social policy and now pursue the sort of work that I believe in. The distinctive social mission behind the Fund also serves as a reminder that the personal privilege of education must be translated into wider social good. For me, as an academic, this means pursuing research with an explicit focus on the major challenges confronting Singapore society, engaging with the public and social sectors through dialogue and collaboration, and recognising the responsibilities to highlight neglected social issues, inform public understanding through the dissemination of research, and contribute to a better quality of public debate. My work therefore often involves collaboration with government agencies, VWOs, and NGOs.

My vision for our community is that it can become more respectful of diversity, more accommodating of differences, more understanding towards marginalisation and disadvantage, and more discerning about what issues really matter to us as a society. And we can all contribute to this in our roles as policymakers, social service professionals, researchers and individuals."

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Mr Umardani Bin Umle

  • Bachelor of Social Sciences, NUS
  • Profession:Senior Assistant Director, MSF Probation Service
  •  EPLMF Scholarship recipient

“When I started my career in Singapore Prison Service, I wondered if there will ever be a time when Social Work and Criminology can complement each other. Over the years, I have seen the value of social work approaches to advance rehabilitation of offenders in the correctional landscape. A vision which I have is to see in the near future the integration of multi-disciplinary approaches in this sector. Offender rehabilitation is a complex endeavour and anchoring all efforts on one discipline is not sufficient. Integrating theoretical approaches and paradigms could potentially provide a more holistic and effective system to reintegrate offenders into the society.”

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Mr Gerard Chung

  • Doctoral student at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) School of Social Work
  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

“I am a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) School of Social Work. My research interests include parenting, engagement of fathers in practice, child protection services, and risk assessment. My methodological interests include propensity matching, longitudinal growth modeling, person-centered approaches, data-driven methods, and exploring heterogeneity in intervention effects. Before my doctoral studies, I practiced as a social worker in a family service center in Singapore. I hope my doctoral training can help me to do research that will be impactful for social work practice in Singapore.
Connect with me at www.gerardchung.com."

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Mr Shem Teo

  • Profession: Lecturer
  • Master of Social Sciences (Social Work), NUS
  • Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Scholarship recipient

“I was previously a Senior Medical Social Worker in Singapore General Hospital till February 2016. It was a fruitful experience working with multidisciplinary teams to provide holistic psycho-social care for patients during their stay at the hospital.  I am currently a lecturer in School of Health Sciences, Nanyang Polytechnic where I teach social work.

I believe that one should constantly seek to enhance knowledge in our given field to better contribute to society and the clients that we serve. The EPLMF scholarship has enabled me to pursue further education to attain this goal. Although I am no longer directly working with clients and patients, I believe that experience and perspective acquired in my previous job and my current post-graduate studies are valuable knowledge which can be passed to my students.

I hope to see a more involved community where neighbours provide mutual help and support to one another. I think currently it’s still very much residents keeping to themselves and minding each other’s business. There is immense potential there and I think more can be done to engage and empower them.”

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Miss Francesca Phoebe Wah

  • Bachelor of Social Sciences (First Class Honours) in Social Work (2014), NUS
  • Master of Social Sciences (Social Work) at NUS
  • Profession: School teacher
  • Other: Founder of non-profit organization, Bringing Love to Every Single Soul (BLESS)
  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

"I believe that the Master of Social Sciences (Social Work) would be beneficial to my professional development, allowing me to have a better understanding of the family structure and the community.

Being an EPLMF scholarship recipient also allows me to be involved in several initiatives such as dialogues with policymakers and agency visits. These allow me to work and discuss with stakeholders the possibility of tapping into the strengths of the community to address social problems to make the entire social service sector more sustainable.

BLESS is the main community work which I am involved in. Our primary beneficiaries are the people who are at the bottom rung of society, such as residents living in one- and two- room rental flats, and young children from dysfunctional families.

We focuses on building the community capacity. Our mission is not solely to help the community, but rather, to provide a scaffold that helps the community to help themselves. My works aim to involve the ordinary persons to step out and provide only what he/she is willing to give in an empowering manner. Each person or entity has their own unique strengths and contributions from everyone would mean that as a whole, there would be plenty of resources to address the needs of the community. Through this approach, I envision a Singapore with pockets of community where everyone cares and provides for one another."

 
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Ms Koh Siew Eng Serene

  • Profession: Social Worker at Lakeside Family Services
  • Master of Social Work at NUS
  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

”I am grateful for the support from the Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Scholarship and I believe that the social mission behind the grant is a valuable reminder for me to pay it forward. My passion has always been in empowering vulnerable children and youths in the community, and since I started out as a volunteer when I was 17 years old, my dedication and commitment to the work has only grown. At a tender age, there are many children and youths who already have their dreams extinguished and see dead ends for their future. My simple hope is to help them find their personal breakthroughs to believe in their strengths, gifts and talents once again, and also, to rally for greater community support around them, for there to be more mentors and teachers who are willing to come alongside to journey with them, because they are our next generation."

