HDB Community Day – Partnerships

Rooted in sustainability, growing in unity

Bishan East Zone 1

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The Green Hub at Bishan East Zone 1 is a vibrant community space. Hailed as one of Singapore’s coolest and most Instagrammable void decks, it has won multiple awards in the past 4 years. The community space features:

• a “Pets Kampong”, which houses chickens and ducks
• a “Nostalgic Corner”, which showcases vintage memorabilia
• an “Urban Garden”, where fresh produce is grown and shared with the community

Volunteers conduct engaging activities that attract up to 500 participants, bringing together residents across various age groups. These activities include weekly sustainability workshops on urban farming, monthly cultural celebrations, and quarterly gatherings to welcome new residents into the neighbourhood.

Residents are part of initiatives such as the “Neighbourly Courtesy Pact”, which encourages residents to inform each other of renovation plans or potential noise disturbances. Under the “Watch Out for Our Seniors” initiative, volunteers regularly check in on elderly neighbours and help them with their grocery shopping or medical appointments. Notably, the “Harvest in Harmony Food Rescue” programme distributes donated food items to over 150 households weekly, reducing food waste while providing essential support to families.

Cultivating community and connections

Nee Soon South Zone B

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Khatib Wellspring Farmden in Nee Soon South Zone B exemplifies the community’s dedication to sustainability and community-building. Over the past 10 years, this allotment garden has grown into a vibrant space where residents volunteer to nurture crops and promote environmental awareness.

When faced with issues such as pest infestation in the garden, residents work together to find solutions to address them, demonstrating a strong sense of shared responsibility and care.

Regular activities for seniors, including community gatherings and brisk walking sessions, also help residents maintain an active lifestyle while building meaningful connections with their neighbours.

Where board games build bonds

Punggol Damai

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Thanks to resident Mr Bryan Leong’s board game sessions, Punggol Damai has blossomed into a thriving community space. These board game sessions, introduced with support from the Residents’ Network, have consistently attracted up to 50 participants each time, creating opportunities for meaningful interactions.

The sessions have been particularly successful in bringing young families together. A community chat group with over 180 members helps residents stay connected, turning online conversations into real-world friendships.

This kampung spirit now extends beyond play, as residents come together to organise activities such as block gatherings. Featuring food and games, these gatherings have helped to bring neighbours closer together and create a pleasant and harmonious neighbourhood.

A beacon of inclusivity and diversity

Punggol Waterway View

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Over the past 5 years, Punggol Waterway View has grown into a close-knit community due to the Punggol Link Residents’ Network’s efforts in organising festive celebrations, milestone events and recreational activities.

Through open discussions, residents came together to establish designated quiet hours, showing their shared commitment to creating a pleasant living environment for all.

The neighbourhood’s active chat group helps residents stay connected, facilitating everything from community updates to group buys. Residents look out for one another and rally around challenges. When an elderly resident suffered a fall, concerned neighbours mobilised the chat group to quickly contact a family member, and regularly checked in to ensure his well-being thereafter. Residents were also able to resolve a conflict over the use of the shared space through friendly dialogue. This caring spirit reflects the strong bonds that make Punggol Waterway View a special place to live.

Building a community of care and connection

Punggol Zenith

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Residents at Punggol Zenith actively contribute to a culture of care and ownership in their neighbourhood. Through community-led initiatives and festive activities, residents of all ages come together regularly to enjoy each other’s company. When a child was injured or neighbours were trapped in a lift, they swiftly responded to the incidents, showing strong support for one another.

The community takes proactive steps to promote sustainability, creating murals that encourage recycling and keeping their shared spaces clean. Residents also maintain a book donation corner, sharing preloved books with children in the estate.

The community’s active social media channels keep neighbours informed and engaged. Their social media account, with over 600 followers, features quizzes, polls and content to encourage online engagement. Residents also create chat groups with volunteers, the Town Council, and agency partners, to address pet-related concerns and vandalism issues in a collaborative and respectful manner. Through these efforts, residents at Punggol Zenith contribute to a vibrant and close-knit community.

Small street, big-hearted community

Tembeling Road

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Located along Tembeling Road, this close-knit community of 9 homes exemplifies how neighbourly living can be achieved through trust, care and shared responsibility. Residents support one another through everyday acts of kindness, such as sharing school transport duties to send their children to school. They also count on each other to help out when they fall sick or when unexpected situations arise.

The small community regularly comes together for games nights, potluck street parties and festive celebrations like Chinese New Year and Deepavali.

Children play freely in each other’s homes while adults take turns to keep an eye out for them. Through their Street Watch Group, neighbours work together to address safety issues and manage parking concerns. This spirit of mutual support at Tembeling Road is what makes the community a warm and resilient one.

A haven for community and compassion

Boon Lay Zone D

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At Boon Lay Zone D, residents come together to address community issues and improve their living environment. Volunteers and agencies collaborate through a “Community Cat Care” programme to manage and care for stray cats in the estate. The group manages feeding stations, raises funds for veterinary bills and organises carnivals to raise awareness about responsible pet care. They also help raise awareness on errant feeding and cat abuse through murals and an online chat group. They have even come together to arrange cleaning and counselling sessions for one resident who had too many cats in her home. These efforts have contributed to a more pleasant living environment for residents.

