Bolstering youth volunteerism through sports

Reverend Bernard Foo, President of Harvest Care Centre,

Athletes and volunteers,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. A very good afternoon to everyone! It’s great to see all of you here today, raring to go, and ready to give your best.

For youths to dream bigger through sports

2. This has been a wonderful year for sport in Singapore. Our athletes have done us proud with their achievements at the Rio Olympics and Paralympics. More importantly, their stories of dedication and perseverance continue to move us as a nation, and inspire us to dream bigger.

3. This year, we have about 1,200 youth athletes and volunteers participating in ROMP. I hope the athletes here today can take away important values such as discipline, resilience, and commitment. More importantly, have fun and play fair in the spirit of teamwork and sportsmanship!

4. To the volunteers, thank you for making time for this event. Because of your contributions, I am sure the event will be a big success. I hope you will continue to give back to the community.

5. Take Asrul Sadzil for example. One of ROMP’s volunteers, Asrul has just completed his first semester at Republic Polytechnic. To supplement his family income, he works part-time. In spite of his busy schedule, he volunteered as a timekeeper for Basketball at ROMP last year. His passion for volunteering grew, and this year he is back on ROMP’s organising committee. Please join me in thanking Asrul, and all the ROMP volunteers this year!

Fostering a more inclusive Singaporean society

6. I am very happy to note that the organisers of ROMP have included para sports stations for the first time. Apart from the traditional sports, you can also try out wheelchair basketball, a blindfold walk and run, Boccia, and hand-cycling. Through these activities, you can have a taste of what it is like to be a para athlete. It is certainly not easy!

7. Before the Rio Paralympics, I visited a Boccia training session. I saw for myself the dedication and resolve of Team Singapore athletes Nurul Taha and Toh Sze Ning. We have other para athletes here; we’ve met before at the ASEAN Para Games. Together with their caregivers, Nurul and Sze Ning trained for hours on end. Their persistence paid off – the team of Nurul and Sze Ning achieved a Top 4 finish in the Mixed Pairs event, narrowly missing out on a Bronze medal. Every single one of our Paralympians overcame immense challenges in life to represent Singapore on the world stage. They have inspired all of us with their determination to succeed against all odds. Let’s all learn from them.

8. Indeed, we can gain many valuable life lessons through sport. I hope your experience at ROMP today will motivate you to continue leading an active lifestyle, and gain greater appreciation of people with special needs.

9. We want to continue to support those who have a passion to volunteer and serve others. The Youth Corps Singapore, which is part of the National Youth Council, provides passionate youths with training and opportunities to volunteer. As a Youth Corps leader, you will be able to carry out projects that address community needs and social challenges. These will be projects that matter to you and to other Singaporeans, for example, mental illness and caring for the elderly. So do consider joining the Youth Corps.

Conclusion

10. Finally, I would like to thank the organisers on a job well done. My appreciation also goes to all the volunteers: thank you for sacrificing your time for a bigger cause. And to all the participants - please make lots of friends, learn from one another, and enjoy yourselves.

11. Thank you, and have a great afternoon!