NTUC to operate three more migrant worker recreation centres; Migrant workers can look forward to improved services and activities

Migrant workers can expect improved services and activities at three migrant worker recreation centres (MWRCs) in the coming months.

NTUC will take over, via NTUC Club, the Tuas South, Terusan and Penjuru recreation centres from 1 August 2024 for three years.

A partnership agreement was signed on 28 June 2024 between the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and NTUC.

NTUC will operate the three recreation centres along with the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) Recreation Club at 51 Soon Lee (MWCRC @ Soon Lee).

NTUC has been operating the recreation centre since 2018. With the experience, NTUC said it has garnered a good understanding of migrant workers’ needs.

“NTUC has been caring and advocating the interests of migrant workers and will continue to adopt a migrant worker-centric approach in how we offer our services to migrant workers at the three additional recreation centres,” said NTUC’s Migrant Workers Segment Director Michael Lim.

Mr Lim gave the example of the new gym at MWCRC @ Soon Lee after MWC observed a growing interest in fitness in the migrant-worker community.

Through feedback from migrant workers, MWC found that they had a strong interest in fitness but lacked access to proper gym equipment.

Offerings at the three recreation centres

With MWCRC @ Soon Lee, NTUC will leverage economies of scale, capabilities in operating recreation centres, and knowledge of migrant workers’ needs to complement current offerings at the three MWRCs and better engage, educate, and entertain migrant workers.

NTUC Club will also programme and operationalise various services and activities, such as:

• providing migrant workers with leisure, entertainment and interest group-based events, activities and facilities by NTUC Club,
• training and skills upgrading for migrant workers through enrichment and wellness programmes run by NTUC LearningHub,
• extending NTUC Income’s Care4Migrant Workers Insurance to migrant workers  through the MWC Associate Membership,
• advocating and safeguarding migrant workers' welfare and interests through MWC’s outreach and assistance efforts, with support from the MWC Ambassador Network and
• sharing information and knowledge with migrant workers through interactive and engagement programmes by NGOs, corporate sponsors, and government agencies.

Appointing NTUC as an operating partner

MOM currently operates six of the nine MWRCs in Singapore, including the Tuas South, Terusan and Penjuru recreation centres.

The ministry said it is committed to working with stakeholders and partners to improve the quality of the recreation centres.

Assurance, Care, and Engagement (ACE) Group Chief Tung Yui Fai said MOM seeks partners with experience, capability, and alignment in running recreation centres.

He added that NTUC had been selected as a partner to operate the three recreation centres because of several factors.

These include NTUC's experience in running programmes to cater to the cultural preferences and needs of migrant workers; NTUC’s operational expertise in running recreation centres and its portfolio of running other recreational clubs; NTUC's aligned view with MOM in the importance of migrant workers; the mandate to represent and support them.

“We hope that with NTUC doing these, we can make the recreation centres more attractive for migrant workers,” added Mr Tung.

Mr Tung also said MOM hopes visitorship to the recreation centres would improve to pre-COVID levels.

He added: “Because of COVID-19, visitorship has dropped. We hope that with the appointment of a new partner [NTUC], we will bring the visitorship not just to meet but surpass the pre-COVID targets.”

NTUC will be fully operating the three recreation centres autonomously.

MOM will disburse a grant to NTUC to support the recreation centres’ operations. The amount depends on the recreation centres’ operating costs.

Due to the agreement's confidentiality, the ministry did not disclose the grant amount.