According to statistics from the Ministry of Manpower, freelancers today comprise nearly 10 per cent of Singapore’s workforce.
With a particular focus on helping advance the interests of fulltime freelancers teaching sports, enrichment and wellness in schools and communities, NTUC is forming a National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA).
This will cover Sport Singapore, People’s Association and Co-Curricular (CCA) coaches and instructors in the fields of sports, fitness, music, dance and wellness. It is estimated that there are some 5,000 of such freelancers working fulltime in these fields.
Elaborating on NICA’s formation, NTUC Assistant Director-General and Director of the NTUC’s Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit (U FSE) Ang Hin Kee said: “NTUC has been working with various groups of coaches and instructors, and we realise that they face similar issues, common threats and training needs…
By forming NICA, we hope to gather the different voices and make it a stronger and more representative one.”
Caring for Members
As a first step, the association will offer member freelancers an exclusive insurance product that will provide a daily income to mitigate any loss of income in the event of a prolonged illness or injury.
This is in addition to the full suite of NTUC benefits that include coverage under the NTUC GIFT group insurance policy, $250 Union Training Assistance Programme support per calendar year, access to profession-relevant masterclasses and courses, as well as exclusive deals and discount from merchant partners.
In line with recommendations made by the Tripartite Workgroup for Self-Employed Persons, the association also hopes to look into supporting members in areas such as work-related disputes and training together with partners such as NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) and NTUC LearningHub.
“What we are doing is deepening our reach and extending our services to freelancers in Singapore… NTUC would like to leverage our strengths and networks to work better with Government agencies that are the main buyer of their services. This is so freelancers can have better prospects of earning a good income while they teach our children,” said NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng.
He also hopes that NTUC can play a nudging role in supporting freelancers plan for their futures and their retirement adequacy.
Voices on the Ground
Freelance outdoor learning and adventure practitioner Jeremy Tang said: “With the formation of NICA, I think it gives better representation for freelancers as they come together as a unified body. With the support from NTUC, it offers a new opportunity to address bread-and-butter issues that freelancers grapple with. From a professional perspective, it may also allow freelancers to find the motivation to upgrade themselves, add value to their work and bring the benefits to their clients – a win-win situation for the entire industry.”
Joining NICA
NICA will be organising a membership roadshow at the NTUC U FSE Freelancers Fair on Thursday 6 September 2018 at Marina Bay Sands. For more information visit The Future of Work website, follow NTUC U FSE on Facebook or email them at fseu@ntuc.org.sg. Annual membership fees is $117. As proof of membership, NICA members will receive an NTUC card.
Get to know more about NICA here.
