SINGAPORE — Grassroots leaders are able to respond faster to the community’s needs, since the Residents’ Committee/Neighbourhood Committee manager scheme began in 2011.

Once, for instance, Ms Norhayati Ibrahim was notified on the phone that a family in one of the rental blocks under her charge needed help: The parents had lost their jobs and could not put food on the table for their three children.

The RC manager for Kebun Baru Bestari in Ang Mo Kio rushed down after buying some emergency supplies from a nearby provision shop. She recalled: “There was no furniture (in the home), only a mattress and a fridge.”

The RC/NC manager scheme was started by the People’s Association to help grassroots leaders in their efforts to work towards a target of reaching out to one in two residents by 2015. Currently, there are over 400 RC managers — aged between 20 to 50 years old — islandwide.

The RC manager’s role — besides supporting the RC chairman — includes widening the RC’s outreach, as well as engaging and meeting the needs of residents on the ground.

This is done through developing interest groups, activities, courses and events which they help to plan, facilitate and promote.

Along the way, being the “nearest to the neighbourhood”, they also act as “middlemen” between the RC chairman and residents, pointing them to the appropriate channels if they require government assistance.

For example, having identified that the residents in her community are mostly young families with growing children, RC Manager of Tampines Arcadia Saheeda Begum Syed Akba, 34, revamped its 1,000-book mini library and study corner to offer a place for youth to hang out after school.

“It’s also a good place for families to bond over books,” she said.

Nevertheless, both Ms Saheeda and Ms Norhayati acknowledged that there will always be “one or two” residents who are unreceptive to their efforts.

“Sometimes, they just want to vent their anger on someone, when life is not treating them well … Usually I give a listening ear. Sometimes, that’s all they need even if you are not able to solve their problems. That’s what RC managers are for, just to be here for the residents,” said Ms Saheeda. Woo Sian Boon