Social Mission Community @ Caritas Agape Village

Agape means “unconditional love” in Greek, and the concept of “Village” recognises that one cannot do it all, but a community can do so much more.

Situated in the heartlands of Singapore in Toa Payoh is Caritas Agape Village, a social service hub developed by Caritas Singapore to bring together the common services of the various Catholic organisations to provide holistic and integrated care to those in need—regardless of race or religion, all under one roof.

Most people in distress often need help in more than one way. And what Caritas Singapore offers through Caritas Agape Village is an integrated case management system for clients and beneficiaries. With the co-location of 12 Caritas Singapore member organisations at the premises, clients and beneficiaries can now have access to holistic care, from counselling to legal aid to skills training, etc., all in one place. This also eliminates the need of having them repeat their difficult story over and over again.

In areas where more support is needed, caseworkers will collaborate with other NGOs, VWOs, government bodies, and community partners to complete the care cycle.

How the Caritas Agape Village Initiative was Conceived

In 2011, Caritas Singapore conducted a “Study of the Poor” in partnership with Catholic Welfare Services (CWS) and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SSVP), identifying three key approaches to working with the less fortunate: 1) upstream help, 2) holistic approach, and 3) integrated service.

Our belief in the Dignity of the Human Person in the Catholic social teaching (CST) prompts us to care for each person in their entirety—a mission exemplified in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35), where the Good Samaritan not only nursed an injured man’s wounds but also enlisted the help of the entire community to provide long-term care for the man to get him back on the path to wholeness.

To provide the best possible care to those in need, we need to rely on the network of our Catholic charities to work together and assist in the diverse needs of the individual, caring for them in a manner that upholds dignity so they can draw upon their own strengths to improve their lives.

And with that, the Caritas Agape Village initiative was conceived. At its official opening in 2015, we had the honour of having our Archbishop William Goh open and bless the four-storey Caritas Singapore building.

Caritas Agape Village Today

With the co-location of member organisations within Caritas Agape Village, Caritas Singapore has seen an uplift in efficiency in responding to beneficiaries and clients and an enhancement in the quality of care. We also saw an increased motivation in our social workers and counsellors.

Our 4,200 sqm beautiful green kampung offers a tranquil site for networking with the bigger Caritas Singapore family. So do drop by sometime to visit!

At Caritas Agape Village, those in need can connect to the charities and services coordinated by Caritas Singapore—and not have to go from place to place for help.

For example, a non-Singaporean mother with a disabled child might be facing mounting debts because her husband is behind bars. When she comes to Caritas Agape Village, she will be directed to the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People (ACMI) for help with her immigration issues and Abilities Beyond Limitations & Expectations (ABLE) to care for her disabled child. She will receive legal advice from Catholic Lawyers Guild (CLG) in managing the debtor’s demands and financial support from the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP).

Below is a list of programmes and services based at Caritas Agape Village. Filter your search by community or areas of need.

Caritas Agape Village is a social service hub offering integrated and holistic care to those in need, regardless of race or religion. The 4,200 sqm building consists of 4-storeys and a roof garden. Apart from services and programmes for the vulnerable and specific groups, Caritas Agape Village also houses facilities and amenities for community activities, such as multi-purpose halls, training rooms, and specialised rooms for baking, cooking and dance.

If you are interested to book our facilities for meetings, retreats, training, talks and seminars, bonding sessions, carnivals or social gatherings, call us at +65 6801 7400 during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm) or email [email protected] for more information. Alternatively, you can click the link to register for an account on Skedda to book the facilities yourself.

Our Facilities

View Terms & Conditions here