Walking the path with newlyweds: Marriage mentoring programme expands
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Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli joining families at the launch of National Family Week 2023 at Our Tampines Hub on June 3.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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SINGAPORE – Even after getting married in February 2022, Mr Kishen Kumar Thanabal and Ms Roshini Thangarajan continue to learn new things about each other.
From minor preferences like switching off the lights after using the bathroom to important financial habits, they have accepted that they have differences.
Their solemniser, Mr Thirunal Karasu Palaniappan, has been part of their journey, continuing to offer them advice and guidance as part of the Journey With You (JOY) programme
Under the initiative by the Ministry of Social and Family Development to strengthen marriages and families, 20 solemnisers mentor about 40 newlywed couples in their first year of marriage.
The solemnisers invite couples whose marriages they solemnise to be part of the programme. A total of 28,329 couples wed in 2021,
Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development, said on Saturday at the launch of National Family Week 2023 that the programme will be expanded as part of Families for Life efforts to strengthen marriages and support parents.
To expand the programme’s impact, community volunteers who are trained as mentors will be roped in to journey with the couples. Community mentoring will be introduced to a small group of couples on a voluntary basis for a start, starting from the second half of 2023.
Mr Ishak Ismail, Families for Life (FFL) Council chairman, said this will involve volunteers with experience and wisdom in providing marriage support. They will also undergo training to help them in their role as mentors.
Couples from the pilot have shared that they appreciated having mentors sharing personal experiences and insights on maintaining a strong marriage, including the importance of communication, mutual respect and trust, he added. They also liked having someone to reach out to for guidance even after their wedding.
Solemniser Joanna Portilla, who is part of the JOY initiative, said: “Most couples tend to focus more on the wedding rather than marriage itself… so, with this programme, we can maintain a relationship with them even after the wedding day.
“Dating is different from marriage. And for different couples, they may face different challenges based on which stage they are at in their lives. Everyone has their own ideal home, but it may not go according to plan,” she noted.
“The idea is that we are here to guide (them) along the way, based on our personal experiences and training… If you have any issues, we can hear you out. A little helping hand may go a long way.”
One of the key takeaways from the pilot for Mr Kishen, 31, and Ms Roshini, 29, is learning to discuss their finances openly and sharing their views with each other.
“We are all busy with our jobs every day, and the routine can be very mundane… We have to find time to communicate,” said Mr Kishen, who works in the aviation industry.
Ms Roshini, an executive in a university, said: “Despite our differences, we know that marriage requires effort and work… even the smallest actions, like taking time to have breakfast with each other, can make an impact.”
Ms Roshini Thangarajan and Mr Kishen Kumar Thanabal with their solemniser Thirunal Karasu Palaniappan.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KISHEN KUMAR THANABAL AND ROSHINI THANGARAJAN
Speaking at the roll-out of National Family Week 2023 at Our Tampines Hub, Mr Masagos said the Government is committed to supporting families at all stages, from helping couples to start families, to improving work-life measures to allow couples to balance work and family, to integrating services for families.
FFL has introduced a programme, Purposeful Play, to support parents with children aged four to six years old, he added.
This equips parents with evidence-based strategies to play and spend quality time with their children.
The programme consists of five in-person weekly sessions, with each lasting 1½ hours. Some of the sessions can also be conducted online.
Mr Ishak said some 50 parents have attended the programme since it began in April 2023, and the target is to have 300 sign up in the first year. About 30 runs have been planned from June till the end of 2023.
FFL’s annual National Family Week runs from Saturday to June 11, with a variety of activities for families spread over nearly 30 constituencies and 20 SportSG centres.
