The winner of the Singapore Youth Award 2006 for Community and Youth Services was given the Asean Youth Award on Feb 7 for her excellence and active contributions to the community.

The ceremony took place at the Asean Youth Day award presentation in Vientiane, Laos, and was attended by Mr Khamphan Sithidampha, Secretary-General of the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union.

On winning the award, Ms Olsen, 31, who hosts the arts programme Front, said: 'I am extremely humbled to have been chosen as the Singapore recipient for this award from among my many esteemed peers. This award goes far beyond individual achievements as it recognises the roles and responsibilities of what the youth of Asean can achieve together to help build closer ties, an Asean identity and to help each other in the face of adversity.'

'This recognition comes from the privilege to be able to serve the people of Singapore and the region, and I will give my utmost to uphold this honour.'

The Asean Youth Award is the second time that Ms Olsen has been recognised at the regional level for her excellence in community and youth work, according to the National Youth Council.

In December 2007, Ms Olsen was one of the 40 outstanding youths in Asean recognised in the book, 'Young Southeast Asia - 40 Inspiring Youths'.

The book was a publication commissioned by the Asean Secretariat to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the 10-member grouping.

Ms Olsen has always made time for volunteer work. She has performed as a pianist for charity and conducted grooming lessons for younger girls, among her range of volunteer services.

She was a counsellor with 'youth-at-risk' at the Toa Payoh Girls' Home from 2000 to 2004 and the Andrew and Grace Home for troubled teens since 2002.

She also volunteered at the Eurasian Association from 2001 to 2003 and currently serves as a committee member on the Kebun Baru Youth Executive Committee, which is part of the People's Association Youth Movement (PAYM). She is actively involved in PAYM's sister organisation - T-Net Club - that helps teenagers between 11 and 16 develop their creativity.

In 2005, Eunice spoke and participated at many events such as the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre Conference, and the Singapore Volunteer Corps Camp. She also became ambassador for the Red Cross National Blood Programme, National Library and Beyond Social Services.

In the same year, she started 'Water for Living, Books for Learning' - a humanitarian project to build libraries and provide water-filtration systems to orphanages and schools in Cambodia, Laos and Kalimantan. This has now become the flagship project of 'Knowledge in Developing Societies (KIDS)', an organisation she co-founded.

Ms Olsen also serves as a member on various committees such as the Citibank-YMCA Youth-For-Causes Committee and the Council for Formation of Alumni for Girl's and Boy's Home.

In 2005, as a Nominated MP, she had a national platform to serve the community and reach out to the youth of Singapore.

For her dedication to the community and youth work and being an inspirational role model, Ms Olsen was given the Singapore Youth Award in 2006.