New social service office in Bukit Batok

BUKIT Batok residents no longer have to travel all the way to Jurong to visit their nearest social service office.

A new branch was officially opened yesterday at Block 369, Bukit Batok Street 31 - just a few minutes' walk from Bukit Gombak MRT station.

Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin performed the honours at the office, which started operations last December.

It is the 18th social service office to be officially opened since last year and has been helping over 500 residents, mainly families with young children.

There are about 142,000 residents in Bukit Batok, who would previously have had to travel to the South West Community Development Council in Jurong to seek help.

Besides offering financial help, the office works with community partners to better coordinate social services.

For instance, it is working with youth organisations to find more spaces for them to hold sports activities.

The Government aims to set up 24 social service offices by next month.

Along with family service centres, they will put help within 2km of where 95 per cent of needy residents live or work.

Mr Daljit Gurdave, 41, has been visiting the new Bukit Batok office to get help finding work. He has managed to get short-term funding of about $400 a month for three months, as well as referrals to job fairs. He said: "It's very convenient to have help nearby."

goyshiyi@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 1, 2015.
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