- Local adoption agencies
- Government
- A media conference will be conducted during the first week of the campaign
- Radio: Public Service Announcements (assume that many young couples drive and listen to radio in their cars)
- 5-days Adoption Fair at Suntec City:
- Hub for all adoption agencies
- Seminar inviting foster parents to talk about their experience (we will request adoption agencies to help contacting for willing foster parents)
- Lucky draw: couples who are interested to adopt children can participate in our lucky draw. Winners will travel to one of the three assigned countries (eg. Thailand, Indonesia, India, China) to take a look at the children for adoption. Air tickets and accommodation will be sponsored. There will be 4 couples selected for each country.
- We may also be putting banners on popular websites that young couples like to visit.
- Our blog will be turned into a portal of all adoption agencies in Singapore
- There will also be a short film (1-3 min) competition. The theme is the benefits of adoption. 6 nominated films will be showcased on local TV channels. Audience will vote for the best film. All participating films will be put up on our blog.
- Channel 5 will also showing 4 docu-dramas (one on each week-end).
Labels: our project outline
Part of our promotional strategy is to conduct a 4-week long campaign. To prove that this can be done, I have found an adoption campaign that was done in the U.S. by Ad Council. One main difference between their campaign and ours is that theirs involves adoption of kids of all ages while ours will just be concentrating on babies. There are a few reasons for this, which I will justify during the presentation. Or my fellow groupmates can talk about it in their next post.
We should totally promote adoption videos!!!
Just look at the joy on the parents' face!
"God just delivered an angel to you..."
A few things to consider before we start our promotional activities...
-Celebrities who have adopted children... How has the public's opinion of them changed? Better? This might get rid of the taboo that comes along with adopting kids.
-Survey family members to find out why they have chosen not to adopt or to adopt kids.
-Link up with all the adoption agencies in Singapore.
-Organise a Adoption Day (just like a Career Fair day) where adoption agencies can all come together under one roof and interested members of the public can come down to find out more.
-Organise adoption seminars and workshops to help parents cope with adopting a child.
-Raise awareness of the relevant policies in place and government support.
To end of with a nice song to pay tribute to all the children of the world....
I found a pretty useful website to understand more about adoption in Singapore and you might want to take a look to get a clearer picture.
Adoption
Adoption is a legal process by which the rights and responsibilities to a child are given up by the biological parents and taken on by the adoptive parents.
When you adopt a child, you are creating a family. It is not just a legal matter but one that involves deep human emotions. Adopting a child and experiencing parenthood are major steps in one's life.
For those who choose it, adoption can be an enriching and fulfilling experience for both parents and child - one that can be highly rewarding but will involve specific challenges.
Throughout these pages, you will find information and resources to help guide you through the process of adopting a child. It covers the considerations involved in adopting a child, the eligibility criteria as well as the issues and challenges that occur after adoption.
- Eligibility Issues - what are the prerequisites that need to be fulfilled
- Important Considerations before Adoption - making sure that this is the right choice for you
- Adoption Process - know the procedures and conditions for local and foreign adoption
- Adoption Leave - 4 weeks of flexible leave to care for adopted newborn children aged 6 months and below
- Challenges after Adoption - important issues to consider
- Related Organisations - resources for information and assistance
- Sign up for Adoption Workshops
This is just a short overview and you can take a look at the website and read more about the various issues and considerations regarding adoption.
This is an article that I've found online with a point stating that more and more couples are getting divorced due to marriage troubles as they consider it their first option, or perhaps, the only solution. I believe that with a child in the relationship, they will have to take more into consideration as their child's happiness is at stake as well. This might prompt them to try and salvage the marriage instead of jumping into divorce immediately.
Singapore's divorce rate in 2007 lower than other countries
By Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 27 March 2009 1918 hrs
SINGAPORE: Singapore's divorce rate in 2007 was low compared to other countries. According to the Department of Statistics, the divorce rate in Singapore in 2007 was 2.02 per 1,000 people.
This was lower than countries such as the United States and South Korea, which had divorce rates of 3.7 and 5.0 respectively in 2007.
However, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) said there is still room to reinforce the institution of marriage and encourage couples to get and remain married.
The number of divorces in Singapore has increased from about 5,600 ten years ago to 7,200 in 2007.
Speaking at the opening of a marriage convention on Friday, Minister of State for MCYS Yu-Foo Yee Shoon said marriages today are facing more challenges as couples cope with greater demands at work, competing aspirations and evolving societal values.
One concern is that many couples today increasingly see divorce as the first option when their marriage hits a rocky patch.
That is why Mrs Yu-Foo said it is important to equip couples with the correct mindset and skills to see them through the ups and downs of a marriage.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/418231/1/.html
and also a well known case of a celebrity marriage, where children play a part in salvaging a broken relationship.
