NVPC partners SUSS to boost social impact of PVPA 2025 winners, finalists
The 13th edition of the President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards 2025 has 16 winners across 12 categories
[SINGAPORE] In its 13th edition this year, the President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards (PVPA) will take social impact one step further – beyond recognising their achievements, a new partnership will provide current and future winners and finalists with mentorship and learning opportunities.
On Wednesday (Oct 1), the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) announced its tie-up with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) at PVPA 2025 at Raffles Hotel. This year’s 27 winners and finalists will receive targeted support to expand their initiatives.
Professor Tan Tai Yong, president of SUSS, said: “(The PVPA recipients’) journey reminds us that changemaking flourishes through continuous learning and collaboration. Through this partnership, we aim to strengthen their capabilities with structured learning pathways, mentorship and sector-relevant resources.”
13th edition of PVPA
This year’s PVPA recognised 16 winners who created positive social impact across 12 categories, such as People of Good, Leaders of Good and Organisations of Good. The awards received the highest number of nominations in its history, with 451 submissions – a more than 50 per cent increase from 2024.
The 16 winners included three from the new Communities of Good pillar, which honours the contributions of small, medium and large charities, as well as groundups – informal groups that run volunteer-led initiatives with no official charity status.
Tony Soh, chief executive of NVPC, said: “Close to 100 nominations were submitted under this pillar in its first year, reflecting the growing diversity and vibrancy of Singapore’s giving ecosystem.”
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For example, 24asia, the Community of Good winner in the Groundup category, provides migrant workers with skills training, health support and community engagement activities.
Making a positive impact
Pamela Chng, founder and chief executive of Bettr Barista, said: “Our aim is to provide more equitable access to opportunities and resources throughout the entire coffee value chain – from farmers at origin to marginalised communities in Singapore.”
Through its Holistic Training Programme, Bettr has trained at-risk youth, ex-offenders, single mothers and individuals facing mental health challenges.
“When someone has experienced trauma, systemic disadvantage, family dysfunction or incarceration, teaching them barista skills alone won’t enable them to thrive. Our three-month programme provides mental, emotional and physical training alongside coffee education,” she added.
Chng noted that the majority of graduates found employment within six months of completing the programme. Many of them had a “significant increase” in their earnings compared to before.
Besides working with community partners such as Singapore Prison Service, Bettr has provided more than 300 scholarships worth more than S$2.2 million and supported nearly 1,300 dependents. It also sources coffee from partners that provide income directly to farmers and support social causes.
Chng said Bettr will continue democratising access to its beverage education and helping marginalised communities.
“We have been expanding course offerings beyond coffee to include speciality tea, non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages – all with up to 95 per cent SkillsFuture funding support, making professional development accessible regardless of background,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Sheng Siong Group won the PVPA award in the Organisations of Good (Large Enterprise) category. The supermarket operator helps communities alleviate costs of living, embeds sustainability in its operations and uplifts vulnerable groups.
Lin Ruiwen, executive director of Sheng Siong Group, said: “Our priority has always been to keep daily essentials within reach for our customers. Our 4 per cent discount schemes (for certain groups), alongside counter-inflation discounts during the 2023 and 2024 GST hikes, and regular store promotions are some of the ways we help families stretch their dollar and ease the burden of rising costs.”
Sheng Siong also provides education grants for children of lower-salaried employees.
On the sustainability front, it runs initiatives to reduce waste and trialled climate-friendly refrigeration systems in its stores to improve energy efficiency.
Sheng Siong works with partners such as Red Cross Youth, President’s Challenge and Community Chest to support marginalised communities and raise funds for social causes.
NVPC’s Soh said: “In recent years, Singapore’s giving landscape has seen more diverse acts of giving, expanding from ad-hoc initiatives to more holistic and sustained contributions that create lasting impact.”
He hopes PVPA can rally more companies to contribute to this landscape and amplify social impact.
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