5) Explore other ways to foster social cohesion in Singapore

5) Explore other ways to foster social cohesion in Singapore

'Fostering social cohesion'; what actually comes into your mind when you first look at these words? To 'Foster' actually means to bring up with care;rear. To help to grow, develop or to cling in one’s mind. 'Social' is a word for having to do with human beings living together as a group in a situation in which their dealings with one another affect their common welfare social consciousness, social problems. While 'cohesion' means the act or condition of cohering; tendency to stick together, in terms of bot, the union of like flower parts, while, in terms of physic, the force by which the molecules of a substance are held together. [Get from www.yourdictionary.com]. Hence, if we bring these three words together we have got the word foster social cohesion; we can explain this as caring on another in the society and have bonding between one another, to bring people together as one.

As Singapore is a multi-racial nation, it is important to have social cohesion. Without social cohesion, the different religious groups will have disputes and thus lead to the decline of our economy. To prevent this, the government has used various ways such as campaigns and activities conducted by the community centres to bring together the different religions. Some intricate problems that are likely to be brought by social division are riots and tension. Social problems such as these will lead to the political and economic problems. Examples of such are the Sinhalese and the Indians in Sri Lanka, and also the ongoing conflict between the Tibetans and China. Singapore,being a small state cannot afford to risk this. So we need foster social cohesion. But, the question is;how can it be promoted?

Social cohesion can be promoted by a few ways; delivering service and being a positive presence for the entire community, working with vulnerable groups, offering empowerment, protection to individuals and the community through a right base approach. Responding to the changes, actively promote economic and social justice, the resurgence of democratic governance, innovations in social protection and social inclusion policies, attention to the demographic transition that the region is currently undergoing.

Okay, so now, we have the ways to promote foster social cohesion, but there’s another question. What can we do to make sure that the 'foster social cohesion'ways are working? We’ll need the following factors to actually ensure that 'foster social cohesion is performing, like, legislative and political support to allow social work to make a positive contribution to social cohesion, personal support for the challenges undertake on behalf of society, a flexible organization context that allows a creative and proactive response to peoples, families, communities and society, recognition of their roles as analysts and experts in working with systems through critical practice and social action, last but not least, empowerment to practice; including the space time, resource and autonomy to work with system, society and social action.

Of course, these may not be all the solutions to promote foster social cohesion, I am certain that there are more others ways of promoting it. But in order to keep the foster social cohesion running, we will need everyone to play their parts or roles in the community, as the community doesn’t only takes one to be in it. It takes everyone to participate in it, and hence to ensure the economy rising, no dispute in the country and so. EVERYONE PLAYS A PART IN PARTICIPATING IN ENSURING THAT THE COUNTRY IS DOING WELL IN FOSTER SOCIAL COHESION.

credits :)
http://www.ifsw.org/cm_data/special_insert_July_2007.pdf
http://www.iadb.org/sds/doc/SDS_A_Look_to_the_Future.pdf

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