Volume 15
Feb - Mar 06
“To SOX or Not to SOX?” That is the Question for Non-Profits
The Spirit and the Letter of the Law as it Applies to Non-Profit Organisations in 2006
“Why would legislation intended for for-profit public companies
be finding its way into non-profit conversations? The answer,
in a nutshell, is transparency.”
On July 30, 2002, U.S. legislators enacted one of the
most broad-sweeping legislations since the Securities
Acts of the 1930s. The American Competitiveness
and Corporate Accountability Act of 2002, commonly
known as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (or SOX), was
signed into law. After Enron, WorldCom, Tyco and a
slew of other companies were determined
fraudulent, lawmakers issued a wake-up call to all
Contents
By Sanjay Anand,
Executive VP, SOX Group, CLA Solutions
Chairperson, SOX Institute, New York
corporate, legal and financial entities. Accordingly,
Sarbanes-Oxley is ushering in a new era of
accountability and transparency. It requires publicly
traded companies to implement and uphold detailed
governance standards. It also expands board
members’ accountability, while broadening their roles
in the oversight of financial transactions and auditing
procedures.
Page
“To SOX or Not to SOX” - That is the Question for Non-Profits .............................................................................. 1
Grooming Volunteer Leaders .................................................................................................................................... 5
Sexual Activity in Youth: Vulnerabilty, Perception and Values ................................................................................. 9
Book Review on Tuesdays With Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson ............................ 13
Social Service Training Institute Courses................................................................................................................... 15
Document Destruction: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act
makes it illegal to cover up, falsify, destroy or alter
any document or accounting entry to prevent or
obstruct its use in an official proceeding (e.g. federal
investigation or bankruptcy proceedings).
In addition, here are some guidelines from USAid that
non-profits can draw on from a “best practices”
standpoint. Observe that some of these are more
directly related to the letter of SOX while others draw
on the spirit of the Act.
Suggested Best Practices for Non-Profits
The primary intent of legislation such as SarbanesOxley is to improve transparency, accountability and
responsibility of executives and boards of corporations;
in particular in the context of the allocation, usage
and reporting of funds that come from such sources
as public investors, charitable donations and other
sources from outside the corporation.
Two of the questions on the minds of executives and
professionals at non-profit organisations are “which
of the sections of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act really apply
to non-profits?” and “is there legislation being put in
place to enforce compliance with those sections?”
While both questions are open-ended and do not have
definitive answers at this time, it is the intent of this
article to provide some guidance which will help
prepare non-profits for what is likely to occur over
the next few months and years.
Sections of SOX that Apply to NonProfit Organisations
The two sections of the SOX Act that are most
applicable to non-profits are:
Whistle-blower Protection: The Sarbanes-Oxley
Act provides new protections for whistle-blowers,
making it illegal for a corporate entity to retaliate
against any employee who reports to law enforcement
any suspected illegal activity by their employer.
2
• Evaluate the number of independent
members in the governing board and if it
makes sense to increase that number.
• Establish an audit committee if you do not
already have one, and have that committee
review the organisation vis-à-vis SOX
compliance.
• Implement a code of ethics policy if the
agency does not already have one, including
a process to periodically review it to evaluate
its current applicability.
• Assess whether the internal control systems
are working at a level that will deter and
detect fraud.
• Monitor the organisational culture to ensure
that it promotes honesty and ethical
behaviour at all levels of the corporation.
• Evaluate the financial savvyness of its
programme directors and staff and, if
necessary, conduct training on using
financial statements and on being
accountable during the budgeting and
financial management processes.
• The lead audit partner and the reviewing
partner should rotate off the audit every five
years.
“ SOX or Not to SOX” - That is the Question for Non-Profits
“To
• The CEO, Controller, CFO, Chief Accounting
Officer or any person in an equivalent
position should not have been employed by
the organisation’s audit firm during the oneyear period preceding the audit unless the
audit committee is directly involved in the
audit.
• The audit committee should establish
procedures for the receipt, documentation
and resolution of complaints regarding
accounting, internal controls and auditing,
and ensure that employees are granted
whistleblower protection.
• A non-profit organisation should develop
written procedures for record retention.
Families, conclude that approximately 20 percent of
non-profits in the US are already are trying to adopt
at least some of the Sarbanes-Oxley provisions as best
practices. The surveys were sent to more than 600
non-profit executives (approximately 300 executives
per survey).
