Rewriting our Stories (ROSE): Rising above the stigma to chart a new chapter forward

The Salvation Army (TSA) Singapore Headquarters, in collaboration with Prison Support Services (PSS), came together on 27 January 2024 to organise the Rewriting Our Stories (ROSE) event to have an honest conversation about the stigma faced by ex-offenders. The event had strong support with the presence of our guest speakers, Mr Darren Tan, Mr Jason Wong, Ms Audrie Siew, Mr Jabez Koh, and Mr Tan Boon Keng.

Mr Jason Wong had shared on the role of religion in reducing recidivism and his journey and calling in serving ex-offenders on their journey towards rehabilitation. On the flipside, Mr Darren Tan emphasised on the importance of the “village” support in providing opportunities for a better life during and after incarceration. In particular, he raised the turning point in this life where the opportunity for further education behind bars has allowed him to pursue a law career today.

Mr Jabez highlighted the need to give back, and provide the same salvation that was offered to him to others as well. With that in mind, he continues to be a strong supporter of ex-offender work by taking them under his wings in this logistics company. The others echoed similar sentiments on the greater need for support for ex-offender work as everyone deserves a second chance.

Special thanks to them for sharing their inspiring journey alongside ex-offenders and in empowering them to rewrite their stories.

We also held Our Defining Moments (ODM) in recognising the contribution of our strong volunteer community. The event is organised to recognise the commemorate the passion and work our volunteers have been pouring into our causes and initiatives over the years. We would like to thank our volunteers from all walks of life for their hard work throughout the years; the event emcee for livening up the space, and to everyone who attended for being so participative and amazing.