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The Youth Advolution for Health (YAH) programme is a new programme for youths to be involved in health promotion for their peers. It was formally launched by Dr Mohammad Maliki Osman, Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Community Development for Youth and Sports, on 2 September 2005.
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The word advolution is coined from the words 'Advocate' and 'Revolution'. We hope that youths in this programme would serve as advocates for a healthy lifestyle among their peers and be inspired to come up with revolutionary and creative methods of promoting health among youths.
The programme is the first in Singapore that seeks to tap on the influence of peer-led projects to bring about positive changes in youths' intentions and behaviours on health issues. There are various health issues that students can explore to work on as advocates of a healthy lifestyle. For example, youths can look into encouraging:
- a healthier eating behaviour
- regular physical activities lifestyle
- a smoke-free lifestyle
- taking care of their mental well-being.
For a start, the programme will emphasise on encouraging a smoke-free lifestyle among youths. Youths can spearhead related programmes in their community or school under this programme. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) will support such efforts in funding and provision of professional expertise. In subsequent years, HPB will introduce peer-led promotion of other health issues under the auspices of YAH.
In this programme, youths can expect to benefit in the following ways:
- advocate a healthy lifestyle
- learn new skills
- establish network of friends
The YAH model similar to peer advocacy programmes in countries such as USA, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia. The YAH programme will be driven by a group of youths who have a passion and interest in advocating healthy lifestyle among youths. This core group of youths will form the YAH Executive Committee (EXCO), serving for a renewable tenure of 1 year.
Youths interested in organising programmes or events will be able to promote healthy lifestyle, particularly smoke-free living, under the YAH programme. This is especially for youths who are more interested in participating in ad-hoc projects.
Youths can also sign up as volunteers under the YAH programme, such that they can be mobilised to help out at health events organised by the YAH EXCO or other youth events that HPB conducts.
For youths studying in the secondary schools, junior colleges and centralised institute, institute of technical education, polytechnics and the universities.
For more information about YAH, visit the YAH website and view photos of our recent events. For inquiries, email hpb_shp@hpb.gov.sg.
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