Highlights of Survey on
600 Non-Profit Executives
• Close to 40% of respondents have discussed
the implications of Sarbanes-Oxley with their
board members. (Grant Thornton LLP)
• Non-profit executives are more likely to have
received their knowledge from the media or
from members of their own board than from
their accountants or auditors. (Alliance for
Children and Families)
A Look at “Who’s Doing What?”
Several surveys have been conducted by various
organisations since the passing of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act to gauge the response from non-profits.
Two recent surveys, conducted separately by Grant
Thornton LLP and the Alliance for Children and
• Among organisations with less than $10
million in revenue, 92% of respondents
have adopted or modified internal control
policies. Only 49% of organisations with
more than $10 million in revenue have
done the same. (Grant Thornton LLP)
• In agencies where changes in financial
reporting or auditing processes have been
made, those changes tend to focus on the
board’s role, responsibilities and function in
reporting and auditing processes, on the
composition of the audit committee
membership, and the organisation’s conflict
of interest statement. (Alliance for Children and
Families)
Conclusions and Recommendations
In light of the current environment, it is wise for nonprofit boards of directors to evaluate how they exercise
their oversight responsibilities and fiduciary duties, and
how the boards can respond to the governance
challenges spawned by SOX and other legislative
3
initiatives. Given the range of size and expertise of
non-profit boards of directors, the evaluation of
current practices and the implementation of any
changes will require an assessment of costs, time, and
risks. However, while Sarbanes-Oxley does not apply
directly to non-profit organisations, implementing
certain relevant provisions may serve the board of
directors and the corporation well, particularly in the
event of later legal or regulatory scrutiny. State
legislatures may also pass legislation applying
Sarbanes-Oxley-type responsibilities on non-profit
boards of directors, their auditors and counsel.
In light of the “best practices” that can be gleaned
from the Act, SOX and similar regulations are gaining
steam across the globe and we are seeing an
acceleration in the pace of voluntary and forced
adoption of these regulations in virtually every country,
virtually every form of enterprise (public, private, nonprofit, government etc.), virtually every size of entity
and virtually every industry. It is prudent to proactively
prepare before it becomes the law.
For enquiries on SOX, readers could contact:
Asia-Pac: peifong.cheng@clasolutions.com
New York: sanjay.anand@clasolutions.com
References and Suggested Reading
Non-Profit Organizations and Sarbanes-Oxley
www.icpas.org/icpas/sia/nonprofit/organizations_oxley.asp
Why All the Fuss About the Sarbanes-Oxley Act?
www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs private_voluntary_cooperation/
conf_budak.pdf
Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance and Non-Profit Organizations
www.onphilanthropy.com/tren_comm/tc2005-08-05.html
In Sarbanes-Oxley Era, Running a Non-Profit is Getting Harder
www.post-gazette.com/pg/05172/525942.stm
Speech by SEC Chairman: William H. Donaldson
www.sec.gov/news/speech/spch110804whd.htm
Sarbanes-Oxley Guide for Finance and IT Professionals
www.sarbanesoxleyguide.com
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Implications for Non-Profits
www.independentsector.org/PDFs/sarbanesoxley.pdf
Sarbanes-Oxley for Non-Profits: A Guide to Building Competitive Advantage
www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471697885.html
Copycat Rules and Who’s Doing What?
www.insight-mag.com/insight/04/03-04/feat-1-pt-1-CopycatRules.asp
Corporate Governance and the Non-Profit Board of Directors
www.faegre.com/articles/article_1094.aspx
Relevant SSTI Course: Risk Management and Internal Controls for NPOs.
This course aims to enable participants to apply the concepts of effective risk management practices
and financial management controls. Besides understanding the main features of controls, participants
will be able to illustrate the use of appropriate tools and techniques to identify, assess and prioritise
for monitoring on an on-going basis.
4
Grooming Volunteer Leaders
Have you found that it is easier to recruit a volunteer to do frontline, hands-on
work than to accept a leadership position on a board or key committee? How
can you help volunteers increase their involvement over time and grow
comfortably taking on more responsibilities and authority?
By Susan J. Ellis
President, Energize, Inc
First, consider what it takes to be a leadership
volunteer. Some, if not all, of the following will be
required:
Some benefits could be:
• Attending a lot of long and unproductive meetings.
