But it doesn’t leave much time for volunteering efforts, however much people want to give back to society. SG Cares, a movement by the Singapore Government dedicated to building a more caring and inclusive society, needed to raise volunteerism rates in Singapore which saw a decline due to COVID restrictions. 

As the most hard working nation listed in the world, we invite Singaporeans to replace their hard work with heart work — or volunteering efforts. Because giving yourself to others can invigorate you. Sharing your abilities can make someone else more capable. The simple joy of helping others can become a balm for your daily stresses. By replacing hard work with heart work, we can overcome emotional barriers.

First, we inspired casual curiosity in potential volunteers by generating interest in the mission of SG Cares and establishing an emotional appeal to residents towards building a caring nation and positioning active volunteerism to complement and reward their resilience and strength. This was primarily accomplished through a brand video and key visuals.

Then, we cultivated an atmosphere of empathy by rallying residents to begin their volunteering journey through discovery of causes aligned to their own interests and abilities, thereby matching people who want to volunteer with their specific passions.

We introduced the nation to the real stories of three heartworkers – people who juggle their careers while giving back to society – and shared their inspiring stories on social media.

By turning hard work into heart work, the campaign leveraged on people’s passions to convert them into active volunteers.