The Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), the Singapore International Foundation (SIF), the Singapore Red Cross Society (SRCS) and Temasek Foundation (TF) officially launched the International Involvement Hub (I2Hub) on Thursday, 27 June 2013, at the Atrium@Orchard, with Mr Goh Chok Tong, Emeritus Senior Minister, gracing the occasion as the Guest of Honour.
In the redevelopment of The Atrium@Orchard (adjoining Plaza Singapura), CapitaMall Trust offered 2,000 sqm at Level 4M of Tower One for use by non-profit organisations (NPOs) under the Community And Sports Facilities Scheme of the Urban and Redevelopment Authority. The SIIA, SIF, SRCS and TF then got together to develop the I2Hub to occupy this space.
The objectives of the I2Hub are:
(a) To encourage and train Singapore volunteers, NPOs, non-profit groups and the Singapore public to participate in social, relief, and community development activities and programmes in communities outside Singapore;
(b) To connect Singaporeans to Asia and the world through cultural exchanges and educational programmes to inform them on issues of importance in the region and world-wide; and
(c) To incubate and nurture Singapore non-profit groups and organisations to reach out to the region and the world.
The I2Hub will do the following:
(a) Match, develop and manage Singaporean volunteers for activities and programmes in the region and beyond;
(b) Run seminars, training and public education programmes to connect communities interested on issues in the region and beyond;
(c) Support new and fledging Singapore NPOs to set up and get their programmes for the region up and running;
(d) Provide information and materials on volunteering, disaster response, cultural exchanges and issues of interest in the region and beyond.
The hub has a resource centre, project, training and seminar rooms, and “incubation” rooms for temporary use by new and fledging Singapore NPOs. It also houses the offices of the SIIA, SIF and TF and a training centre of the SRCS (whose office remains at the nearby Penang Lane).
