NYC and Youth Partners

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The National Youth Council (NYC) Singapore works with youths, youth associations and student unions to broker a space for them in national conversations for their views to be heard. We present their point of views by connecting youths with Government and civic organisations, plugging them into policy areas that impact young Singaporeans most. This is how youths can have a stake in the future and co-create policies with the Government.

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The Inter-University Network (IUN)

In 2022 and 2023, the NYC have been partnering the Inter-University Network (IUN), a student union collaboration representing 71,000 undergraduate students from five autonomous universities in Singapore - National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and Singapore University of Social Science (SUSS).

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As its first initiative, the Inter-University Network (IUN), together with student leaders from the Singapore Institute of Technology, studied 470 undergraduate students to understand mental health stressors among Singapore undergraduates. The study culminated in a series of recommendations being put forward in the UCare Mental Health Report, including grace days for assignment deadlines and providing greater flexibility in workload and course curriculum.

The UCare Mental Health Report was presented to Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong as part of the IUN UCare Mental Health Forum, where mental health practitioners, university administrators and students discussed the findings and how to better support the needs of undergraduate students. Read the report here.

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In February this year, student leaders discussed concerns about mental well-being, cost of living and greater youth involvement in policy-making with Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Social and Family Development Eric Chua at the University Leaders Dialogue on 11 and 12 February 2023. The University Leaders Dialogue is an annual event hosted by an IUN member school on a rotational basis.

The 2023 edition was hosted by Singapore Management University Students’ Association in partnership with the National Youth Council. Hear from student representatives on their key takeaways from the University Leaders’ Dialogue here.

“During our discussions, we identified common issues faced across universities that are pertinent to youths like my peers and myself. After identifying the issues, we then come up with solutions and initiatives.”

- Sarah Chua, President, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) Student Government (Inter-University Dialogue participant, Youthopia)

About MAJU

MAJU is a ground-up youth initiative that strives to bring together youths passionate to drive the keMAJUan (progress) of Singapore, by providing a platform for sustained engagement in policy analysis and creation. MAJU hopes to work closely together with the Government to co-create policies, by youths and for youths.

From June to July 2023, NYC is partnering MAJU to co-organise the NYC-MAJU Policy Sandbox, a multi-stage competition that aims to develop youths’ understanding of the processes behind policy formulation and provide a platform for youths to recommend policy solutions to real-life concerns.

Read more about MAJU here.