People’s Association to launch bite-sized AI courses for seniors and homemakers unfamiliar with tech

PA's Deputy Chairman Edwin Tong announcing the launch of AI @ Your Neighborhood initiative. (Photo: People’s Association)

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SINGAPORE: Residents unfamiliar with artificial intelligence (AI) can learn how to use it in their everyday lives through bite-sized, beginner-friendly and affordable courses at community clubs from November.

Unlike most AI courses commercially available today, which are designed for working professionals, the courses will cater to residents unfamiliar with AI, including seniors and homemakers, the People's Association (PA) said in a press release on Saturday (Oct 10).

Named AI @ Your Neighbourhood, the courses aim to help residents understand AI, build confidence in using AI tools for everyday life, and use it safely and responsibly.

PA has curated 25 courses to date with PA training providers, with more courses to be progressively introduced to keep pace with developments in AI and residents’ evolving needs and interests.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less The courses will cover topics including everyday digital life skills, photography and photo enhancement, and how to use AI to make travel easier. They will be rolled out progressively across PA’s community clubs islandwide from November 2026. From November, the courses will be offered at community clubs at S$10 (US$7.80) per course. PA will offer a 30 per cent discount from November 2026 to October 2027, bringing the fee to S$7 per session. “Through the programme, PA aims to reach 10,000 residents and make AI learning more accessible to the community,” it said. PA is also collaborating with partners including AI Singapore, Micron Technology and NTUC LearningHub to bring AI workshops to residents. Speaking at PA’s annual Community Seminar at Our Tampines Hub on Saturday, PA Deputy Chairman Edwin Tong said AI is already changing how residents receive information, discover opportunities and connect with one another. Mr Tong, who is also Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, encouraged grassroots leaders, community volunteers and partners to harness AI to stay close to residents, understand their needs better and deepen the human connections at the heart of their work. “Our aim is to use AI to take away manual and administrative work, to allow our staff and volunteers to focus on what really matters – nurturing the human connection, empathy and care for our resident,” he said. USING AI TO STREAMLINE ADMIN PA has also been using technology and AI to streamline administrative processes, such as its vendor selection, grassroots procurement and payment systems. “For instance, volunteers can describe what they need for a community event and the tool would recommend options to them. “Invoices can be automatically read by payment systems and the necessary fields populated,” PA said. This allows grassroots leaders, volunteers and staff to spend more of their time engaging residents, it added.

The courses will cover topics including everyday digital life skills, photography and photo enhancement, and how to use AI to make travel easier.

They will be rolled out progressively across PA’s community clubs islandwide from November 2026.

From November, the courses will be offered at community clubs at S$10 (US$7.80) per course.

PA will offer a 30 per cent discount from November 2026 to October 2027, bringing the fee to S$7 per session.

“Through the programme, PA aims to reach 10,000 residents and make AI learning more accessible to the community,” it said.

PA is also collaborating with partners including AI Singapore, Micron Technology and NTUC LearningHub to bring AI workshops to residents.

Speaking at PA’s annual Community Seminar at Our Tampines Hub on Saturday, PA Deputy Chairman Edwin Tong said AI is already changing how residents receive information, discover opportunities and connect with one another.

Mr Tong, who is also Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, encouraged grassroots leaders, community volunteers and partners to harness AI to stay close to residents, understand their needs better and deepen the human connections at the heart of their work.

“Our aim is to use AI to take away manual and administrative work, to allow our staff and volunteers to focus on what really matters – nurturing the human connection, empathy and care for our resident,” he said.

USING AI TO STREAMLINE ADMIN

PA has also been using technology and AI to streamline administrative processes, such as its vendor selection, grassroots procurement and payment systems.

“For instance, volunteers can describe what they need for a community event and the tool would recommend options to them.

“Invoices can be automatically read by payment systems and the necessary fields populated,” PA said.

This allows grassroots leaders, volunteers and staff to spend more of their time engaging residents, it added.

MAKING SERVICES EASIER TO ACCESS

Other initiatives announced at the Community Seminar included an AI Voice Assistant on onePA, which will let residents tell onePA what they are looking for in their own words.

OnePA is an online portal where residents can discover, register and pay for programmes.

Expected to be launched by early 2027, the AI Voice Assistant will recommend suitable programmes and facilities based on their interests and live availability, before guiding them from discovery to booking and payment.

The assistant will support English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

PA will also pilot the PA Community Robot, which will allow residents to discover suitable programmes, navigate the CC and connect with CC staff through voice or touchscreen when further assistance is needed.

It is expected to be piloted in the first quarter of 2027.

Ms Peggy Ong, an 82-year-old retiree who attended a travel course under the AI @ Your Neighbourhood initiative, said: When I heard about this course, I decided to go for it since it was quite short and very convenient for me”

“The trainer explained AI in a simple way which made it easy to understand, and I and my friend who attended it with me found it quite useful,” she said.

