Platform for youths to discuss and create policies with Government to be introduced: MCCY’s Edwin Tong

Youths will soon have a platform to discuss and create policies together with the Government, announced the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong on Friday (Apr 21).

In a speech at Parliament, Mr Tong shared that the platform – called youth panels – would help youths better understand and share discourse on how certain policies will affect them and Singapore as a whole.

The youth-led panels will serve as a way “for youths to develop policy recommendations together with the Government” while also granting youths with a space to “take the lead in the deliberations”.

Supported by the National Youth Council (NYC) and other government agencies, youth panels will be set up two to three times per year, with each surrounding a different topic or policy that heavily resonates with the broad youth community in Singapore.

The issues selected will reflect youth interests and concerns, as well as areas the Government deems would benefit from youth involvement.

The youths will be consulted about the topics and policy issues that they wish to see raised before each youth panel.

Youth panel members will be able to study policy issues, exchange ideas and propose recommendations that the Government will take into serious consideration and bring up during Parliament debates, as well as possibly face implementation by government agencies or community partners.

Mr Tong also shared that the recommendations will be taken seriously, and the Government will close the loop with the panel members “whatever the outcomes might be”.

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) might sponsor a White or Green Paper on the proposals that merit further discussion so that they can be considered in Parliament.

Members of Parliament can then “have a robust debate” on the proposals, while the youths involved in providing the policy recommendations can “see the impact of their work”.

Youths aged 15 to 35 years old that have experience and interest in the policies and topics that will be raised may participate as panel members. 

According to Mr Tong, the platform aims to provide youths with “a stake in shaping Singapore’s future”, especially so with issues that will impact their lives in the near future.

It is an initiative that will encourage diversity, youth representation, and provide Singapore’s youths with opportunities to engage with the Government about policies and issues that resonate with them.

More details about the youth panels will be released in due time.