Singapore Expats

Help out a worker in need -- legal casual labor through HOME

Discuss about life in Singapore. Ask about cost of living, housing, travel, etiquette & lifestyle. Share experience & advice with Singaporeans & expat staying in Singapore.
Post Reply
User avatar
jpatokal
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3004
Joined: Tue, 09 Dec 2003 9:38 pm
Location: Terra Australis Incognita

Help out a worker in need -- legal casual labor through HOME

Post by jpatokal » Mon, 07 Sep 2009 6:07 pm

A public service announcement of sorts, since I didn't even realize this was possible:

There's an NGO called HOME in Singapore which helps out migrant workers who've gotten into legal problems with their employers for one reason or another (abused, injured, unpaid etc.) Many of their guys are sitting around waiting for the wheels of justice to slowly grind their way forward, with no income at all and often families to feed back home... but they often have Special Passes and are thus legally available for hire for small jobs like cleaning, painting, etc at a rate of around $50/day. It's a win-win: you get a skilled person to help you out at a good price, and your money goes directly to someone who needs it desperately. Here's one story:

http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2009/yax-1058.htm
(note: the guy from HOME is the second worker, not the incompetent first one!)

And if you're in an even more charitable mood, HOME is always looking for volunteers and accepts donations of cash, food, household appliances, old PCs, etc:

http://home.org.sg/page5.asp

Update from Yawning Bread:

Subsequently, I learnt that it's rather more complicated than that. It's true that with a Special Pass, a worker could do casual work -- after all, the poor guy has to survive and he can't work for his original (Work Permit) employer with whom he is in dispute. But the Ministry of Manpower has instituted a hopeless system whereby employers who wish to hire Special Pass casual workers have to register with the ministry. As my friend who helps out with the migrant worker organisation remarked, the system evidently is not working. It's too cumbersome, too bureaucratic for what is really just a few days' or a few weeks' work. Net result: the workers, some of whom have not been paid for months (and that's why they are in dispute with their employers) don't get offers and are left stranded and desperate.

So you can still hire people from HOME, you just need to register with the Ministry of Manpower to do it legally. If you have any experiences with doing this, please post below!
Last edited by jpatokal on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Vaguely heretical thoughts on travel technology at Gyrovague

User avatar
sundaymorningstaple
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 40356
Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
Answers: 21
Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 07 Sep 2009 6:12 pm

I've actually hear about HOME but never gave it a thought. Away, I made a sticky out of this as it's too important to disappear into the archives. :wink:

Matter of fact it will also make it to my links page as well! :)

sms
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

morenangpinay
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 890
Joined: Mon, 02 Mar 2009 6:19 pm

Post by morenangpinay » Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:07 am

they also need volunteers to teach in some classes in their centre like computer classes..etc. so if anyone has the time and wants to share their knowledge. Pls contact them. :)

User avatar
blue_thunder
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 496
Joined: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 3:25 pm
Location: Waveless beach

Post by blue_thunder » Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:02 am

morenangpinay wrote:they also need volunteers to teach in some classes in their centre like computer classes..etc. so if anyone has the time and wants to share their knowledge. Pls contact them. :)
There aint any form for becoming a Volunteer . I can find only a membership form!!!
~ I don't want to be a product of my environment, I want my environment to be a product of me

User avatar
sundaymorningstaple
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 40356
Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
Answers: 21
Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:04 am

blue_thunder wrote:
morenangpinay wrote:they also need volunteers to teach in some classes in their centre like computer classes..etc. so if anyone has the time and wants to share their knowledge. Pls contact them. :)
There aint any form for becoming a Volunteer . I can find only a membership form!!!
Hey BT. How about eMail or the phone? Telephone directory? You really need to get away from the PC for a while! That electronic item in your pocket probably still performed phone functions doesn't it? :P
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

User avatar
jpatokal
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3004
Joined: Tue, 09 Dec 2003 9:38 pm
Location: Terra Australis Incognita

Post by jpatokal » Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:27 pm

blue_thunder wrote:There aint any form for becoming a Volunteer . I can find only a membership form!!!
Is too :???:

http://home.org.sg/involved/homies.html --> http://home.org.sg/downloads/HOME%20Vol ... cation.doc
Vaguely heretical thoughts on travel technology at Gyrovague

richie303
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 227
Joined: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 8:12 pm
Location: East Coast

Post by richie303 » Tue, 27 Apr 2010 9:26 pm

Looks like a great site! I will be happy to offer some IT training skills a couple of times a month.

