If you have time and/or money, and want to GIVE these resources of yours to benefit others, do you know what is available out there? Now, you belong to the "Give" group.
If you are destitute/hungry/aged/sick/disabled/etc or can't afford to pay your school fees, do you know where you can GET help beyond your social workers and grassroots leaders? Now, you belong to the "Get" group.
If you belong to neither group above, but would like to answer the 2 questions, be it for yourself or when asked by your contacts (both locals and foreigners), do you know where to find the answers quickly and conveniently?
The "Give&Get" webpage (http://givegetgive.blogspot.com/) aspires to answer all the aforementioned questions. It is a website for those on either side of the income divide in Singapore. It intends to do to the social services sector what WDA (Workforce Devt. Agency) is doing for job seekers. It DOES NOT, however, offer any aid, nor does it collect/solicit any donations. Its role is only that of a "matchmaker", and it intends to cover every single social service/voluntary/charitable agencies/institutions in Singapore eventually, if not immediately.
How then is it different from those websites by MCYS, NCSS, NPVC, etc? Firstly, it is non-partisan and will be able to include more groups, like the "Wee Foundation", "Khoo Foundation", religious bodies that provide free meals, medicine, lodging, etc.
Secondly, the URLs will be organised in a way, which will be more targetted for both the "Give" and "Get" group to quickly identify the agencies/institutions they should refer to. In this respect, the URLs will be grouped under categories like "Help the hungry"; "Help the aged"; "Help the school children"; "Help the sick/wheelchair-bound"; "Help the poor"; "Help the jobless"; etc.
Useful links to organisations, like CDCs, MCYS social workers, etc will also be provided.
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Hi G., you've got a good heart. :)
OK, here's my thoughts: I feel a website won't help per se.
Reason #1 - those who have the time/ money probably have some specific organisation or charity in mind. Or their employers would organise something. Or they'd see some charity on the street or TV fundraiser. Or they might go to the National Volunteer Centre website.
Reason #2 - while it's likely that those who need help may not know who to approach, the problem is that they are not likely to be those who turn to the Internet as a first source of information. So setting up a website may not be that effective.
Reason #3 - the content of the proposed site seems to be more of links. Over time, you'd have a problem organising it and may become another MCYS and NVC, even if you don't intend it to be.
That being said, I think the fundamental "matching" concept you're proposing here is worth exploring. I think the key would be the intermediaries who will run this service. The site/ mailing lists are ways to get the information out. But what's key may be to give an intermediary where people can write in to ask and enquire. A person, or groups of people, whom others see as a trusted source to refer. It sounds labour-intensive but maybe if things get to a stage where the few volunteers can't cope, then it's a good problem in that demand is there.
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