SINGAPORE - The National Youth Council (NYC) will be turned into an autonomous agency and strengthened as the national body coordinating holistic youth development, said Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong on Friday.

The NYC, a division under the People's Association since it was set up in 1989, will be taken out from under the association and placed directly under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Outward Bound Singapore (OBS), which organises adventure-based experiential learning activities for students, will also be part of the NYC.

Mr Wong announced the changes to an audience of more than 500 people from youth organisations and schools at the inaugural Singapore Youth Conference at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday.

Mr Wong, who is also NYC chairman, said: "The restructuring of NYC will ensure better coherence and coordination in our youth development efforts... The NYC will be a bridge that works with government agencies, community partners and youth sector organisations, both large and small, established and new, to drive holistic youth development."

Plans for the new NYC include reviewing youth hangout *Scape to better support young people's interests and expanding OBS programmes so it can reach out to more people. The new logo for volunteer scheme Youth Corps Singapore was also unveiled at the conference. More than 90 participants will begin the first phase of their training programme this month.