S'pore youths are far cry from 'strawberry generation' stereotype, want to find success on their own terms: David Neo

Singapore's youths are passionate, eager to try new things, and — contrary to negative stereotypes — "hope to find success on their own terms", said Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo.

The 48-year-old was speaking to reporters during a one-hour interview on Jul. 20, ahead of the launch of the SG Youth Plan on Jul. 25.

Neo, who served as Chief of Army between 2022 and 2025, said that in his past year as Acting Minister, he has spent much time on the ground meeting young Singaporeans.

These conversations have challenged some of the assumptions people often make about today's youths, he said.

"What struck me most about our youth is that there is a certain desire to really go deep in whatever they are doing, and to just discover a deeper sense of meaning and purpose behind what they are doing."

This is, he believes, a far cry from the "strawberry generation" stereotype that occasionally surfaces in public discourse.

Journey has been "absolutely wonderful"

Instead of seeing a generation that is overly sheltered or lacking resilience, Neo sees one that is ambitious, curious, and driven.

Reflecting on his first year at MCCY, Neo described it as "absolutely wonderful" and "fulfilling".

Over the past year, he has spoken to artists, heritage practitioners, athletes and many others.

These conversations have helped him understand how government policies are experienced by the people they are ultimately meant to serve.

Of course, listening means little if nothing changes afterwards.

With that in mind, he said one of MCCY's priorities through the SG Youth Plan is to better support young people to "redefine success on their own terms", while also addressing the issues that matter most to them.

These include more pragmatic issues, like whether they can afford things as their parents used to; and softer issues, like friendships and making a difference in society.

Lonely youths

If there was one issue that surfaced repeatedly during Neo's conversations with youths, it was the desire for stronger human connections.

A survey by the National Youth Council found that about 8 per cent of youths have no close friends, and one in three do not participate in any social groups.

On average, youths said they have six close friends each — a decline from the 7.7 reported in 2013.

“When we spoke to them, about half told us they wanted deeper and more meaningful relationships with their existing friends, and about a third said they wanted to make more friends," he said.

To that end, the government hopes to provide more avenues and opportunities to bring them together, an ambition reflected in initiatives such as the 12 new "youth spaces", and the revamped Somerset Belt youth precinct.

But Neo was quick to clarify that while the government can create opportunities, it is ultimately up to young Singaporeans to take the first step.

"What we cannot do is that, we won't be able to make sure that the youths make their friends right? [Or] that they take part in the programmes.

So this is where the youths will have to step up... And this is where they demonstrate their agency, show their desire, and make everything work for them."

Opportunities for all youths

Another key principle underpinning the SG Youth Plan is the "democratisation" of opportunities, both career-wise and beyond.

In a period of unprecedented change and technological disruption, trying new things can help youths can explore areas they'd never considered previously, and gain experience and confidence along the way, Neo said.

Neo gave the example of a youth who "wanted to do something absolutely differently, something that he hadn't experienced before".

The youth asked Neo about trying skydiving, a pursuit which Neo "gently encouraged".

Through a partnership with Access Singapore — an organisation which provides career exposure to disadvantaged students in Singapore — the youth was able to go on a skydiving trip.

"When he came back... he really felt that it opened up his horizons, as to what is possible as a young person.

And I think that is the kind of experience that we want our youths to have the agency to go out there and explore."

To ensure that such opportunities are accessible to all youths — regardless of their background — Neo gave the example of Curiosity Credits, a new scheme under the Youth Plan.

Designed based on Finnish principles, the scheme will allow youths to explore interests and hobbies beyond just academic pursuits.

For a start, the scheme will be extended to secondary school-aged youths in Self-Help Groups — Mendaki, Sinda, the Eurasian Association and the Chinese Development Assistance Council.

But it could eventually be "further scaled up" if the scheme works well, and support other youths to explore their interests, Neo added.

'Just give it a shot'

When asked by Mothership if events could attract disengaged youths, Neo replied that he is cognisant that not all youths are generally open to joining events or attending programmes.

He recalled meeting a young woman who told him that she would once have been exactly the kind of youth who believed the SG Youth Plan had nothing to offer her.

But after joining Youth Corps Singapore, a volunteer organisation, her perspective changed.

Through the experience, not only did she discover a passion for volunteering, but also, in Neo's words, "a whole new horizon" and "a whole new sense of what life is".

He added that she hoped her friends would be given the same opportunities to step outside their comfort zones, believing they, too, could benefit from simply giving it a try.

So his advice? "Just give it a shot."

"If it goes well, great. If it doesn't, it's okay," he said.

Instead, he hopes more young people remain curious enough to try something new, whether that means joining a new community, picking up a new hobby or striking up a conversation with someone they have never met before.

After all, he said, "who knows what will be something."

Roadmap that keeps on evolving

While the SG Youth Plan as a five-year roadmap, Neo says it is one that isn't set in stone.

Instead, it's a "living plan"; one that will continue evolving based on feedback from young people and the effectiveness of different programmes.

Though more than 60,000 youths were consulted in developing the plan, Neo believes listening cannot end there.

"The world is evolving so rapidly," he said. "Situations will continue to change. Things will continue to change. Anxieties will shift, and then likewise, we have to stay close to the ground and listen to them."

As those anxieties evolve, the government's response has to evolve alongside them. Parts of the plan that don't "resonate well with youths" may have to be adjusted accordingly.

And as to what a successful plan would look like, Neo says it's all about the outcomes — not measured by economic markers, but by a "sense of hope, sense of opportunity, sense of the future".

"The Youth Plan is all about hearing from the youths, the things that they aspire towards, the concerns that they have, the anxieties that they have. And how can we support them to be able to realise their full potential," he summarised.

"Outcomes-wise, we hope that we can realise youths that are a lot more confident — not just confident in the future of the country, but confident in their own futures."

Related stories