• Opportunity to interact with other community
leaders.
• Willingness to stick their necks out and take risks on
behalf of the project at hand.
• Making difficult choices and facing scrutiny from
members of the public.
• The intellectual challenge of developing and
implementing strategies to help the community.
• Being at the forefront of positive change and action.
• Doing something with long-term and lasting
implications.
• Possible acceptance of legal liability.
• Deferred gratification - it may take months or years
to see the beneficial results of their work.
People are right to assume that volunteering is a major
commitment. In fact, it may be more of a mystery
why some volunteers agree to serve in such roles at
all!
“The key is to articulate the benefits
of service at the leadership level and
to identify the types of people who
would find satisfaction in those.”
5
Most prospective volunteers will not see such benefits
as outweighing the commitment required of them.
More people are, by nature, followers than are leaders.
So how do you find those predisposed to fulfill the
roles you need?
Recruiting People Who Are Already
Leaders
One misconception is that people in business,
especially in big corporations, are usually “leaders.”
Of course some corporate executives have strong
leadership skills, but many have simply risen to a level
of authority and are enforcing the decisions of a small
circle of others at the very top.
“Community leadership requires
consensus-building, diplomacy, and
other characteristics that may not be
as highly prized in the business
world.”
While it is natural to look to successful business people
as possible leadership volunteers, it is prudent to
double check assumptions with each individual.
For community boards and committees, “your best
candidates may be people who have demonstrated
their ability to coordinate others in perhaps less
obvious ways.” For example, people who have:
• Been elected in the past to officer positions
in other community organisations.
• Organised groups of neighbours for a
political or social cause.
• Taken key roles in their temples,
mosques, or churches.
• Started successful small businesses.
• Proven themselves in professions that require
motivating others, such as teachers.
6
The point is not to go back to the same core of people
already well-known in the community, but to
“consider others who might be pleased to have his or
her talents recognised in a different way.”
Grooming New Leaders
Even more important than finding volunteers with
established leadership skills is the challenge of
“grooming” people, who usually take follower roles,
to blossom into new leaders. This is a process that
takes time and is started by keeping an eye open for
people who have the potential to develop. The selffulfilling prophecy is a powerful force. Once you
believe a volunteer can grow into leadership, you will
take the steps necessary to cultivate his or her abilities.
Grooming Volunteer Leaders
Steps in the Grooming Process
1
The volunteer does an assignment well and
you notice this. He or she shows initiative,
does something above and beyond what you
expected, or seems able to help others do
better or to work together as a team.
2
Genuinely praise the good work the volunteer
is doing/has done. Give extra recognition for
those things that showed extra effort, so that
the volunteer understands what you value and
feels good about contributing in this way.
3
Invite the volunteer to do something that both
requires additional commitment and gives the
opportunity to learn additional skills. This
might be acting as a team leader for a project,
or being a trainer of new volunteers, or writing
a report about the project. Offer whatever
support the person might need to succeed and
then genuinely praise the work.
4
Ask the volunteer to participate in a planning
or evaluation session - something that requires
the person to speak out, share opinions, and
interact with others. This might lead to service
on a committee or task force.
5
If you ultimately want the volunteer to become
a member of a formal board of directors, the
next step would be an invitation to serve on a
committee of the board as a non-board
member. This allows the volunteer to test the
water about the work of the board and the
type of people involved. Conversely, it serves
as a useful “audition” to see if the volunteer
fits in, too.
6
All through the process, talk honestly with the
volunteer about your hopes for her or his
development and longer-term commitment to
your cause. This should not be a secret
process in which you manipulate someone
into the trap of long-term service! If the
person really is not comfortable, it is important
to know that. It may also take some
convincing to make the prospective leader feel
sure that you really think she or he has the
“right stuff” to do the job well.
7
Finally, when you are ready to recruit the
volunteer you have been grooming to join the
board or committee, be open and specific
about what the position entails, and discuss
both of your expectations.
7
The Job Description Is the Key
Organisations provide job descriptions for lower-level
staff and volunteers, but not for their top officials.
