Partners in progress: When young S’poreans and public servants find common ground

When Mr Brandon Lee, assistant chief executive of transformation support group at Workforce Singapore, first met his mentees, he was surprised to see that among the eager faces looking back at him were students – the youngest barely 15 years old.

Mr Lee had mentored many young professionals before, but being part of the Youth Panels would be different. “I had assumed that the panellists had come with a particular change agenda and to challenge the status quo but they demonstrated an openness and desire to be relevant to what we were trying to do,” he says. 

He was taking part, in November 2023,

in an inaugural year-long programme organised by the National Youth Council (NYC) to give young Singaporeans a taste of policymaking

.

Alongside other public servants from various ministries and government agencies, Mr Lee was invited to guide 120 young Singaporeans who were divided into four groups, as they shaped policy recommendations on

jobs (#JobHacks)

,

financial literacy (#LifeHacks)

,

technology (#TechHacks)

and

sustainability (#GreenHacks)

. 

Mr Kwa Chin Lum, director of fiscal policy at the Ministry of Finance, spent several weekends over the period of one year sharing his views and insights with the #LifeHacks group as they brainstormed, developed and eventually fine-tuned their policy recommendations. Their partnership culminated in a playbook to help young people achieve their financial goals.

“The youth panellists were quite a joy to work with,” says Mr Kwa. “They were curious, open to different perspectives, and driven to make a difference. When the agencies shared with them existing efforts or policy considerations, the youth thought about these seriously and refined their proposals to be more impactful and implementable.”

In August last year, the Youth Panels presented their initial policy recommendations at the Youth Policy Forum, before submitting their final recommendations to select government agencies in January 2025.

#LifeHacks developed a prototype for the Financial Literacy Excellence (FLEX) Guide. #GreenHacks proposed simplified recycling labels and segregated waste bins to improve household recycling rates. #TechHacks developed strategies to combat online harms, while #JobHacks crafted recommendations to help young Singaporeans seize opportunities in South-east Asia.

Building trust through dialogue

The Youth Panels served as a vital bridge, connecting public servants to the younger generations who are growing up in a highly connected, technological world vastly different from their parents and grandparents.

The youth participants say the experience has transformed their understanding of governance. #TechHacks panellist Mr Nurhan Hafiz Mohammad Nazri says: “I used to just think ‘Why are some things done this way?’ or ‘Why would they come up with this piece of legislation?’ Now, after going through the process, I understand the struggles that policymakers go through.”

Though the year-long journey was rewarding, it was not always easy. 

Mr David Chua, NYC’s chief executive officer, shares: “Partnership is hard. Partnership in policymaking is even harder. Building trust and relationships requires soft skills that may not come to everyone naturally, and the complexities of policymaking will also test personal preferences and working styles.”

It takes a willingness to listen and adapt, knowing that meaningful dialogue requires openness from both sides.

“It’s about not reacting too quickly with potential challenges and objections, but giving the youth space to explore, to question, and to re-examine the status quo,” says Mr Kwa. Mr Lee echoes similarly, noting that while some might have a prejudice that the youth are too young to grasp the intricacies of policymaking, they just need opportunities and experience to learn.

The public servants interviewed for this article, shared that having a deeper understanding of the youth perspectives amid evolving social norms and priorities will help them to create better policies. After all, the youth of today have the most to gain or lose from decisions about issues like climate change, economic transformation and social security.

Creating a sense of shared ownership

Youth involvement is especially pertinent when addressing contemporary challenges such as online safety, notes Ms Gwenda Fong, deputy secretary of the Ministry of Digital Development and Information. 

“Since digital use is central to many young people’s lives, we need to discuss key issues regarding digital well-being in order to harness technology as a positive force,” she says.

More than just a consultation exercise, Mr Chua sees the Youth Panels as a testbed to help build a new way for citizens and the government to work together.

“The Government may not always get things right, and they would need to partner with citizens closely to build the Singapore they want to see,” Mr Chua says.

“This synergy doesn’t develop overnight and has no silver bullet; it demands trust between the government and its citizens, built through a shared journey through the highs and lows of working together,” he adds.

Mr Chua also expressed hope that Singaporeans can learn to grapple with these challenges and recognise that valuable insights can come from individuals outside of traditional expert circles.

As Singapore moves forward in engaging its youth, #JobHacks panellist Lim Kai Ning sees the Youth Panels as a catalyst for change: “I think giving youth a voice early on in our lives really empowers us to take responsibility for our own future and for the future of our country. If more youth know that we can shape our future, more of us will step up to act on our hopes for Singapore and really make a difference.”

Though the inaugural Youth Panels have concluded, young Singaporeans can look forward to a year-long series of engagements organised by NYC and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. 

As part of SG60, these sessions offer opportunities for the youth to actively contribute to causes they care about. The engagements will culminate in the SG Youth Plan, a five-year action plan created by and for the youth.

Find out more about the SG Youth Plan.