MYMCA 78th Anniversary Charity Gala Dinner

Speech by SPS Eric Chua, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development, at Metropolitan Young Men’s Christian Association (MYMCA) 78th Anniversary Charity Gala Dinner on 28 Nov 2024

Board president, Mr Charis Lim,

Group CEO, Ms Grace Chan,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen, a good evening to all of you.

1. I am happy to join all of you at the Metropolitan YMCA's 78th anniversary charity gala dinner. Tonight's dinner commemorates MYMCA's commitment to serving the community, uplifting youths, seniors, vulnerable individuals, and providing mentorship, guidance, and hope, most importantly, to those in need. A big congratulations to MYMCA for reaching this milestone. A round of applause for everyone.
2. Tonight's theme on the growing need for mental health support for youth is timely. We have made much progress over the years in supporting mental health in Singapore, while mental health may not have been a common topic of discussion some ten years ago, it has most certainly risen to the surface of our consciousness, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Today, mental health is a national priority, and we have our national strategy for mental health and well-being, which sets out what the public, private, and people sectors are doing to support mental health and well-being right here in Singapore, and this is overseen by the National Mental Health Office.
4. Today, there are more open conversations and a wider range of efforts in the community to support one another and create a more caring society. Recently, I attended the opening of the fifth Mental Health Film Festival Singapore, where films were used to showcase stories about mental health, resilience, and hope, and young filmmakers also had a chance to create their own films.
5. This is one example of how conversations about mental health are reaching out in powerful ways in our community to inspire empathy, compassion, and care. While we have made some progress, there's still much to be done to support mental health, especially for youths in our midst.
6. While the prevalence of poor mental health has decreased and the willingness to seek help from healthcare professionals has increased among Singaporeans, about one in three Singaporean youths report symptoms of severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress, and anxiety was the most common mental health problem experienced by youths.
7. Youths today face a world with daunting challenges. At a global level, there's uncertainty driven by regional conflicts, environmental challenges due to climate change, and disruptions caused by advancing technologies. At the national level, we face a rapidly ageing population, increasing social isolation, and more recently, rising cost of living at the individual level.
8. Youths today must contend with the pressures of the online world, like constant comparison on social media, body image concerns and cyber bullying. Now, more than ever before, youths need support and guidance, and a sense of hope as to the trajectory of their own futures.
9. Therefore, supporting mental health and well-being is a whole of society effort. The government community, employers, families, individuals all have a part to play to build a caring and inclusive society where no one has to struggle alone.
10. Within the government, there are national campaigns like Beyond the Label that raises awareness and reduce stigma about mental health conditions, digital mental health platforms like Mind SG and mindline.sg that house credible resources curated by experts, as well as helplines monitored by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), and other mental health organisations.
11. The SG Mental Wellbeing Network, which has worked with over fifty partners to set up Well-Being Circles at different locations all over Singapore, and together they have reached out to more than 3000 people through their programmes. In the community, there are many partners, including youth-led organisations that are doing good work from raising awareness, educating people about mental health, to offering counselling and interventions to those who need more support.
12. MYMCA's Youth Got It Symposium, which is in its third year running, is one such great community effort. With the theme “Dear Emotions”, it has created safe spaces for youth to explore, embrace and express their emotions, and learn about emotional resilience, and I understand that MYMCA is also one of the recipients of the Silver Ribbon Mental Health Award this year.
13. Congratulations and thank you for the great work in promoting mental health and well-being.