What a mistake! “Volunteer job descriptions spell out
precisely what you need and want, and give the other
party the opportunity to accept or decline the full
scope of the work.” Here are some things to include
when describing the role of a board member
or other top committee member:
• How many meetings are held each year, when, of
what duration, and any policies about the number
a member must attend (and what to do if s/he
cannot).
• What is expected of members in-between
meetings? Often meetings are discussions to plan
what everyone will do the rest of the time. Be
honest about the amount of work anticipated each
month or week, both in group meetings and
individual assignments.
• What preparation is needed to be productive at
meetings, such as promising to read reports,
minutes, and other important documents in
advance of discussion.
• Any reporting the member will be expected to do
on his or her activities since the last meeting.
• Whether or not a financial contribution is the rule
and/or what other resources does the organisation
need from the volunteer (such as in-kind services
from his or her place of work).
• A plan for orientation to the work of the
organisation and this board, and for ongoing
development of skills and understanding.
“By allowing each volunteer to take small steps towards
involvement as a leader, and be reinforced with skill-building
and success at each level, you will cultivate a pool of
committed and competent individuals.”
About the Author
Susan J. Ellis is President of Energize, Inc., an international training, consulting and publishing firm
specialising in volunteerism. Based in Philadelphia (USA), the 28-year-old firm has helped a wide
diversity of clients across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Australia to start or expand
volunteer efforts. Ellis has written 12 books on volunteerism, including From the Top Down: The
Executive Role in Volunteer Program Success, from which this article was adapted. She is co-publisher
of the international online journal, e-Volunteerism (www.e-volunteerism.com). Browse the 1200+
pages of free volunteer management information at www.energizeinc.com.
Relevant SSTI Course: Building and Leading Innovative Teams in NPOs (New!).
Targeting at volunteer leaders of VWOs and NPOs, this course aims to empower participants to build
effective, creative and innovative teams. Participants will be able to diagnose why the team is not
effective and how to optimise team performance and develop people and task management skills.
8
Sexual Activity in Youth:
Vulnerability, Perception and Values
This research project was funded by the VWO
Capability Fund (VCF) Research Grant.
By Lim Wei Loong
Psychologist & Researcher
Fei Yue Community Services
Background
There has been much concern over the rising number
of youth who are permissive towards pre-marital sex,
as well as the increasing proportion of youth who
engage in sexual activities, or sex-related activities.
As a result, relevant authorities, concerned parties,
and the media have been attempting to understand
permissiveness towards pre-marital sex and their actual
involvement in pre-marital sex among youth. To this
end, many surveys have been conducted. Despite
the wealth of information generated by such surveys,
there remain further issues that need to be examined,
particularly the inner world and external environment
of youth in relation to pre-marital sex.
The Study
Moving beyond the scope of previous surveys, this
study seeks to understand the following issues:
1
Youth’s judgment of their ability to resist
sexual pressure or temptation.
2
Their experiences of being pressured or
coerced into having sex and their
responses.
3
Their perceptions of
sexual activity and values
among their peers.
4
Their awareness and impressions of youth who
engage in pre-marital sex.
5
Their reasons for wanting, or not wanting to
have sex before marriage.
6
Their experiences of discussing with a helpful
adult on intimate personal issues.
This study was conducted in October 2002 via a selfadministered questionnaire survey. Secondary One to
Three students from five secondary schools
participated in the survey. A total of 2,659 valid
questionnaires were used for analysis, out of which
6 6 . 1 % were from the Express, 20.8% from
Normal Academic, and 13.2% from
Normal Technical streams. There were
52% males and 48% females, the
mean age was 13.88 years.
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Key Findings
1. Ability to withstand sexual pressures
and temptations
Most of the respondents perceived themselves as able
to resist sexual pressures (76.8%) and temptations
(77.4%), and most of them (69.1%) who encountered
sexual invitations were able to abstain from having
sex. However, it should be noted that abstinence from
pre-marital sex depends on various factors and
circumstances, such as the time and place of the sexual
invitation, the emotional state of the person at that
time, the presence of coercion or incentive, and what
are the most common reasons or methods someone
would use when approaching another person for sex.
Future research may want to look into these issues.
Interestingly, there were more boys than girls who
reported not being able to resist premarital sex. Also,
more boys (69.6%) than girls (30.4%) thought that
having sex made one more popular. Together, it may
mean that for boys, being sexually active came with
a desirable social status, thus giving boys more reasons
for not turning down sex. On the other hand, girls
who gave in easily to sexual pressures may be
negatively perceived by their peers.
