SPS Volunteer Awards Ceremony 2025: Stronger Together, Rebuilding Lives

SINGAPORE, 8 August 2025 – The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) honoured a record-high of 651 individual volunteers and community partners who had made significant contributions towards the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates and ex-offenders at the annual SPS Volunteer Awards Ceremony 2025. Held at Singapore Expo, the event was graced by Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs.

2.              This year’s event, themed “Stronger Together, Rebuilding Lives”, recognises the contributions of SPS volunteers and community partners whose dedication and contributions have made a positive impact in the lives of inmates, ex-offenders and their families. The event underscores SPS's commitment to mobilise community support for the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates and ex-offenders. Today, SPS partners about 4,200 volunteers from more than 75 organisations, an increase from 60 organisations last year.  

3.              SPS volunteers and community partners work hand in hand to provide a wide range of rehabilitation and reintegration support, such as religious counselling, academic tutoring, life skills training and pro-social support. A total of 651 awards were given to volunteers and community partners at the event. 567 individual volunteers received the Long Service Awards for their 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, 15-year and more than 20-year contributions in supporting inmates and ex-offenders, with four longest serving volunteers each having dedicated 35 years to this meaningful cause. Nine volunteers received the Throughcare Hero Awards, which were introduced in 2023 to recognise dedicated volunteers who support inmates during their incarceration and after their release from prison. Appreciation Plaques and Journey Shield Tokens were also given to 75 community partners who have worked closely with SPS to support inmates and ex-offenders in their rehabilitation and reintegration.

4.              To better support its volunteers and community partners in their roles, SPS has enhanced its training and development for volunteers in 2024, under the IMPACT (Igniting and Maximising Partners’ Agility for Correctional Transformation) framework.¹ Currently, there are approximately 4,500 training spaces across all platforms and modalities under the IMPACT framework, ensuring greater accessibility to continuous development opportunities for all volunteers. 

5.              “Seeing someone rise from such adversity and become a beacon of hope for others is one of the most fulfilling experiences of my volunteering journey.” said Mr Daneshwaran Ranganathan, a volunteer with Loving Hand Fellowship, who is receiving the 20-year Long Service Award. Echoing the sentiment, Mr Muhammad Nurizhamshah, a volunteer with Family and Inmates Throughcare Assistance Haven (FITRAH), who is receiving the Long Service Award for 5 years of contributions and the Throughcare Hero Award, shared “The idea of volunteering or journeying with someone as they try to rebuild their life has given me a sense of purpose.”.

6.              “Volunteers play a pivotal role in bringing about lasting positive changes in inmates and ex-offenders. Their selfless commitment in giving their time to make a difference in the lives of those to change for the better, is truly invaluable. The Singapore Prison Service recognises and deeply appreciates the unwavering dedication of our volunteers who carry out their meaningful work without seeking tangible rewards. Their crucial contributions help us realise our shared goal of a safer society brought about by the successful rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.” said Superintendent Justin Paul Vikneswaran, Senior Assistant Director of the Community Partnership & Family Policy Branch, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Division at SPS.

^[1]IMPACT is a tiered competency framework for SPS’s volunteers and community partners which offers the following:
a.      Prison Volunteer Training, where they will gain an understanding of SPS’s correctional work;
b.      Mandatory foundational courses, where they will acquire the basic skills and knowledge to work with inmates, ex-offenders, and their families;
c.      Developmental courses, where they can enhance their competencies in correctional work and;
d.      Advanced courses such as professional certificates, where they can expand and deepen their correctional competencies.