Woods' wife is staying
ORLANDO (Florida) - FINALLY, some hope for Tiger Woods.
His wife Elin Nordegren spent five days with the world's No. 1 golfer at a sex addiction clinic last week to help save their marriage for their children's sake.
Her parents divorced when she was a child and she does not want daughter Sam, two, and 50-week-old son Charlie to face the same difficulty.
'She wants to keep her family together even if she and Tiger live together as friends instead of lovers,' a source told People magazine.
The week began with more speculation on what led to the golfer's Thanksgiving night car crash - the trigger for one of the costliest sports-related scandals ever.
Two sources who know Nordegren revealed that just as Internet rumours spread over a coming National Enquirer story on Woods' affair with party planner Rachel Uchitel, he put his wife on the phone with his mistress for half an hour.
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_483233.html
Would you stay if he strayed?
If your man strayed, would you give him another chance?
Jesslyn Wong, 33, senior manager: I used to think I wouldn't. But I realised I may not have such strength, especially since we have two kids. I'd find out the reason for his betrayal. If it happened in a moment of foolishness and there's no love between my husband and the other woman, and he shows he's genuinely sorry and willing to change, I'd consider staying. I'd forget, but it would be difficult for me to trust him again.
Angie Han, 29, senior officer: My husband is a pilot and he spends up to 12 days overseas at a time. Since we have two young children, I would evaluate the situation based on the bigger picture. After all, he's the father of my two children and he's a caring father. Still it would be pointless to carry on if he refuses to give up the other relationship.
Geraldine Tan, 29, registered psychologist: There is a clear distinction in the decision depending on whether kids are involved. After marriage and before children, it's about betrayal. If you have children, you have to consider the family as a whole unit, so it's common for the wife to blame herself for her husband's affair. Even so, she may hang onto the hope that he cares for the children. Separation and divorce is the last resort.
http://www.asiaone.com/Just%2BWoman/About%2BMe/Well%2BBeing/Story/A1Story20080110-44342.html
There are a few significant reasons why our cause is worthy.
The birth dearth in Singapore has led to a declining local population and the need to import foreign talent. Although the influx of foreigners has benefited our economy, it has also sparked displeasure among many locals and threatened the peace and harmony of our tiny city.
Thus, adoption of babies, be they local or foreign, would not only solve the problem of population decline but also that of welcoming foreigners. This is because the babies would grow up with a Singapore culture and being one of us, it is highly unlikely that they will be discriminated against.
Many modern career women are unwilling to put their careers at risk and are thus reluctant to have their own babies as that would mean 9 months pregnancy and maternity leave. Most women are also marrying later and having babies at a later age carries a high risk of birth defects and is riskier for the mother as well. Hence, adoption of babies not only saves the babies lives, giving them a complete family but is also beneficial to the foster parents. It is also a viable option for couples who are unable to have their own children for one reason or another. In fact, it has often been said that children keep the family together. With today's rising divorce rates, adopting a baby might be one way to keep the couple together and renew their love as they learn to care for another human being.
Our next task: Research on Why People Don't Want to Adopt Babies.
The following are some of the ideas that the 3 of us managed to come up with during our very first brainstorming session:
1) Singlehood
We realised that although this would aim to decrease the stigma of leading a single life among women, it would not be so feasible in Singapore's context, especially due to decreasing birthrates and the already declining number of marriages. In addition, this would be more of a personal lifestyle choice that would be difficult to change as it is related to matters of the heart.
2) Environment
A hot topic in the 21st century when climate change hits the headlines almost every other day, we came up with a few ideas how we could save the environment in our very own estates. For example, campaigning for a bicycle track within each and every GRC would definitely promote a healthier lifestyle, reduce increasing obesity as well as vehicle pollution and fuel consumption. =)
Other environmentally friendly campaigns could involve a designated "Bring Your Own Bag" (BYOB) DAY on the Singapore Calendar where supermarkets island-wide could participate in; LIGHTS-OUT! on a regular basis to encourage saving of electricity as they do in other parts of the world. Our goal here would be to encourage responsible, environment-loving citizens.
3) Myopia
A common condition among youth and something to worry about. Definitely not to be taken lightly.
4) Pest Control
Rats and cockroaches infesting your void decks and homes? Let's advocate for a pest-free environment!
5)Adoption of Children
Yes. You read correctly! We're not advertising for SPCA this time.
Our mission: Save the abandoned babies of the world!
Why? Read our next post to find out more!
This brainstorming session was to discuss what causes would be worthy of our advocacy. We eventually, though tentatively, decided on ADOPTION OF CHILDREN.
Hence, the blog name: BABY GAGA. =)