The social service sector is looking to start a centralised recruitment process to employ and deploy workers to various voluntary welfare organisations.

This will help to solve the manpower crunch in the industry as a centralised agency provides better development opportunities, said Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing. Smaller organisations especially, find it challenging to attract and employ professionals, he noted.

Speaking at the National Council of Social Service's annual general meeting and members' conference on Thursday, Mr Chan said there is a need to "strengthen our efforts to inspire the younger generation to join us".

A new employment model which pools resources and deploy them also attracts people to the sector as it provides a structure to their career paths, he added.

Managing editor of the English and Malay Newspapers Division at Singapore Press Holdings, Mr Han Fook Kwang, also gave a keynote lecture at the event and stressed the importance of the social service sector.

"We need to give it the same recognition and importance that we do to the other sectors, for example, the economic sector," said Mr Han. "We need to view it as a sector that is not only important because of the direct help that you give to the disadvantaged...but because it is important for a larger purpose in helping to build that sense of community."