Apathetic youths? The key lies in engaging them
The Straits Times, 12 Dec 2002

THE article, 'Apathetic youths? Not if there's interest and conviction' (ST, Dec 7), highlights an emerging trend among youths.

As the article noted, there is declining participation in clan associations, and grassroots bodies are struggling to attract younger leaders.

On the other hand, there is a rising number of interest-driven hobby clubs and civic groups, many of them initiated by young people.

This trend is quite logical in the context of Singapore's push to boost entrepreneurship. If, in the business world, one is encouraging people to come up with their own ideas and turn these interests into viable businesses, it only follows that people would apply the same reasoning in their social lives. Hence the emergence of the rabbit society and pooch clubs.

But the article made it sound as if this is a challenge to established grassroots bodies. This trend can be an opportunity. It's just a matter of being flexible enough to harness the emerging entrepreneurial spirit of young people.

If one looks at youth-oriented programmes worldwide, the ones that are growing are the ones that offer young people the most opportunity to pursue their interests.

In Singapore, one such programme is the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA). The NYAA Programme recognises the efforts of young people who complete activities or projects in broad areas that are beneficial to society.

Specifically, young people who complete activities in the areas of community service, skills development, adventure and physical recreation receive an award.

The key to the programme - the magic formula at the heart of its success - is that young people choose the specific activities they want to complete.

Learning how to properly care for animals could be considered a skill, whereas initiating and completing an environmental project could be considered community service.

The programme's framework is broad enough to allow young people to pursue and develop their own interests, yet it is focused on community and self-improvement.

Ten years ago, there were only 150 participants in the NYAA Programme. Today, there are more than 45,000.

Indeed, when given a platform to pursue their interests, young people will step up to the challenge. I can cite numerous examples. Take, for instance, Vinothini Apok, a young Singaporean interested in environmental issues. She used the NYAA Programme as a platform to further those interests.

By 1998, her contributions earned her The Green Leaf Award from the Ministry of the Environment. In 1999 she became the youngest person to be elected to serve the United Nations Environment Programme Youth Advisory Board.

She has represented Singapore at many international events and has brought much credit to the NYAA and Singapore.

Currently, she is the chairman of the United Kingdom Medical Student Network and has contributed significantly in the community that she is studying in.

Another example is Ken Ong. He is an NYAA Gold Award holder, who is also currently studying in the United Kingdom.

In September, he represented the NYAA Singapore at an international forum of Gold Award holders in Canada. He was among representatives from 105 countries. The delegates at the forum were so impressed with his calibre of leadership that they elected him as a representative for the Asia-Pacific region.

As such, he will share ideas and advise the International Award Association, the international body that oversees the NYAA Programme and others like it, on youth-development matters.

These are just some of the many examples suggesting that the issue among young people is not apathy. Rather, it is engagement. The emergence of interest-oriented hobby clubs and civic groups is not competition for grass-roots groups. It is an opportunity for grass-roots groups to engage young people.

There are many benefits that established grassroots bodies can offer the civic and hobby groups. There are also many benefits that the civic and hobby groups can offer the grassroots bodies.

For instance, the article noted that the hobby groups had limited growth potential. Established grassroots organisations have large membership bases with diverse interests. There is win-win potential in this situation.

And the benefits will not end there if the emerging entrepreneurial spirit of young people is engaged.

PAUL PIMENTEL
Executive, Communications
National Youth Achievement Award Council