Justin Paul

Assistant Manager / Social WorkerProject Head, Project FAMILYFei Yue Community Services

Aspirations & Challenges ofTransnational Couples

Observations from Transnational Family Support Programmes

P R ES ENTAT I ONS 1 & 2 :

Eileen Su

Programme Head (Senior Social Worker)Family Journey Programme

Care Corner Singapore

Outline of Presentation

• Introduction of Marriage Programmes for Transnational Couples

• Profile of Participants

• Aspirations of Transnational Couples

• Challenges of Transnational Couples

• Summary & Observations

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Programme Objectives

• Marriage programmes customized for transnational couples, since Dec 2014

• Objectives– Help Singaporean-foreigner couples address cross-

cultural issues

– Help the foreign spouse better adjust and integrate into society

– Link couples to available community resources

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Programme Structure

Marriage Preparation ProgrammeEnhanced Cinta Abadi

Marriage Support Programme

Marriage Preparation & Support Programme

Workshops & Support Groups

Social Outings

Volunteer-Couple Buddy Programme

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Role in the system

Low Medium High

Continuum of Complexity & Risk

Transnational Support Agencies FSCs, Specialized Agencies

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PROFILE OF TRANSNATIONAL COUPLES WHO ATTENDED PROGRAMME

Statistics from the Programme

• Between Dec-2014 and Mar-2017

– 5,544 couples have participated in the programme

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Summary of Profile

• Need for intervention efforts for foreign husbands

• Language Challenge – Vietnamese

• Age of marriage and age difference may give rise to different set of challenges

• Education qualification does represent Singaporeans having a better understanding of policies

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ASPIRATIONS OFTRANSNATIONAL COUPLES LIVING IN SINGAPORE

Aspirations of Transnational Couples

• Couples aspire to

– Establish a family in Singapore

– Support each other’s families

• Local Spouses aspire to

– Have a home of their own

– Fulfill the expectations of their Families

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Aspirations of Transnational Couples

• Foreign Spouses aspire to

– Call Singapore their home

– Be a good “member” of the family

– Raise their child in Singapore (from previous marriages)

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CHALLENGES FACED BY TRANSNATIONAL COUPLES LIVING IN SINGAPORE

“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its

own way.”

From “Anna Karenina”, Leo Tolstoy

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Marriage Quiz

• Administered in Marriage Support Programme

• From June 16 to June 17

• Sample Size: 958 pax (479 couples) who participated

in Care Corner’s marriage programme

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Story of Mei Mei

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Foreign Spouses:

- Process of LTVP- Caregiving

responsibilities- Process of employment- Cultural Differences:

Different pace of life- Stereotypes

Common Challenge 1: Employment/LTVP

Couple:

- Lack of income- Long working hours

(ie: 10 hrs daily)- Different

expectations about employment

Local Spouses:

- Unemployment- Worried about

external influences if FS works

- More earning power than me

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Foreign Spouse:

- Interference of in laws in daily life issues

- Emotional Distress- No housing option,

back to country of origin.

Common Challenge 2: Housing Issues

Local Spouse:

- Stuck in between mother and wife

- Lose focus in work due to conflicts at home

Couple:

- Financial difficulty in getting BTO, Resale or Rental

- No personal space- Couple staying apart

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Foreign Spouses:

• Handicapped• Hard to get

employment• Difficulties in

accessing to community resources

Common Challenge 3: Language Issues

Couple:

- Communicate at only basic level

- Emotional needs not met

- Misunderstandings

Local Spouses:

- Helplessness

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Low self worth

Shameful

Stress

Frustrated and

perplexed

No control

Little acceptance at home & community

Lost in direction

Little/no time to build martial relationship

IntrapsychicRelationships

Strained relationships @ work & at home

Couples staying apart

Strained relationships with spouse due to conflicts with in laws

Spouses seeking refuge out of home

Excluded & Isolated

Oppressed &

suffocated

Regrets coming to Singapore

Inhibited & Trapped

Low confidence

Constant anxiety

Depressed

FearfulDivorce due to increase strained relationship

Homesickness

Loneliness

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Challenges faced by Transnational Couples living in Singapore

Aspirations Challenges

Money

Bully

IntrapsychicRelationships

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Observations

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