• It is a paraphrase of the English term “grassroots leader”.
• When Singapore gained independence in the 1960s, the country faced various social problems, such as gangsterism and high unemployment rates. Dr. Goh Keng Swee, then Singapore’s Finance Minister proposed to train and develop grassroots leaders and youth workers, in hope of enhancing unity among the people.
• Thereafter, the People’s Association established the Buona Vista Youth Leadership Training Centre in 1963, which was renamed the National Community Leadership Institute (NACLI) in 1995.
• In 2003, NACLI held an Annual Constituency Workplan (ACWP), team-building courses, as well as related training and seminars for new grassroots leaders, in order to train these leaders to better serve the public.

The roles played by grassroots leaders and volunteers must keep up with the times. This year, the National Community Leadership Institute (NACLI) will launch up to 250 new courses and improve existing courses, to ensure that volunteers who are active at the grassroots level are able to master the abilities to mobilise the society and communicate with the people, as well as understand how to properly manage grassroots finances and prevent any oversight. (Lianhe Zaobao, 24/2/2016)