The study also found that the two most common
reasons for abstinence were not wanting to have
babies and fear of contracting sexually transmitted
diseases. These automatically exclude boys, who
cannot get pregnant, from one of the top two
abstinence reasons. The third most common reason
for abstinence was the loss of self-respect. Since
having sex might be considered socially desirable for
boys, the loss of self-respect would seem less relevant
for them. In summary, these reasons may partly
account for boys being more sexually active than girls.
2. Reasons for abstinence
On that note, the top three reasons for abstinence
were “not wanting to contract sexually transmitted
diseases” (85.7%), “not wanting to have babies”
(82.9%), and “loss of self-respect” (79.9%). These
are all fear-based, or consequence- based reasons,
whereas “against belief” (69.7%), which as a value,
ranks the lowest. The implication may be that once
these negative consequences can be avoided, for
example, pregnancy can be completely prevented,
there will not be any compelling reasons for abstinence
anymore. Therefore, more work may need to be done
in imparting values that protect our youths against
aversive lifestyles.
3. Possible reasons for premarital sex
The top three reasons for engaging in premarital sex
are “curiosity” (7.7%), “to satisfy desires” (6.2%),
and “out of love for the other person” (6.4%). These
reasons seem to represent the different developmental
needs of youth. That is, the need to know more about
sexual issues, the need to seek pleasure, and the need
to express their love for another person. Thus it is
reasonable to infer that if these needs can be met
through healthy means, the likelihood of pre-martial
sex can be reduced.
10
Sexual Activity in Youths: Vulnerabilty, Perception and Values
Summary of Key Findings
Resistance to sexual pressures and
temptations
• 76.8% were able to resist sexual pressures.
• 69.1% were able to abstain from having sex.
• more boys (69.6%) than girls (30.4%)
thought that having sex makes one more
popular.
Top three reasons for abstinence:
• “not wanting to contract sexually
transmitted diseases” (85.7%)
• “not wanting to have babies” (82.9%)
• “loss of self-respect” (79.9%).
4. Peer group environment
Approximately 30% to 60% of the respondents had
some if not many friends, who were permissive
towards pre-martial sex. On the other hand,
approximately 40% of the respondents had half or
less than half of their friends who believed in waiting
till marriage to have sex. Together, this means that
30% - 60% of youth may be exposed to some form
of peer influence with regards to sexual
permissiveness. In addition, 15 - 20% of the
respondents thought that sexual activities, or
permissive values, were quite prevalent among their
cohort. These provide a good approximation of the
extent of risk to which youth may be exposed to in
their social environment.
Top three reasons for engaging in
premarital sex:
• “curiosity” (7.7%)
• “to satisfy desires” (6.2%)
• “out of love for the other person” (6.4%)
Peer Influence
• 30% – 60% of youth exposed to peer
influence with regards to sexual
permissiveness.
Support
• Nearly 70% of the respondents mostly boys,
had not talked to an adult before regarding
sex or other personal issues.
5. Support
It is noteworthy that a year after the survey, nearly
70% of the respondents mostly boys, had not talked
to an adult before about sex or other personal issues.
This may imply the need to create a safe and conducive
environment for youth to discuss personal issues with
adults whom they trust, and nurture trust and selfconfidence in them so as to help them overcome
personal barriers to approaching adults to discuss
about personal issues.
Recommendations
1. Research
Conduct
a more detailed study of the most
common circumstances and conditions under
which youth get involved in pre-marital sex and
why youth find it difficult to talk to adults about
personal issues.
11
Improve
the representation of the sample by
surveying youth from other education facilities,
such as Institutes of Technical Education and also
youth who have dropped out of schools.
Conduct
a review of current sex education
programmes, or boy-girl relationship programmes
to assess their effectiveness, and how the findings
from other relevant studies such as this survey can
help improve these programmes.
Comparison studies can be done between youth
who abstain and those who are having or have
had pre-marital sex, to research on the following:
• Whether there is any difference in their values,
life goals, and self-perceptions etc.
• What are the psychological and social impact
of premarital sex on youth, for instance, how
are their self-esteem and self-concept
affected?
• For those who have been sexually active but
intend to discontinue with the lifestyle, what
assistance and resources do they need?
