Singapore could build a stronger and more vibrant democracy based on the active participation of its citizens

Speech by Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth at the CITI-YMCA Youth For Causes Awards Celebrations

Mr Han Kwee Juan CEO, Citibank Singapore 
Mr Stephen Loh President, YMCA of Singapore 
Mr Leslie Wong Chairman, Citi–YMCA Youth for Causes Committee 2012 
Ladies and Gentlemen

1. Thank you for having me here tonight for the Citi-YMCA Youth for Causes Awards Celebration.
2. We are in the midst of a national conversation on our future Singapore, and I’ve had the chance to meet with many Singaporeans, both young and old.
3. The importance of values comes up often in our dialogue sessions. I hear a lot from parents who express concerns about how we can have strong values to anchor our next generation.
4. I understand these concerns. It’s an important issue, because we place our hopes in our youth. And Singapore can succeed in the future, only if we have young people who believe that there is something special and precious here that they will protect and improve, and who will strive not just for their own material success, but for their ideals and dreams.
5. That’s why we are focusing on character and values in education. But I also think we should see things in perspective. Because whenever I meet and talk to young Singaporeans, I see a lot of reasons for us to be optimistic about our future.
6. Our youths have their own aspirations and ideals, untainted by the cynicism that sometimes comes with age. There are many young people all over Singapore who champion and volunteer for good causes, big and small, searching for ways to give back to society.
7. At MCCY, I will do whatever I can to catalyse and facilitate even more youth participation. I believe we can do much more – to nurture the spirit of giving, to inspire young Singaporeans to serve, and to direct that service to tackling our most pressing challenges. And ultimately, I believe that’s how we can build a stronger and more vibrant democracy – one that’s based not just on the consent of the people, but on the active participation of its citizens.
8. The Citi-YMCA Youth for Causes programme is one example of how we can create opportunities for young people to serve. This year, 440 youths raised over $600,000 for 46 Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) in a matter of 15 weeks. The money raised is significant. But even more impressive is the sheer amount of ideas, energy and effort put in, to raise funds for a meaningful cause.
9. For example, the team Rayse of Hope, designed a Mass Blindfold Walkathon along Orchard Road to raise funds and to advocate for the beneficiaries of Guide Dogs Association of the Blind. To help others understand the challenges faced by the beneficiaries, participants were paired up, with one blindfolded while the other became the “guide” through the course. It was a novel way to promote empathy, and it helped to raise better awareness and understanding of the cause.
10. Besides coming up with innovative means to support their causes, our youths have also been able to effectively rally the support of the people around them. They do so through their personal networks of friends and family members, as well as their extensive social media networks.
11. For example, the youths taking part in the Citi-YMCA Youth for Causes programme had the backing of 13,000 dedicated volunteers, who in turn reached out to over a million members of the public. In other words, almost 1 in every 5 persons in Singapore would have been made aware or contributed to a social cause.
12. All this demonstrates the power of young people and the tremendous multipliers that can be reaped through your actions and influence. Let me once again thank all the participants and volunteers here for a job well done! It has not been an easy journey for you, working tirelessly to implement your business plans and raise funds. But you have overcome those challenges and made an impact. All of you here are winners for having made such an effort!
13. I would also like to thank Citi Singapore and the YMCA of Singapore for making this programme possible. It is heartening to see more companies like Citibank coming forward as active corporate citizens to engage our young people.
    
14. This year, the National Youth Council also came onboard to be a partner in supporting youth development and social enterprise. Under the YFC Social Enterprise Challenge, one of the groups, Team Genesis, set up a social enterprise project called “Gift of Hope”, involving the elderly beneficiaries of TP Healthcare, a rehab centre. They took the drawings done by the elderly, converted them into rubber stamps and produced beautifully customized tote bags. The team achieved considerable success sourcing for corporate clients, and promoting the products through events. They raised over $6,000 from this project alone, and hopefully the project will continue to provide a source of funds for TP Healthcare in the longer term.
15. There are many other examples and stories like this – they all highlight the potential for private, public and people partnerships in realising mutual benefits for all. Through this process, our youths are able to apply their entrepreneurship skills in real-world settings; our working professionals are able to engage in volunteering and mentorship opportunities; and we are able to establish new social enterprises to champion worthy causes and do good for our society.
16. Let me also thank the volunteer mentors, senior mentors, representatives from the VWOs and schools, facilitators, panel judges, members of the Citi-YMCA Youth for Causes alumni and Citi-YMCA Youth for Causes committees. In your own ways, each of you have made significant contributions not just to the youth teams, but also to the beneficiaries.
17. In closing, let me just say that I am heartened to see so many young people here tonight who care deeply about our home and our society. All of you embody the Singapore spirit – it’s a can-do attitude to make things happen, to serve others, and to make life better for fellow citizens.
18. The late Mother Teresa once said that the “great things in life are achieved by doing the small things with great love.” As we celebrate your achievements tonight, I hope we will be inspired to always act with love in all that we do, and to work together build a caring and compassionate home for every Singaporean.