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人民协会副主席唐振辉宣布启动“人工智能进社区”计划。（图片：人民协会）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：从11月起，不熟悉人工智能（AI）的居民可以通过社区俱乐部开设的简短易懂、价格实惠的入门课程，学习如何在日常生活中使用人工智能。

人民协会（PA）在周六（10 月 10 日）发布的新闻稿中表示，与目前市面上大多数面向在职专业人士的人工智能课程不同，这些课程将面向不熟悉人工智能的居民，包括老年人和家庭主妇。

这些名为“AI @ Your Neighbourhood”的课程旨在帮助居民了解人工智能，建立在日常生活中使用人工智能工具的信心，并安全负责地使用人工智能。

迄今为止，PA 已与 PA 培训机构合作开设了 25 门课程，未来还将逐步推出更多课程，以跟上人工智能的发展步伐以及居民不断变化的需求和兴趣。

CNA游戏猜词游戏：逐行破解单词；流行词游戏：用给定的字母组成单词；迷你数独：小巧的谜题，强大的脑力挑战；迷你填字游戏：小方格，大挑战；单词搜索：尽可能多地找出单词。显示更多 显示更少 这些课程将涵盖日常数字生活技能、摄影和照片增强，以及如何使用人工智能让旅行更轻松等主题。课程将于2026年11月起在新加坡人民协会（PA）遍布全岛的社区俱乐部逐步推出。从11月起，社区俱乐部将以每门课程10新元（7.80美元）的价格提供课程。从2026年11月到2027年10月，新加坡人民协会将提供30%的折扣，使每节课的费用降至7新元。“通过该计划，新加坡人民协会的目标是覆盖1万名居民，并使社区更容易获得人工智能学习机会，”该协会表示。新加坡人民协会还与包括新加坡人工智能协会、美光科技和职总学习中心在内的合作伙伴合作，为居民提供人工智能工作坊。人民协会副主席唐振辉周六在淡滨尼天地举行的年度社区研讨会上表示，人工智能正在改变居民获取信息、发现机会和彼此联系的方式。唐振辉先生同时也是律政部长和内政部第二部长，他鼓励基层领袖、社区志愿者和合作伙伴利用人工智能与居民保持紧密联系，更好地了解他们的需求，并深化工作的核心——人与人之间的联结。他说：“我们的目标是利用人工智能减少人工和行政工作，使我们的员工和志愿者能够专注于真正重要的事情——培养与居民之间的人际联结、同理心和关怀。” 利用人工智能简化行政流程 人民协会也一直在利用技术和人工智能来简化行政流程，例如供应商选择、基层采购和支付系统。例如，志愿者可以描述他们举办社区活动的需求，该工具会为他们推荐合适的选项。PA表示，“支付系统可以自动读取发票，并自动填写必要的字段。” 该公司补充说，这使得基层领导、志愿者和工作人员能够将更多时间用于与居民互动。

课程将涵盖日常数字生活技能、摄影和照片增强以及如何使用人工智能让旅行更轻松等主题。

从 2026 年 11 月起，这些措施将逐步在 PA 的全岛社区俱乐部中推广。

从11月起，这些课程将在社区俱乐部开设，每门课程收费10新元（7.80美元）。

PA 将于 2026 年 11 月至 2027 年 10 月期间提供 30% 的折扣，使每次课程的费用降至 7 新元。

“通过该计划，PA旨在惠及1万名居民，让社区更容易获得人工智能学习机会，”声明中写道。

PA 还与 AI Singapore、美光科技和 NTUC LearningHub 等合作伙伴合作，为居民带来人工智能研讨会。

周六，在淡滨尼天地举行的人民协会年度社区研讨会上，人民协会副主席唐振辉表示，人工智能已经改变了居民获取信息、发现机会和彼此联系的方式。

唐先生同时也是律政部长兼民政事务第二部长，他鼓励基层领袖、社区志愿者和合作伙伴利用人工智能与居民保持密切联系，更好地了解他们的需求，并加深他们工作的核心——人与人之间的联系。

他说：“我们的目标是利用人工智能来减轻人工和行政工作，让我们的员工和志愿者能够专注于真正重要的事情——培养人与人之间的联系、同理心和对居民的关爱。”

利用人工智能简化管理流程

宾夕法尼亚州也一直在利用技术和人工智能来简化行政流程，例如供应商选择、基层采购和支付系统。

“例如，志愿者可以描述他们举办社区活动的需求，该工具会向他们推荐一些选项。

PA表示：“发票可以由支付系统自动读取，并自动填充必要的字段。”

报告还指出，这使得基层领导人、志愿者和工作人员能够将更多的时间用于与居民互动。

让服务更容易获取

在社区研讨会上宣布的其他举措包括 onePA 上的 AI 语音助手，该助手可以让居民用自己的语言告诉 onePA 他们正在寻找什么。

OnePA 是一个在线门户网站，居民可以在这里发现、注册和支付课程费用。

预计将于 2027 年初推出的 AI 语音助手将根据用户的兴趣和实时可用情况推荐合适的节目和设施，然后引导用户完成从发现到预订和支付的整个过程。

助理将支持英语、普通话、马来语和泰米尔语。

PA还将试行PA社区机器人，该机器人将允许居民发现合适的项目、在社区中心内导航，并在需要进一步帮助时通过语音或触摸屏与社区中心工作人员联系。

预计将于 2027 年第一季度进行试点。

82岁的退休人士Peggy Ong女士参加了“AI @ Your Neighbourhood”计划下的旅行课程，她说：“当我听说这个课程时，我决定参加，因为它时间很短，对我来说也很方便。”

“培训师用简单易懂的方式讲解了人工智能，我和一起参加培训的朋友都觉得非常有用，”她说。

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