2. Service provision
Relationship education programmes, or abstinence
programmes for youth should include the
transmission of values to help them make informed
decisions.
Such programmes should also educate youth on
peer influence and teach them assertiveness skills
to resist negative peer pressure.
There
should be programmes to help youth to
proactively identify, build and maintain healthy
friendships. The scope should preferably include:
• Development of healthy self-awareness and
self-worth, so that youth do not need to
derive their self-worth through engaging in
aversive lifestyles.
• Teachings that deal with the myths of gaining
popularity, or social status, through engaging
in pre-marital sex.
• Ways of dating that are safe, and healthy ways
to express love for another person
It is also important that such programmes adopt a
community prevention model where parents and
teachers have a role in teaching youth about
healthy relationships and helping youth abstain
from premarital sex.
There
should be close collaboration among
schools, parents, service providers and other
concerned parties to create a safe and conducive
environment for youth to explore sexual issues and
to communicate their feelings and thoughts
to adults who can be trusted.
Relevant SSTI Course: Working with Youth on Sexuality Issues (New!).
Upon completion of the course, participants will become familiar with the development of sexuality
during teenhood and the range of sexuality issues faced by youth. In addition, participants will be
able to identify, refer, assess, intervene and work with youth on sexuality issues.
12
Book Review on
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man,
a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson
“Tuesdays with Morrie” was first published in 1997.
Since then it has attracted numerous raving reviews.
A TV movie by the same name starring Jack Lemmon
as Professor Morrie and Hank Azaria as Mitch was
recently shown over one of our local English TV
channels.
It is based on a true story. It touches on an enraptured
relationship between a dying history Professor at
Brandeis University in Massachusetts and one of his
former students, Mitch. Mitch is a successful sports
columnist and writer. Professor Morrie is dying with
an incurable neuro muscular disease known as
Amoyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He embraces
impending death with a sense of courage, harmony
and forgiveness - no denial or anger even accepting
his ultimate dependency on someone wiping his
bottom. Morrie lives with his wife, Charlotte. She
continues to work with Morrie’s encouragement. He
has two sons: Rob, a journalist based in Tokyo; and
John, a computer expert, who lives in Boston. Hence,
Morrie is lonely most of the time.
Reviewed by
K. V. Veloo
Morrie looks forward to Mitch’s visits. He finds a
welcome diversion, comfort and solace in continuing
to share with Mitch the meaning and lessons of life
like death, family, emotions, fear of aging, money,
marriage, forgiveness: an opportunity he did not have
to share with his students while at Brandeis. I found
his many profound and inspirational messages of
immense value to me personally. One which stands
out for me is his advice to Mitch on managing a
meaningless life. He says:
“So many people walk around with
a meaningless life. They seem halfasleep, even when they’re busy
doing things they think are
important. The way you get meaning
into your life is to devote yourself
to loving others, devote yourself to
your community around you, and
devote yourself to creating
something that gives you purpose
and meaning.”
His sharing sessions are imbued with so much
empathy and compassion that they evoke a surge of
sadness and emptiness in the reader.
I find that nearly all the reviews on the book somehow
focus on Morrie, rightfully so, but I thought Mitch
also deserves a creditable place in any review of the
13
book. When Mitch hears that his former professor is
dying he decides to pay him a visit. That is the
beginning of Mitch’s 14 regular Tuesday visits lasting
about 3 hours a visit until Morrie’s demise. Mitch, in
the spirit of a true “befriender”, is prompt with his
appointments with Morrie even when he has to travel
long distances and as he says:
“I was looking forward to these visits
more than one would think,
considering I was flying seven
hundred miles to sit alongside a
dying man. But I seemed to slip into
a time warp when I visited Morrie,
and I liked myself better when I was
there.”
He fills Morrie’s well of loneliness and boredom with
his presence and attention. The book could well be
dedicated to the “befrienders” of the world.
“Tuesdays with Morrie” is easy reading. It is short
and lucid and written in a prose style that is warm
and sharing. Although it is a touching story, the
moving experience does not verge on sentimentality.
The book will prove useful to the many professionals
and volunteer “befrienders” who provide solicitous
care to the frail elderly and the sick living either on
their own or with their families but are left alone as
family members pursue their own socio-economic
activities. Those engaged in visitations to homes for
destitute people, hospitals, nursing homes and
hospices will have their own experiences recharged
and enriched.