Someone remind me about this when I eventually get over to Singapore! It's a slog at the moment trying to find work.
Richie - East Coast Superbabe...

morenangpinay
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 890
Joined: Mon, 02 Mar 2009 6:19 pm

Re: Help out a worker in need -- legal casual labor through

Post by morenangpinay » Tue, 22 Jun 2010 1:30 am

jpatokal wrote: Update from Yawning Bread:

Subsequently, I learnt that it's rather more complicated than that. It's true that with a Special Pass, a worker could do casual work -- after all, the poor guy has to survive and he can't work for his original (Work Permit) employer with whom he is in dispute. But the Ministry of Manpower has instituted a hopeless system whereby employers who wish to hire Special Pass casual workers have to register with the ministry. As my friend who helps out with the migrant worker organisation remarked, the system evidently is not working. It's too cumbersome, too bureaucratic for what is really just a few days' or a few weeks' work. Net result: the workers, some of whom have not been paid for months (and that's why they are in dispute with their employers) don't get offers and are left stranded and desperate.

So you can still hire people from HOME, you just need to register with the Ministry of Manpower to do it legally. If you have any experiences with doing this, please post below!

bureaucratic as if they are discouraging these people to continue working here and finding real jobs. :( unfortunately it is the same thing which is discouraging employees who are taken advantaged to seek MOM's help.


ON a lighter note...we have signed up for an IT class lecture with HOME. Volunteer teachers are needed and students are eager to learn. From some students, I heard they are happy that they are now able to make their own Curriculum Vitae and put their own photos.Instead of paying someone else to do it, now they have the skills. Please contact HOME to volunteer.

THanks

Sir
Member
Member
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat, 15 May 2010 6:34 pm
Location: Singapore
Contact:

Post by Sir » Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:29 am

good call. happy to help have sent an application...

imogenben
Regular
Regular
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun, 09 May 2010 3:44 pm

Post by imogenben » Sat, 14 Apr 2012 1:17 pm

These people are doing good work. Thumbs up !

saudade
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat, 05 May 2012 9:57 pm
Location: Graz, AT

About H.O.M.E. - Maid services?

Post by saudade » Wed, 30 May 2012 4:54 pm

Hi there!

I have also heard good things about this social project from somebody who worked as a volunteer there. Should I move to Singapore this year (you never really know nowadays), I am considering about volunteering myself.

BUT did I get it right, that you can have a live-out maid for like twice a week? I have read here before that this was not possible, but that's probably another situation.

And does anybody know if we need a special status like PR or so to apply to this maid services?

Thanks!!

curiousgeorge
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 549
Joined: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 1:12 am
Location: Singapore

Re: Help out a worker in need -- legal casual labor through HOME

Post by curiousgeorge » Sat, 02 Jan 2016 7:55 pm

Is this still a thing? Taking a look at the HOME website today there is nothing about employing casual labour...

x9200
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10073
Joined: Mon, 07 Sep 2009 4:06 pm
Location: Singapore

Re: Help out a worker in need -- legal casual labor through HOME

Post by x9200 » Sat, 02 Jan 2016 8:22 pm

curiousgeorge wrote:Is this still a thing? Taking a look at the HOME website today there is nothing about employing casual labour...
It seems it's not but I could only find some indirect evidence. For example:
https://twc2.org.sg/2015/12/07/razibul- ... -no-money/

Generally try to look for "transient workers count too".

User avatar
ecureilx
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 9817
Joined: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 5:18 pm

Re: RE: Re: Help out a worker in need -- legal casual labor through HOME

Post by ecureilx » Sun, 03 Jan 2016 9:22 am

curiousgeorge wrote:Is this still a thing? Taking a look at the HOME website today there is nothing about employing casual labour...
You need to call them.

It's not like they have distressed maids all the time.

And it's a temporary solution.

And cases of maid abuse can take a year at times, hence they being allowed temporary respite to legally work while on special pass.

TWC2 and Home and the embassy have been running refuges for distressed maids.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Staying, Living in Singapore”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 25 guests