Joseph Chan

Programme Director

Date of Appointment: 18 May 2026

Joseph is a registered social worker with 30 years of experience in the social service sector. His work spans across diverse areas such as employment support, family services, family violence, offender reintegration and addiction.

Joseph spent five years heading a reintegration service for individuals and families affected by incarceration. Before that, he led a family service centre for seven years, overseeing community-based casework and family support. He began his career in employment placement and vocational assessment and went on to head a division in that field.

Joseph holds a Master in Social Work from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) from James Cook University, a Graduate Diploma in Social Work from the National University of Singapore, and an MA in Pastoral Studies from the Asian Pastoral Institute.
He is a Certified Substance Abuse Counsellor (CSAC), equivalent to the IC&RC's Internationally Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ICADC). In couple work, he is trained in Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Levels 1 to 3), Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, and Congruence Couple Therapy for addiction under Dr Bonnie Lee. In group work, he has completed masterclasses with Professor Ronald Toseland and, on the narrative approach, with Professor Shirley Hung Suet-Lin. He also holds practice certifications in case management, management of family violence, problem gambling and addiction, and needs assessment for children, adolescents and families.

Beyond direct practice, Joseph has contributed to the wider sector. He chaired a regional work group on family violence, sat on a national research coalition for the social service sector, and served for ten years on the executive committee of a halfway house.

He has supervised social work students from the National University of Singapore and the Singapore University of Social Sciences during their field placements.

He teaches in helping-profession ethics, group process in counselling, family systems therapy and community programme development. His research interests are marital work and the well-being and motivation of social work practitioners. He has presented at academic conferences on secondary traumatic stress among practitioners and on imprisonment and recidivism.