Empowered Families Initiative (EFI) Phase 2 Pilot
Lasting change takes more than services — it begins with relationships. We believe that trust and genuine connection are foundational to helping low-income Singaporeans move towards greater social mobility.
Yet relationship-building remains an underdeveloped area in the social sector. Support for low-income families often leaves little room for the sustained, consistent engagement that meaningful change may require.
There is growing recognition that trust is not incidental to progress — it may well be a precondition for it. When families feel genuinely known and accompanied, they may be more willing to engage openly, take risks, and persist through setbacks. Building this kind of relational foundation is harder to fund and harder to measure, but it could be among the most important investments the sector can make.
The Empowered Families Initiative (EFI) puts this belief into practice through a model that builds relationships and trust through facilitated peer group sessions, creating the conditions for families to engage meaningfully with employment grants and matched savings as they work towards their goals.
We are supporting EFI in their Phase 2 pilot, which experiments with refinements to the programme model to better support participants on their journey. The pilot seeks to understand how different combinations of financial support and peer engagement can shape participants' progress towards their goals — adding to the growing evidence base on what works for young low-income parents and families.
Through this pilot, we hope to generate meaningful insights that can strengthen support interventions across the social service landscape and ultimately help more families chart a sustainable path forward.
We are supporting EFI in their Phase 2 pilot, which experiments with refinements to the programme model to better support participants on their journey. The pilot seeks to understand how different combinations of financial support and peer engagement can shape participants' progress towards their goals — adding to the growing evidence base on what works for young low-income parents and families.
Through this pilot, we hope to generate meaningful insights that can strengthen support interventions across the social service landscape and ultimately help more families chart a sustainable path forward.
Intended Outcomes
The pilot will be launched in July 2026 and aims to improve the following outcomes for participants:
The pilot will be launched in July 2026 and aims to improve the following outcomes for participants:
- Financial outcomes, including progress towards key economic milestones.
- Social outcomes, including shifts in mindset and strengthened relationships with others.