Empowering Lives,
Transforming
Communities
Matthew Wee Yik KeongChief Executive Officer
Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises

HopeAcceptance
Forgiveness
SecondChances

01020304

Overview

Empowering LivesThe YRP Story

Transforming Communities

Drugs

Crime Rate

PrisonPopulation

Recidivism

Zero Drugs
Tolerance Policy

Low crime
rate of 581
per 100,000
population

27.7% drop from
18,000 in 2002 to
10,800 in 201823.7%

3,250 abusers
arrested a year
on average

2 year rate forcohort releasedin 2016

SINGAPORE CORPORATION OF
REHABILITATIVE ENTERPRISESLEAD
AGENCIES

SINGAPORE PRISON SERVICELEADAGENCIES
Safe custody andrehabilitation ofoffenders

Skills training,
employment andcommunity
engagement

Transformation of
the SINGAPOREPRISON SERVICE
Consistent branding to buildmindshare◂ Severe overcrowding◂ Poor public image◂ Staff recruitment and retention
problem◂ Lack of resources◂ Adversarial relationship between
officers and inmates◂ Security over rehabilitation◂

Transformation of
the SINGAPOREPRISON SERVICE
Visioning Exercise◂ Clarify purpose andaspiration as PrisonOfficers◂ New Vision◂ Rehabilitation andSecurity◂ Aligning SCORE with SPS◂SINGAPORE CORPORATIONOF REHABILITATIVEENTERPRISES◂◂◂

Started as a section within SPS

Established in 1976 as a quasigovernment agency
Enhance employability
potential of offenders

Government

Non-Government

Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Social & Family
Development
National Council of Social
ServiceSCORE
SPS

Industrial & Services
Corporative Services
Singapore After-Care
Association
Singapore Anti-Narcotics
Association
Yellow Ribbon Fund

CARE Network Partners [More than 100 agencies]

Voluntary
WelfareOrgns

HalfwayHouses

ReligiousGroups

Grassroots

Corporations(Private andPublicSector)

Schools,Associations&SocietiesYELLOW RIBBON PROJECTGenesis ofYRP

Yellow Ribbon
FundFirst nationalEx-offendercharitable fund forencounters
twoprison;
YellowRibbon Fundex-offenders andfamilies
physical andFirst national charitable
psychologicalLaunched in 2004 fundfor ex-offenders andProvides financial
families
assistance,
Community
Change public Support
emergency financial
residential
holds to key
toperception toassistance,
residential
programmes,
support, education
unlockthe 2ndeducationbuild a more support
and family support programmes
and family
prisoninclusive society
programmes

Ex-offenders
need support
after releaseLaunch of YRP by Former
President S.R Nathan

Unlocking theSecond Prison

3As of YRP. Awareness .
. Acceptance .
. Action .

SUCCESSFACTORSHARNESSING THE MEDIATHEMATIC
DEVELOPMENT AND
BRANDING

5213COMMUNITYPARTNERSHIPS AND
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

4ENGAGEMENT OF
INFLUENCERS ANDREHABILITATIONAMBASSADORSINVOLVEMENT OF INMATES
AND EX-OFFENDERSTHEMATIC DEVELOPMENTKey messaging is underpinned by an overarching theme
Build upon successes of preceding year

Building Awareness

Giving Back

Co-creating the Campaign

Branding◂◂◂◂The simple Yellow Ribbon icon
Universal values of acceptance,
forgiveness and second chances
The iconic Yellow Ribbon was
handmade by inmates
Consistent branding to buildmindshare

HARNESSING
THE MEDIA

Marcomms Strategy

Capturing the minds of the nation throughcreative advertising, featuring volunteers
and inmates’ talents

Media Stories
Fertile spread of human interest
angles on reintegration issues andstrong community support

COMMUNITYPARTNERSHIPS AND
OUTREACH ACTIVITIESYRP comes alive through events
andactivities, every September
YRP Campaigning
Strategy

Events to shape and nudge public
perception towards ex-offenders

National sporting event. 10,000runners

Yellow Ribbon
Prison Run

Replicated in Czech Republic, HongKong and Philippines

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND
OUTREACH ACTIVITIESYellow Ribbon
Community Project

CorporatePartnerships

Student-led Projects

YR Song-writing Competition
funded and co-organised withCOMPASS

Nurturing the future leaders
through facilitation of studentled projects

Upstream intervention programme
Volunteers deployed to assist
families of newly admitted

ENGAGEMENT OF INFLUENCERS ANDREHABILITATION AMBASSADORS Celebrities and Influencers
Local singer song-writers
volunteering as mentors forinmates in the YRSWC 2019

Taiwanese Artiste (Wakin Chau)performing with Isaac (ex-offender,YRSWC participant) at YR Concert

Politicians

INVOLVEMENT OF INMATES AND EX-OFFENDERS
Inmates andex-offenders became
the face of thecampaign

Inmates

Ex-offenders

Celebrating the state’s
54th birthday.
30 volunteered to pack
50,000 packs for theNational Day Parade
Demonstrate that
prisoners can contribute tosociety whilst serving time

Ex-offender artists
volunteering togive back

GLOBALIMPACT

Beyond Shores of Singapore

Fiji, Czech Republic, Australia,
Hong Kong, United States ofAmerica, Nigeria and Philippines.

YRP
Report Card

MINDSHARE OF YRPCorporations

662

Volunteers

1,466
YRP volunteers
Students

Engaged about

12,000students annually
Schools

231 Schools

Community Partners
Attendance

433,905
members of the public
Ribbons distributed
More than 300,000
Ribbons distributed>90% awareness
65% ready to accept ex-offenders

Lowered recidivism to 23.7%

Generated significant interest andsupport since inception
Community embraced philosophy ofYRP
Logo is recognised as giving hope andsecond chances to ex-offendersContact me:
Matthew_Wee@score.gov.sg
Singapore Corporation of
Rehabilitative Enterprises

THANK YOU!