I leave you with one of Morrie’s last soulful advice to
Mitch which is immersed with spiritual wisdom.
“Forgive yourself. Forgive others.
Don’t wait, Mitch. Not everyone gets
the time I’m getting. Not everyone
is as lucky.”
It is said that a caring “befriender” just does what
one friend would do for another. Sometimes, all that
is needed is to make a timely suggestion, provide a
little encouragement and offer some “first aid”
assistance. Mitch is a good listener and enhances
Morrie’s self-esteem by merely allowing Morrie to
“talk out”. He gives Morrie a sense of being useful
and a new meaning to Morrie’s loss of role and power.
Reference
Mitch Albom (2002), “Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson”,
Broadway Books, Random House, Inc, New York.
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SSTI PROGRAMME CALENDAR (MID FEB 2006 - MID APR 2006)
FEB ‘06
COURSE TITLE
Psychiatric Vocational Rehabilitation:
Maximising Productivity and Outcomes NEW!
Exercise Physiology: Concepts and Application
How to Start a Social Enterprise (2nd run)
Eldercare: End Stage of Life Preparation NEW!
Certificate in Creative Dance: For Integration
of Special Needs Group
Developing a Non-profit Training Plan &
Training Needs Analysis NEW!
Working with Involuntary Clients (Youths)
Specialist Diploma in Counselling
APR ’06
MAR ’06
Governance: Building a Power Board (Public Run)
Information Technology for Special
Education - Advanced NEW!
Effective Reports & Proposals for
Executives & Managers (3rd run)
Governance: Financial Management for VWOs
Working with Youths - Intermediate
Certificate In Neuro-Developmental Treatment
(NDT) of Adults With Hemiplegia
Asia Pacific Suicide Prevention
Conference 2006 NEW!
Handling Difficult Employees NEW!
Biennial Therapy Symposium Singapore 2006
and series of workshops
Governance: Risk Management and
Internal Controls for VWOs
Certificate in Satir’s Systemic Transformational
Therapy Model (Intake 2)
Working in Schools - An Introductory Course
for Programme Executives
Management of Family Violence : Working with
People with Mild Mental Illness NEW!
Eldercare : Foundation Programme for
Frontline Workers
Working with Youths on Sexuality Issues NEW!
Making $ense of Fundraising (1st run) NEW!
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) - Introduction
Management of Family Violence :
Group Work for Men In Recovery NEW!
TRAINER / INSTITUTION
DATE
Ms Deborah L. Nicolellis
11 Feb
Mr Abdul Rashid Jailani
Ms Ramesh Ramachandra
Ms Chan Lay Lin
Ms Sarah Golightly
11, 18 & 25 Feb
15 - 16 Feb
16 Feb
21 - 24 Feb
Mr Woon Chet Choon
22 - 24 Feb
Mr Tony Ong
27 - 28 Feb
Mr Bernard Lian, Ms June Wong,
Ms Penny Tok & Ms Trina Tan
Mr Benedict Cheong
Dr Marissa Wettasinghe
Mar/Apr 06 Mar/Apr 07
4 Mar
4, 11, 18 Mar,
1, 8, 15 Apr
6 - 7 Mar
Ms Constance Lee
Ms Alice Chua
Mr Mike Garland &
Mr Darryl Gardiner
Ms Cathy Hazzard &
Mr Jason Knox
To be confirmed
8 Mar
6 - 10 Mar
6 - 24 Mar
10 - 12 Mar
Mr Woon Chet Choon
Dr Keith David Hill, Rajinder Koul, Erna
Imperatore Blanche & Katrina Kelso
Ms Alice Chua
13 Mar - 14 Mar
15 - 18 Mar
Ms Kathlyne Maki-Banmen
20 Mar - 1 Oct
Mrs Chuah Yin May &
Mrs Chang Song Eng
20, 27 Mar,
3, 10 & 17 Apr
Consultant Psychologists from
the IMH
Trainers from Tsao Foundation
3 - 4 Apr
Ms Yogeswari M. & Ms Bridget D
Ms Usha Menon
Dr Ko Soo Meng
Mr Benny Bong
22 Mar
4 - 5 Apr
5, 12, 19 Apr
7 Apr
10 - 11 Apr
12 -13, 17-18 Apr 06
and 27 Oct 06 (posttraining debrief segment).