 
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Ms Ong Bee Yong

  • Bachelor of Arts (Social Work)
  • Profession: Social Worker at Lakeside Family Services, Director of Training at Crisis Relief Alliance
  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

Besides working as a social worker with Lakeside Family Service, Bee Yong helped to set up the Crisis Relief Alliance with a group of likeminded Singaporeans and serves as a Director in Training. She has served in post-disaster relief work in Iran, Afghanistan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia. She is also an external Field Education Supervisor for social work students. As part of the SASW Crisis Response Crisis Response Committee member, Bee Yong assists in recruiting and interviewing social workers to join the SASW Crisis Response Team and the MHA Heart Team. She is part of a HEART team. Doing the Masters of Applied Science in Humanitarian Health with Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health will value add to her knowledge and practice in crisis work in the region. Her long term plan is to work towards research in disaster management in Asia to better train and prepare for the management and coordination of relief efforts.

"My vision for our community is that it can become more respectful of diversity, more accommodating of differences, more understanding towards marginalisation and disadvantage, and more discerning about what issues really matter to us as a society. And we can all contribute to this in our roles as policymakers, social service professionals, researchers, and individuals.”

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Mr Somesh s/o Sailesh

  • Masters of Social Work (Coursework) student

  • Profession: Social Worker at Viriya Family Service Centre

  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

Thus far, my educational experience in NUS has allowed me to develop empathy, compassion and resilience to support the disempowered and give them a voice. As a social work practitioner, I have been instilled with the strength to give back to society through a spirit of collaboration and advocacy.

After graduating as the valedictorian of the Social Work cohort in 2020, I joined the sector as a social worker at Viriya Family Service Centre and continue to serve the residents to the best of my ability. Having worked alongside like-minded professionals to support the most vulnerable stratum of society, I am in the midst of developing my clinical and supervisory competencies through my postgraduate studies (Master of Social Work by Coursework) at NUS. 

I am immensely grateful to the Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Committee for offering me the scholarship to help me achieve my goals of professional growth and leadership development. As a recipient of the scholarship, I am looking forward to rendering my support to the department as a field seminar supervisor and spearheading the Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Seminar upon the completion of my studies.

In this climate of constant change, I would like to remind all my fellow social service practitioners to take those little breaks and make self-care your priority as we continue in this fulfilling journey as change makers. There is no guilt in being in our peak conditions for ourselves and for those under our care. I would like to leave you with a quote by Dr Katie Reed, ‘self-care is giving the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.’  

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Ms Zoe Tee Wan Ting

  • Masters of Social Work (Coursework) student

  • Profession: Assistant Senior Social Worker at Fei Yue Community Services

  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

Zoe was recognised for her dedication in guiding clients and their families towards a better life and was awarded the Promising Social Worker Award conferred by the President of the Republic of Singapore in 2018. At work, Zoe was involved in portfolios previously at the Ministry of Social and Family Development relating to youth at risk. She was a probation officer between 2015-2019 and was involved in various work teams such as the Restorative Practice team and the Throughcare Taskforce on revamping the intervention regime at the Singapore Boys' Hostel. In 2019-2021, her job scope in Child Protective Services involved indirect social work practice such as operational policy work, setting up of new service structures and practice audits relating to child welfare and youth at risks such as the Family Guidance Order.

Zoe has since transited to direct work with youth at risks in the community with Fei Yue Community Services in 2022. She has also completed an Advanced Certification in Learning and Performance (ACLP) in 2022 and is presently pursuing a Master's in Social Work in NUS.

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Ms Valerie Sim

  • Masters of Social Work (Coursework) student

  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

My decision to pursue a Master's in Social Work (Coursework) has been a blessing and a privilege to bring my knowledge and skills as a social worker to greater heights. Being a full-time student and a part-time worker has made pursuing a Master's challenging. I am grateful for the EPLMF scholarship in supporting my academic journey. As a forward-looking and self-driven individual, I aspire to co-create a society where everyone can be courageous to find themselves with support and acceptance from one another. My passion has always been building and advocating for a myriad of individuals, especially youths, families and persons with disabilities, through writing research papers and community-building projects. I am currently engaged as a group work trainer with AMKFSC Nexus Reintegration Services and Singapore Prison Service. As a believer in creativity, I look forward to seeking and encouraging cross-sector collaborations within the social work field for exciting and innovative ideas in shaping our practice, advocacy and policy ideas.

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Ms Geraldine Chia

  • NUS Graduate Diploma in Social Work student
  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

"The family is the building block of society, where every individual is blessed, every generation is raised, and upon which every nation is built. Experience has brought me to believe in reunifying and rebuilding families, restoring what was lost and broken. I hope to see a nation with strong families with no need for children’s shelter or rehabilitation home. My vision is to see a Singapore where communities could experience home; where issues like social inequality, poverty, and family violence are co-owned by communities. Collective action can be taken towards social change that improves our lives and the lives of others, and we can all contribute to this in our role wherever we are."

