S’pore’s youth are speaking up & they want to be heard, here’s how you can join the movement

[This is a sponsored article with the People’s Association.]

You’ve got ideas, concerns, and aspirations—but who’s really listening, especially if you’re from the younger generation? 

Too often, youth perspectives are overlooked, but the FutureYOUth movement has been making moves to change that. 

Led by the People’s Association Youth Movement (PAYM), which was set up in 1971 as a core youth movement in Singapore, this nationwide initiative empowers young Singaporeans to take action on their top-of-mind concerns—with the full support of the People’s Association.

Here are the initiatives they’ve taken so far. 

What have they done so far?

Since its launch in 2023, FutureYOUth has actively engaged youths, gathering insights from 127,000 of them to understand their biggest concerns across three themes: mental health, racial and religious harmony, and sustainability and the environment.

These themes were selected based on conversations with youths, reflecting the issues they care about the most. 

To foster meaningful conversation and action, they’ve hosted a variety of events, engagements, and community initiatives like the FutureYOUth Marketplace, where youths could champion the causes they are most passionate about.

They’ve also organised and facilitated community bonding activities, helping youths connect with peers in their neighbourhoods and district-level focus group discussions to provide safe and inclusive spaces for young people to share their experiences, insights, and perspectives.

These initiatives were successfully implemented through PAYM’s collaboration with cause-based groups, faith-based organisations, interest groups, uniformed groups, schools and institutes of higher learning.

Through these efforts, FutureYOUth has gathered insights from Singapore’s youth on the three key pillars, and here’s what they had to say:

1. Mental Health

Mental health remains a pressing concern among Singapore’s youth, with slightly over a quarter of young adults aged 18 to 29 struggling with poor mental health. A more recent report also revealed that one in three youths aged 15 to 35 experienced severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and/or stress. 

Many young Singaporeans recognise the importance of seeking help—in fact, about 74.3% of respondents from the white paper by Project Hayat are willing to access support services for suicide in Singapore when needed. 

That said, the report also stated that the majority of the respondents expressed hesitation to seek help, expressing concerns about the effectiveness and accessibility of mental health services. 

These findings highlighted that prioritising mental health is more than just managing emotions and stress—it’s about fostering a strong support system and addressing mental health without stigma. 

2. Racial & religious harmony

According to a survey by IPS and OnePeople.sg, the majority of youths in Singapore still see racism as a pressing issue, with younger respondents less likely to indicate a high level of racial and religious harmony—indicating that racism is still a prevailing issue. 

However, there is growing optimism. Young people are more likely to express a strong belief in learning from other racial and religious groups, hinting that conversations around racial and religious harmony are more open today than they were a decade ago. 

Additionally, 68.5% of respondents aged between 18 and 35 years old are reported to have smaller but more diverse social circles, reflecting the positive byproducts of growing up in a more racially and religiously integrated society. 

3. Sustainability & environment

The impacts of climate change on Singapore’s weather are already being felt, with scientists estimating that the city-state experienced 122 extra days of dangerous heat last year. 

A strong majority of youth recognise the urgency of the situation—76% of youth respondents expressed feeling fearful and sad about the potential impact of climate change, and one in two are taking active steps to reduce their environmental footprint. 

Join the movement and maybe have fun, too!

With these findings, the FutureYOUth movement aims to spark conversation and empower the youth to lead initiatives for the wider community. 

On March 1, 2025, they will be hosting a pivotal event at Civic Plaza, Ngee Ann City, with booths full of fun activities for all. This event will mark a significant milestone in PAYM’s mission to ignite youth participation in building a caring, united Singapore.

Find out more about the event and be part of a movement that values youth perspectives here. 

Featured Image Credit: People’s Association Youth Movement (PAYM)