To apply for the training courses, please visit our website at www.ssti.org.sg. Please feel free to contact SSTI at (65) 6210 2664/5 or email:
ncss_ssti@ncss.gov.sg if you have any enquiries. As part of SSTI’s commitment in building capabilities and bringing affordable training
programmes to the social service sector, we will be pleased to organise any of the courses on a customised, block-booked basis, scheduled on
a convenient date for an agency. This is applicable to any agency with a minimum of 15 participants.
15
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS
Editorial Team
Carol Pereira
CERTIFICATE IN
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME FOR VWOs
Assistant Director,
Planning Division
(Offered by Integral Leadership Centre, University of Western Australia in partnership with SSTI)
Christina Kheng
Date: 3 - 4 Jul 06, 17 - 18 Jul 06
Time: 9am - 5pm
Venue: RELC International Hotel
Closing Date: 19 Jun 06
Assistant Director,
Social Service Training Institute
Shekhar Sinha
Trainers: Professor Ron Cacioppe, UWA Professor and Director of
UWA Integral Leadership Centre (ILC) & Ms Dee Roche,
Senior Management Consultant, ILC
This innovative 4-day programme is especially relevant for executive heads and experienced managers
of VWOs and NPOs who are committed to building their leadership and management capabilities
and knowledge. It provides an indepth understanding of the current landscape and issues of VWOs
through topics such as leadership, governance, balanced scorecard and human resource management.
It also seeks to develop competencies required for leadership and managerial success through sessions
on change management, risk management as well as innovation and growth.
Specialist Speech Therapist,
Service Development Division
Yvonne Chung
Senior Executive, Corporate
Communications Division
Design By:
Design Unit, Corporate
Communications Division
This unique programme also offers participants the option to gain credits towards ILC Advanced
Diploma in Leadership & Management endorsed by the University of Western Australia Graduate
School of Management.
Participants of the UWA Executive Leadership Programme (Jul/Aug 2004) with Ms Dee Roche
“I found the programme very refreshing and interactive
with highly competent speakers which makes for an
interesting learning process. I would recommend it as
executives in non-profits need to be exposed to such
experiences which gives us a chance also to interact with
fellow non-profit staff whilst learning about how their
organisations run and what challenges they face.”
- Deirdre Moss, Executive Director, Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals
NEW
MANAGEMENT OF FAMILY VIOLENCE:
GROUP WORK FOR FEMALE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE
Date: 27 Apr 06, 4 May 06, 11 May 06, 18 May 06, 25 May 06
and 1 Jun 06 (classroom training segment). Practical training
segment is likely to be held between Jul 06 and Sep 06.
Time: 9am - 1pm (classroom training segment), 3 hours weekly
over 10 weeks (practical training segment time frame to be
confirmed later)
Closing Date: 7 Apr 06
Trainers: Ms Soh Siew Fong and Ms Katherine Baptist
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, participants will:
• Be able to identify theories on family violence and group work processes
• Be equipped with skills and knowledge to develop and conduct therapeutic group work
programme for female victims of family violence
• Be able to develop and identify strategies to work with other systems around female victims
of family violence
Target Participants/ Admission Requirements:
Social service workers with at least 2 years of experience working with clients experiencing family violence and
who have attended “Management of Family Violence-Introduction” or equivalent. Prior training in “Management
of Family Violence-Intermediate” and group work facilitation skills will be an added advantage.
The Editorial Team
welcomes contribution of
articles from board
members, senior
management readers from
VWOs, and writers from
the academic arena. Please
send your contributions and
feedback by email to:
ncss_ssj@ncss.gov.sg
This journal issue is also
available online at
www.ncss.org.sg/ssj
The Social Service Journal is
published on a bi-monthly
basis by the National
Council of Social Service,
Singapore. Materials
contained in the journal
may not be reproduced
unless with proper
acknowledgement.
©National Council of Social Service
Note: The views expressed in the
journal do not necessarily reflect
the views of the National Council
of Social Service nor that of
the Editorial Team.
Printed by:
First Printers Singapore Pte Ltd
For more details, please contact SSTI at (65) 6210 2663/2664/2632 or email: ncss_ssti@ncss.gov.sg for any enquiries.
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