 
 
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Ms Tan Hwee Kien (Trishia)

  • NUS Graduate Diploma in Social Work student
  • Bachelor of Arts (Sociology), NUS
  • Profession: Case Worker at Montfort Care
  • EPLMF Scholarship recipient

"After having worked in an administrative and financial capacity for the last 25 years, I decided to follow my passion to move into social work. Prior to the move, I volunteered with Lions Befrienders.  My 7-year journey with LB has been very impactful and it was through those years of experiences with the seniors in our community that crystalised my decision to dedicate the next leg of my life to community service on a full-time basis. Being a mid-career switcher, I am very grateful for the EPLMF scholarship that is enabling me to pursue the Graduate Diploma in Social Work, to better equip myself for this new career path that I endeavour to take.  As a budding social work practitioner, I aspire to continue learning to adopt best practices and better service delivery to the community.

I believe everyone has what it takes to make a difference in the lives of others, to navigate with them through difficult moments of their lives, to help them discover their capabilities and to empower them to continue on their life journey with confidence and strength."

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Miss Lim Gui En, Johanna

  • NUS Social Work Undergraduate student
  • Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Scholarship recipient

“As a mostly self-supporting student, the Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund is allowing me to pursue the training necessary to become a competent social worker. I am passionate about empowering others, and I believe that a strong foundation is necessary before embarking on a career. I am also currently double majoring in Southeast Asian Studies, and the contributions to ASEAN which the EPLMF has attracted me very much. I am excited to see what collaborations between social sector professionals from different countries can be made.

I am looking forward to being able to contribute in a meaningful way not just to Singapore, but to the wider ASEAN community. I believe there is exciting potential for developing the social services in this region. Furthermore, just as I have been helped by others on my journey, I look forward to being able to do the same for others.”

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Mr Amos Ou Jia Jun

  • NUS Social Work Undergraduate student
  • Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Scholarship recipient

”A life lived for others is a life worth living.” As I matured in age and experience, I have found and decided to answer the call to helping people, especially those who belong to VPN groups. The EPLMF Scholarship allows people like me to fulfil the call in making a difference by providing us the support to study Social Work in university so that we may be effective and professional in administering help to those in need. I am currently a first year FASS student in NUS planning to major in social work. I am excited to learning what it takes to be a social worker and will be ready to handle any challenge that may come my way! It is going to be a journey of growth and one day I hope to impact the social sector to newer heights.“

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Ms Charis Goh Hui Wen

  • NUS Social Work Undergraduate student
  • Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Scholarship recipient

"I am currently a Social Work Undergraduate in NUS. My dream is to make an impact to the society and touch as many lives as possible and I believe that social work is a profession that would enable me to do that. I am thankful for the EPLMF Scholarship as it allows me to fulfil this dream by supporting my study in Social Work in NUS. In my recent experiences on the ground working in the community, I have seen how there are many people in need and unaware of resources available in Singapore. This fueled my passion even more to reach out to those in need, which makes my study in NUS even more meaningful. I am excited to embark on this journey of honing the skills and knowledge to become a competent social worker!"

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Mr Chan Jianhong

  • Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Social Work (2016), NUS
  • Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Grant Recipient

“EPLMF was initially created to further the legacy of the late Dr Ee Peng Liang. It aims to support projects that further community betterment. I applied for EPLMF grants when I was a Year 3 student at NUS. The grant gave me the opportunity to present a paper on ‘Developing Children and Youth through School Social Work Intervention’ at the 6th International School Social Work Conference as well as a paper on ‘School Social Work Experience in Singapore’ at the 6th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health. School Social Work is a platform of growing importance in Singapore’s social work scene and has the potential to ensure that children and youth are able to develop well in a striving community. I found that EPLMF goals are aligned with this and applied for the grants.

EPLMF has widened my horizon by giving me various opportunities to be involved in their flagship project, the Regional Social Service Leaders Exchange Programme. It is a once in a lifetime experience to be able to learn and reflect from the experiences of regional social service leaders. I believe that the knowledge and experience gained can be benefit my work and my professional development as a social worker in a community based organization.”

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Mr Nicholas Cheang

  • Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Social Work (2016), NUS
  • Profession: Social Worker at REACH Youth
  • Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Grant Recipient

“The EPLMF Grant has opened up many opportunities for me. It provided support for me to attend the 6th International School Social Workers Conference held in Mongolia in June 2015, and the 8th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health held in Singapore in June 2016.

Going to Mongolia to attend the 6th International School Social Workers Conference during my 3rd year of studies at NUS enabled me to interact and connect with social workers from different countries working in the school environment. The experience was educational because Mongolia is very different from Singapore. I was impressed with the passion of Mongolian social worker towards their profession. This experience strengthened my conviction to join the social service sector.

Attending the 8th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health in Singapore was equally enriching. I gave a presentation on a proposed School Social Work model together with a team. I was also able to network with social work practitioners and share my experience as a new graduate joining the sector.

Being involved in the initial organization of the first Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Regional Social Service Leaders Exchange Programme has widened my perspective on social work.”