Supporting Isolated Youths

Question

Mr Christopher de Souza: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what measures are in place to identify youths who are isolated and spending a significant portion of their time at home; and (b) what schemes are in place to reach out and befriend them.

Response

Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law:

1. The Government recognises the importance of social support for our youths, and has put in place measures to identify and support the needs of youths who are isolated:
   
   a. In schools, teachers, counsellors, or student welfare officers  identify youths who display worrying behaviours or show early signs of absenteeism. They check in on these students, conduct home visits if necessary, and work closely with their parents to ensure their well-being. School staff assess the students’ needs, and provide appropriate in-school support and referral to professional or community agencies. Peers also look out for one another, and check in on friends and classmates who are experiencing difficulties.
   
   b. In the wider community, MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care have set up youth community outreach teams to raise awareness on mental health, and to provide basic emotional support and resources to youths in mental distress. The outreach encourages youths to step forward to seek support, and family members to support the home environment of the youths.
   
   c. MSF collaborates with Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to address the needs of these youths and their families. SSAs provide a range of youth-centric activities such as sports, performing arts and adventure activities, and drop-in centres to engage youths meaningfully. SSAs may link youths and their families to relevant services for additional support, including mental health resources or financial assistance. In cases where youths require urgent intervention, SSAs will conduct home visits to check in on the youths and work with their families to manage conflicts. Should there be safety concerns for these youths, SSAs will consult and refer to MSF Child Protective Service.
   

2. The Government and the community also leverages digital platforms to reach youths.
   
   a. During Circuit Breaker in 2020, the National Youth Council (NYC) launched MehGoWhere, an online site that provided youths with resources, coping tips and online activities to stay connected. This has transitioned into Youthopia, a first-stop portal providing youth-centric content, including mental health resources such as tips on self-coping and resilience, as well as information on community events for them to connect with like-minded individuals.
   
   b. The SSAs engage youths online to impart important values and life skills, such as through Instagram live chats. Youths may also access online counselling services, such as eC2 by Fei Yue Community Services and e-counselling services by Limitless. 
   

3. Additional measures to strengthen the social support networks of youths include the following:
   
   a. Youths can take part in meaningful volunteering activities organised by Youth Corps Singapore and the People’s Association (PA) Youth Networks, through which they can meet peers and contribute to their communities together. In doing so, they are also expanding networks that are vital for social resilience. Youths can also participate in town and community-level initiatives by the SG Cares Volunteer Centres.
   
   b. We partner youth enterprises such as Friendzone, to organise regular online community events where youths can bond with others in their neighbourhoods.  
   
   c. We also recognise that youths can benefit from the support and guidance from those who are more experienced. To this end, the National Youth Council (NYC) and Mentoring Alliance Singapore (MASg) launched the Mentoring Alliance for Action (AfA), to provide youths with greater access to mentors that can help them navigate life’s challenges and difficulties.
   

4. Supporting our youths requires everyone – Government, the community, families, and friends, to play a role. Let us continue to extend kindness and support to those who need help, so that we can overcome the challenges of COVID-19 together.