Words of advise from social worker Maureen Fung: Before you consider working for a non-profit organisation, ask yourself, “Am I prepared to take less money in exchange for a better quality of life?”
In her 50s, Ms Fung is a living testament to the fact that one can carve a career in social work. She has dedicated her life to it since she received her BA degree from the National University of Singapore in the 1970s. It was a quota course back then and only a few students got accepted into the course. These days, two more institutions are offering it: SIM University and Monash University. There is also a Singapore Association of Social Workers. Like banking, teaching and accounting, social working is a profession.
Ms Fung’s first job was a brief stint at the Ministry of Education. She has since worked with Samaritans of Singapore and the Housing Development Board. She is now group director at the Asian Women’s Welfare Association, a voluntary welfare organisation. “We have a very wide range of services, from the very young to the very old. We started off with the family services at Towner Road,” she explains. |
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“I have always been in social work, though with different objectives and missions,” recalls Ms Fung who, in 2002, received the Outstanding Social Worker Award from the National Council of Social Service If she weren’t doing what she is doing now, she would most likely be a nurse. In her teens, she was inspired by the work of her two aunts; one worked in social affairs, another for leprosy patients. “Just seeing them work with people inspired me,” she says. “And also because of religion, I felt that serving god that way would be the best way I can give.”
According to her, before applying for a job in a welfare organisation, you should ask yourself these questions: How can I add value with my skills? What area can I contribute best in? Do I work best with children or do I want a more administrative type of job? Am I prepared to take less because it’s a non-profit organisation?
In turn, what can a social worker expect? Better quality of life, friendlier culture, and meaningful existence. AWWA, in particular, puts emphasis on work-life balance. “We believe in the quality of family life. We are very family-focussed,” she says.
Rare are the days when employees are asked to render overtime — only when there is an event, if at all. “I hear about some of those investment companies who work you till 12 midnight but pay you up to 10 months bonus. We’re not like that,” she adds. No wonder then that AWWA has its share of former white-collar workers, among them a banker who now holds a counselling position.
Although she’s partial to people who have already experienced working in business firms, Ms Fung also employs fresh graduates who possess the basic skills and qualification of a social worker, and show passion for and commitment to working with disabled people. AWWA now employs over 200 people for its more than 13 programs, and is looking for different kinds of people to employ — from social workers that have a solid counselling background to nurses, caregivers, therapists and people who can organise events and raise funds.
“A lot of us are here because we want to make a difference,” she says.
To learn more about Asian Women’s Welfare Association, click here ( http://www.awwa.org.sg/ )
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WHAT TO EXPECT
Working at AWWA may not come with an expense account or a car plan, but there are some perks that you can never get from an investment bank:
No overtime required. Employees are encouraged to leave right after office hours and are asked to stay behind only when there are activities that require them to be there, says Ms Fung.
Better quality of life. “It’s not a dog-eat-dog world out here,” she says. At the end of the day, AWWA employees ask themselves: How can I make a change in other people’s lives?
Friendlier culture. We all help each other in achieving goals, assures Ms Fung. The focus is not on the employee but on the people they are reaching out to.
Meaningful existence. You are helping not just the disabled but their families and the world as well. What other kind of fulfilment would you desire? |
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