Long-term employment entails the ability to be employed and to stay employed. This was a challenge to our women who are mostly job-seeking or employed in an ad-hoc or contract capacity.

Through our interactions with our women, we have identified pressing challenges that need to be tackled on both women and employer sides.

On the women's front, we need to ensure that her emotional, mental and physical needs are met. 

Her childcare needs are utmost pressing. Her children's needs should be met adequately so that our beneficiaries have the mind space to go to work. Single mothers face an uphill challenge since they are the sole caretakers of their children. When childcare centres are not opened, women struggle to find alternative childcare solutions that are affordable. This poses a challenge to mothers who work during the weekends and on a shift basis. 

In addition, her emotional needs ought to be regarded highly. This includes the need for confidence to seek employment, the need for a support system with individuals from similar backgrounds, and the need for encouragement and inspiration to overcome difficult times. Mothers need to have the emotional bandwidth and confidence to seek employment and bring the bread home. She is also the role model that her child looks up to. 

On the employer's front, we need to build a supportive work environment.

The challenging circumstances that women face require employers who are able to understand their needs. Special arrangements to accommodate women's schedule need to be taken into consideration. This includes enabling flexible working hours and remote working arrangements so that mothers can take care of their children during out-of-school hours. However, this is a challenge to women who work in the service industry and on a shift-work basis.

With SELF Talent Scout, we aim to matchmake women with empathetic employers who can provide flexible working arrangements. With a wide range of jobs across industries and roles, women are able to look for a job that meets their needs and experiences. This includes jobs in the F&B and logistics industry, as well as admin and customer service roles. 

The Talent Scout programme includes: