Government to develop platforms for engaging youth leaders in policy-making, mentoring

Youths will have more opportunities to be involved in policy-making work, it was announced during the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth’s (MCCY) Committee of Supply debate on Monday (Mar 6).

This comes after the Government, through its ForwardSG engagements, saw “healthy, sustained interest” among youths in policy-making. 

Minister Edwin Tong said that MCCY and the National Youth Council (NYC) are exploring ways to institutionalise youth involvement in policy-making, and elevate their proposals for consideration on a national platform.

“We need the diverse strengths and talents from the community to tackle the challenges we face as a nation and build Singapore’s future together. Our youths play a crucial role in this regard,” said Mr Tong.

Current policy co-creation platforms run by NYC and MCCY include the Youth Circles, the Youth Action Challenge and the Our Singapore Leadership Programme (OSLP).

First started in 2017, OSLP develops young adult leaders by connecting them with thought leaders, industry experts and union leaders, advancing their understanding and appreciation of national issues and perspectives.

NYC and the National Community Leadership Institute (NACLI), in partnership with MOE, piloted the inaugural OSLP for about 50 Secondary 4 students from MOE schools and Madrasahs in December 2022. 

Participants included heads of student councils, leaders of sports teams and uniform groups, who built networks while discussing the complexities of policy design.

In 2023, NYC will extend the programme to nominated Secondary 4 students from all Ministry of Education (MOE) schools and Madrasahs in Singapore. 

As for students from the institutes of higher learning, NYC will develop a new leadership programme that will be announced at a later time, said the minister.

The Government has also set up the Mentoring SG Office to oversee the Mentoring Singapore movement. Launched in December 2022, it has gathered more than 1,000 mentors and 13 corporate partners to create over 4,000 mentoring opportunities.

This office will “drive this work by growing expertise, resources, and mentoring opportunities at the national level,” said Minister of State for MCCY Alvin Tan.