How do you gather reports from those who may not be used to voicing their thoughts?
In Singapore, social service agencies (SSAs) work with many communities like seniors living alone, at-risk youth, migrant workers, and others. These groups often face barriers to sharing or reporting, whether it’s due to language, fear of judgment, or lack of digital literacy.
At HearBack, we believe everyone deserves to be heard and try our best to achieve this mission together. Here’s how SSAs can build trust and collect meaningful feedback from the people who are often the hardest to reach.
1. Start with Trust, Not Just Questions
Before collecting feedback, take time to build relationships.
People need to feel safe and respected before they open up. For seniors or migrant workers, that might mean:
- Consistent follow-ups and being in touch, not one-off surveys
- Having trusted community workers or volunteers record the answers for them
- Offering the option to respond anonymously
Trust is the foundation. Feedback comes after.
2. Use Culturally Sensitive Language
Words matter. So does tone. Instead of complex survey language, use:
- Simple, friendly questions
- Translations in their preferred language
- Collect reports via Audio or voice notes for low-literacy groups
HearBack supports multilingual input and even voice-based sharing — so people can respond in the way they’re most comfortable with.
3. Make It Easy with Tech Enablers
You don’t need expensive apps to collect their voices. Tools like HearBack allow Social service agencies to:
- Create a QR code
- Collect responses via mobile, in-person, or remote sessions
- Categorise reports using AI (so you don’t need to go through it line by line)
Whether it’s a senior with limited mobility or a youth without a laptop, HearBack is accessible and simple to use.
4. Let Community Voices Lead
Don’t just ask what people think, involve them in shaping the process. For example:
- Ask migrant workers how they prefer to share thoughts
- Let youths co-design how they need help
- Let seniors respond with a call or a voice message instead of writing
This approach builds ownership and empowerment, not just data collection.
5. Close the Loop
One of the biggest mistakes SSAs make? Collecting issues but never following up. Read our previous blog to know why its important to revert back after collecting reports.
With HearBack, you can track feedback themes, generate reports, quickly and easily.
Final Thought
Reaching the hard-to-reach takes patience, empathy, and the right tools. But when you listen well, you build more than just reports — you build real relationships that help your community thrive.
Try HearBack to make feedback easier, fairer, and more inclusive for everyone. Happy listening.