Beyond pet care, Boon Lay Zone D also fosters active ageing through their “Giving Garden” initiative, where seniors engage in gardening and share harvests with needy families. Activities such as litter-picking, gardening, and cooking provide opportunities for neighbours across all generations to bond. Residents also organise community events like Chinese New Year gatherings, reinforcing the enduring spirit of support and volunteerism.

Nourishing the neighbourhood

Healthy You & Me @ Lengkok Bahru

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Established in 2022, the Healthy You & Me @ Lengkok Bahru Community Fridge has expanded into a vital food support system, assisting some 50 to 60 families. A dedicated team of volunteers coordinates inventory and requests via a community chat group, ensuring daily food support for those in urgent need.

Beyond food aid, the initiative brings neighbours together through festive community markets during occasions like Chinese New Year and Ramadan. Home-based businesses can set up stalls for free at the markets, selling food, pre-loved items and handmade goods.

The community also hosts parent discussion forums to foster connections among families, creating a space to exchange advice and encouragement. Through these collective efforts, Lengkok Bahru continues to strengthen neighbourly bonds and build a supportive community.

A little help, a lot of heart

Project Pencil @ Nee Soon Central

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At Nee Soon Central, residents demonstrate their care for one another through thoughtful daily actions.

Working alongside partner agencies, volunteers support children’s development through various educational and sporting initiatives, such as tuition and silat classes. An active chat group with more than 200 neighbours helps neighbours stay connected.

The community looks after seniors through regular visits and assistance with daily needs, such as grocery shopping and medical care. Together with community partners, residents also distribute surplus fresh produce to families in need.

When COVID-19 disrupted cleaning services, residents demonstrated their resilience and kampung spirit by forming volunteer teams to maintain estate cleanliness and securing donations of sanitisers and cleaning supplies. These actions contribute to a warm and supported community, where residents can thrive.

Confidence and care in action

Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng

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Over the past 3 years, the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng community has created meaningful programmes to support seniors’ well-being and help them stay engaged in their golden years.

One of their key initiatives is a “Makeup Masterclass”, where dedicated volunteers conduct beauty workshops and free photoshoots for residents in the neighbourhood, including seniors and those actively seeking employment. These sessions help build residents’ confidence and create opportunities for neighbours to connect.

To strengthen social ties, the community also runs conflict resolution workshops to help residents and nearby small business owners navigate challenges with empathy and understanding. Through these initiatives, neighbours continue to build friendships and foster a more supportive neighbourhood.

United neighbours, warm hearts, strong community

Miltonia

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The Miltonia community, comprising residents living in 3 condominiums, is a warm, vibrant and inclusive neighbourhood where cultural diversity is celebrated, and strong connections are nurtured.

Neighbours come together regularly for a diverse range of activities, from cosy gatherings to community carnivals and sports tournaments. Residents readily show kindness, by extending assistance to each other during power outages, car troubles, and other emergencies. Beyond the estate, the community supports vulnerable families living nearby by donating essential items.

Miltonia also practises a 3-step conflict resolution approach to maintain positive relationships through friendly dialogue. This reinforces their commitment to building a harmonious community together.

A model of community resilience

West Terra

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The West Terra community works together to create a resilient and safe community that is equipped with the knowledge to deal with emergencies. They organise quarterly workshops on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) usage and basic firefighting skills, which attract up to 200 participants annually. Their active community chat groups help neighbours stay connected and support one another during urgent situations.

When a major storm caused a power outage, neighbours mobilised their group chat to share hot meals, lend power banks, store frozen items and even set up hot water stations in common areas.

To combat scams, the community partnered agencies for anti-scam and fire-safety talks. The community also came together to arrange group buys for fire extinguishers, reinforcing its commitment to creating a secure living environment.

Partnerships with Institutes of Higher Learning

We believe in nurturing strong communities through meaningful partnerships. Since 2019, HDB has been working with Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to develop student leaders who are passionate about volunteering to build vibrant neighbourhoods.

Through HDB’s Memoranda of Understanding with IHLs, we reinforce our commitment to nurture the next generation of community champions.

Singapore Polytechnic

Sowing Seeds of Connection in the Heartlands

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Our partnership with Singapore Polytechnic (SP) gives students valuable community engagement experience while bringing their fresh ideas to our heartlands.

Through various projects, SP students design and lead initiatives that help communities grow. This includes organising interactive booths at MyNiceHome Roadshows for incoming residents of Tengah BTO projects, and gardening workshops and games to encourage neighbourly interaction. At Woodlands, students engaged residents through interactive games at the National Day Carnival, reaching about 200 participants.

This renewed partnership helps students hone their event management skills while cultivating opportunities for stronger, friendlier neighbourhoods.

Temasek Polytechnic

Nurturing Well-Ageing and Connection Across Generations

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HDB and Temasek Polytechnic (TP) have cultivated a strong partnership to promote active ageing and community participation among seniors.

From tailored exercise sessions to dialect workshops that bridge language gaps, TP students bring fresh energy to outreach efforts at Senior Activity Centres and Active Ageing Centres, empowering older adults to take care of their wellness while fostering intergenerational bonds. These experiences not only enrich the lives of seniors but also give students hands-on exposure to elderly engagement and care.

With 6 years of collaboration in full bloom, this renewed partnership continues to strengthen community bonds, helping seniors thrive and budding community leaders grow.