Yellow Ribbon Community Project Appreciation and Awards Luncheon 2025

05 NOV 2025

Yellow Ribbon Community Project Appreciation and Awards Luncheon 2025 - Mobilising Communities, Strengthening Families

  1. SINGAPORE, 8 November 2025 – The Yellow Ribbon Community Project (YRCP) was introduced by the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) in 2010. It marks its 15th anniversary this year. Managed by the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA) since 2015, YRCP trains volunteers who visit the families of newly admitted inmates to offer social support and assistance, by linking them up with social support networks for financial assistance, family casework and other welfare. 

  2. In conjunction with the YRCP’s 15th anniversary celebration, SPS and SANA hosted the annual YRCP Appreciation and Awards Luncheon 2025 today to recognise the dedication of grassroots volunteers in supporting families impacted by incarceration. The event was graced by Mr Jeffrey Siow, Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance. 

  3. To date, 92 grassroots divisions have come on board the YRCP. 1,100 grassroots volunteers have been trained, and they reach out to more than 25,000 families islandwide. Today, 16 Long Service Awards (LSAs) were presented to grassroots divisions, and another 188 LSAs were presented to volunteers. 

  4. This year sees the inaugural presentation of the 15-year LSA. 18 volunteers received the 15-year LSA, alongside six grassroots divisions that were similarly recognised for their 15 years of support and participation in the YRCP. 

    Launch of New YRCP Portal 

  5. In his opening address, Acting Minister Jeffrey Siow launched the new YRCP Portal - a digital platform co-developed by SPS and SANA to automate and integrate the various systems used by volunteers for their engagements with the families.

  6. The YRCP Portal consolidates all volunteer-facing digital services into a single, user-friendly interface with the following key features:

    a. Provides a single interface to access digital services. The YRCP Portal allows volunteers to access onboarding information, case assignments, engagement notes, events, awards, and more, through a single interface. 

    b. Tracks and monitors engagements through customised dashboards. The YRCP Portal allows volunteers to track and monitor engagements with the families and customise dashboards for quick access to the most relevant information and functions. 

    c. Offers multiple communication channels. The YRCP portal provides multiple communication channels including in-system notification, email, and Short Message Service (SMS), as well as a dedicated feedback system for volunteers to submit suggestions, report issues, or request for assistance. These features enable the volunteers to deliver more effective and coordinated care to the families they serve. 

    Community Support for Elderly Ex-Offenders

  7. YRCP volunteers have been stepping forward to support elderly ex-offenders through regular engagement. These individuals often face obstacles when they return to the community, such as limited family support, declining health, and reduced employment prospects. Their situation highlights the vital importance of community mobilisation if we are to break the cycle of reoffending, prevent social isolation, and enable these individuals to age with dignity. 

  8. Superintendent Justin Paul Vikneswaran, Senior Assistant Director of the Community Partnership & Family Policy Branch, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Division at the SPS said, “In the YRCP's 15-year journey, we have seen the transformative power of second chances and community partnership in rehabilitation. From supporting 78 families with 74 volunteers in our early days, we now reach over 25,000 families through about 1,100 volunteers across all grassroots divisions. Successful reintegration truly takes a village. The YRCP Portal will empower our volunteers to provide even more effective support. By streamlining processes and gaining insights into each family's unique journey, we are not just improving efficiency, but we are strengthening the human connections that lie at the heart of meaningful rehabilitation.” 

  9. Mr Elendrus Bin Osman has been serving as a YRCP volunteer at the Tampines West Division for 15 years after his retirement as a Prison Officer. "It has been a deeply meaningful 15 years serving as the Yellow Ribbon Champion (YRC) for the Tampines West Division. The assistance we provide to families plays a crucial role in enabling their incarcerated loved ones to focus on rehabilitation, knowing their families are being supported by the community. We want these families to know that they are not forgotten, and are instead, embraced by a caring community.”