Ex-offenders who have done their time learn to use Singpass, PayNow and apps to keep up with the times

SINGAPORE – When Mr Johann left prison in late 2017 after almost four years behind bars, he was surprised to see self-checkout counters at a FairPrice supermarket.

In early 2014, he remembered that supermarkets only had manned checkouts.

Mr Johann, who asked to be known only by his first name, said he had no idea until Project ReConnect facilitators showed him how to use the machines.

The project is an initiative of the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society Limited (Iscos), which helps former offenders and their families in their reintegration process.

Simple actions such as using a handheld scanner and making cash payments intimidated Mr. Johann.

Referring to new technology, the 45-year-old, who is now a truck driver, said: “I was afraid to use it, so what they showed me was very useful.”

He is one of more than 2,300 former offenders who have joined Project ReConnect since its launch in 2017.

It teaches former prisoners, who have been in prison for more than three years, about government initiatives and practical matters such as using Singpass and navigating public transport.

Second Home Minister Josephine Teo praised the initiative in a speech during the launch of Iscos’ new community space, Just BrewIN, in Jalan Besar on September 26.

She said the project teaches ex-offenders things that people normally take for granted.

For them, seeing a CDC voucher logo at a hawker center or asking for their Singpass at the bank can be an unsettling experience, Ms Teo said.

She said: “So something as fundamental as (learning life skills) makes a meaningful difference on the reintegration journey.”