20 youth-led projects up for public voting till Sep. 15 to receive up to S$2,000 additional funding

When I hear the words “youth forum”, I have to admit that my mind goes straight to youths in formal suits and stiff speeches.

But the SG Youth Forum 2025 that I attended on Sep. 6 wasn’t quite like that.

Held as a key milestone of the SG Youth Plan, the event was the culmination of months of conversations with young people across Singapore who shared their thoughts on what really matters to them.

Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Education David Neo also joined a panel session to discuss how youths can partner with the government in shaping Singapore’s future.

During the panel discussion, Neo shared that to spark a movement, it will require the help of everyone at the forum and more. He added that everyone, youths included, has to be part of the change that they wish to see.

Hearing Neo’s remarks, it became clear to me that this was exactly what the forum was all about: youths stepping up to do what they can.

Not your usual talk shop

At the heart of the forum was the Young ChangeMakers (YCM) pitch zone, where 20 youth-led projects were showcased.

I was expecting to sit through rounds of presentations from 20 teams, but boy, was I wrong.

Instead, there was a pitch zone where each team had their own booth, and you could walk up to any team, ask any questions about their project and hear what motivates them.

The ideas ranged from social impact initiatives to creative community ideas; each driven by young people who want to make a tangible difference.

Youth-led projects, supported by you

So, why a pitch zone? The forum introduced a Participatory Budgeting exercise where attendees and the public could vote for how public funds should be allocated to these projects.

Participants at the forum on Sep. 6 had the opportunity to hear the pitches in person, but it doesn’t simply stop there.

The Participatory Budgeting exercise is also open online until Sep. 15, 2025, giving the wider community a chance to take part.

Not sure who to vote for? We’ve split them into different groups to make things easier for you:

Seniors’ health and wellbeing

• HOMEwarmers JiakTogether: A project to reduce senior isolation through food, games, and bi-weekly home visits.
• Project HealthSync: A system that utilises camera-based motion tracking to prevent frailty and osteoporosis in seniors through customised exercises.
• Silver Strength: Free weekly fitness classes led by trained youth volunteers to keep seniors mobile and connected.
• Adaptive Art & Sports: An initiative that brings together seniors from active ageing centres and youth volunteers to combat social isolation.
• Out sight: An AI-powered dementia tracker with real-time alerts to protect loved ones from wandering.

Youth, education and digital wellbeing

• herbie: An AI-powered digital health coach to help youths break doomscrolling habits.
• HealthX: A student-led innovation club that creates opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration in the field of MedTech.
• Peace Lah!: A series of youth engagements to reflect and act on what peace means in Singapore.
• LIFT by Misu Foundation: An initiative providing free or affordable academic support to secondary school students.

Arts and culture

• All Flowers in Time: A theatre production exploring grief, ageing, and cherishing the present.
• Golden: A week-long street dance celebration, with a focus on jazz, funk, and disco.
• Blast! Out of Bounds: Arus: An NUS Dance production inspired by Orang Laut culture and stories.
• The Intersection: An international hip-hop dance platform connecting local and global dancers.
• TripleSFest: A festival celebrating Singapore’s Japanese subculture music community through live bands and performances.

Environment & Sustainability

• Box Up SG: An initiative for cutting single-use waste by rewarding hawker-goers who bring reusable containers.

Heritage

• Gen Z’s Guide to Ubin: An interactive digital storytelling platform reconnecting youth with Pulau Ubin’s heritage.
• BrokenBarges (Phase 2): An initiative to document and showcase Seletar’s heritage through interviews and installations.

Community Care

• Project Coral Hearts: An initiative to foster understanding between the deaf community and public through outreach and events.
• CATSAFE: A community-based location tracking initiative to protect community cats with tracking tech and education workshops.
• Once Upon a Galaxy: A youth-led fundraiser carnival for cancer patients and families.

You can make a difference

Listening to the pitches, it was evident that each initiative was born from lived experiences or a cause close to their hearts.

These initiatives can also be close to your heart and help make Singapore a better place.

Choose the project that you wish more funding can be channelled to by taking part in the Participatory Budgeting exercise, which ends on Sep. 15, 2025.

The votes from forum participants and the public will be aggregated and selected teams will reach an additional funding of up to S$2,000 each.

*The Participatory Budgeting Exercise is open to Singapore Citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents, as well as foreigners in Singapore holding a valid Work Pass, Student Pass, Dependant’s Pass, or Long-Term Visit Pass.

This NYC-branded article reminded this writer of what her parents always told her: “Give it your all while you’re still young.”

Top photos by Mothership.