SG60 Social Service Summit 2025: Celebrating Innovation, Leadership, and a $7.5M Fund for Impact

The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) kicked off its annual Social Service Summit yesterday with a dual focus: harnessing technology to transform care and honouring the unsung heroes behind Singapore’s social service sector.

Held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, the event unveiled a $7.5 million SG60 Towards Sustainability Fund, celebrated groundbreaking AI tools, and recognised 15 outstanding professionals and teams at the inaugural Social Service Professional Awards.

A Fund for Future-Ready Social Services

In line with Singapore’s 60th anniversary celebrations, the new SG60 Towards Sustainability Fund aims to help Social Service Agencies (SSAs) measure and enhance programme effectiveness. Eligible NCSS members will receive a one-off $30,000 grant to build evaluation capabilities, ensuring resources are channelled to high-impact initiatives.

“As donors and funders increasingly prioritise measurable outcomes, this fund empowers SSAs to demonstrate their impact transparently,” shared Ms Tan Li San, NCSS CEO. The fund aligns with NCSS’s Sector Evaluation Framework, which seeks to standardise outcome metrics across the sector.

Tech Takes Centre Stage

From AI-powered transcription tools to robotic exoskeletons, the Summit’s TribeX showcase highlighted how technology is revolutionising care delivery:

• Scribe: Developed by Open Government Products, this free AI tool transcribes multilingual client conversations (including Singlish) into case notes, saving social workers hours of manual work.
• Cybernics Therapy: Used by the Muscular Dystrophy Association, wearable robotic limbs help patients regain mobility by amplifying muscle signals.
• SeaVoice: An AI chatbot by Seasalt.ai conducts wellness check-ins with seniors in local dialects via phone calls.

Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli emphasised the sector’s “IDEAL” vision – Innovative, Data-powered, Efficient, Accessible, and Linked, while cautioning against over-reliance on tech: “AI can personalise care, but the human touch remains irreplaceable.”

Honouring Social Service Champions

The evening saw President Tharman Shanmugaratnam conferring the President’s Award, the sector’s highest honour, to three veterans:

1. Ms Priscilla Lim (Singapore National Eye Centre): Pioneered a patented eye-drop guide for visually impaired patients.
2. Ms Chan Lay Lin (Institute of Mental Health): A trailblazer in systemic psychotherapy for families.
3. Mr Karthikeyan Jambulingam (AWWA Ltd.): Championed inclusive education and dementia care models.

Other winners included Allkin Singapore’s CEO Mohamed Fareez (Excellence Award) and Pro Bono SG’s Cai Chengying (Merit Award), who expanded legal aid access.

Two teams were recognised for cross-agency collaborations, including Rainbow Centre’s Integrated Social Health Case Management Pilot, bridging gaps between medical and community care.

A Sector Poised for Growth

With over 20,000 professionals in roles spanning social work, therapy, and corporate services, Minister Masagos announced 2025 as the Year of Celebrating Social Service Professionals. Initiatives like the Social Services Heritage Trail and updated salary guidelines aim to attract and retain talent.

As Singapore navigates ageing populations and mental health challenges, the Summit paved a clear roadmap to leverage tech for efficiency, invest in sector sustainability, and celebrate those driving change. With the SG60 fund and awards as catalysts, the social service sector is poised to build a more inclusive, data-smart future.

For more details on the SG60 Fund or award winners, visit NCSS’s website.