Reaching Out To The New Generation Of Youths Putting The E In Health

300 Singaporean youths aged 15 to 25 years will have the opportunity to discover how web-based interactives and social networking websites that are a major part of their lives can have an important role to play in promoting health to their peers. They will convene on 28 March for Breathe: Youth Speak, a health symposium for youths, by youths. The symposium is organised by Youth Advolution for Health (YAH) a peer-led youth health advocacy group with the support of the Health Promotion Board.

The keynote address, Talking with the E-generation on Health Promotion: What Works? will be presented by Ms Bianca Crosling, Prevention Program Coordinator with Quit Victoria, a smoking cessation organisation based in Melbourne, Australia. Ms Crosling will address the differences between the e-generation and previous generations, and how to engage youths of this generation in health promotion. 

Symposium participants will also be able to attend interactive workshops on health topics that are highly relevant to them gaming, binge drinking, casual sex, how to stay smoke-free and beautiful with social skills and grooming techniques, and how to cope with life s challenges.

The Nanyang Technological University Debate Squad and the National University of Singapore Debate Club will engage each other on the topic The More We Educate Youth about Sex, the More They Will Do It . The debate will be moderated by the Debate Association of Singapore.

We organised this symposium to raise awareness of the importance of health, as well as to highlight relevant youth health concerns. We also hope to encourage our peers in Singapore to manage their own physical and mental wellbeing actively, and play a more proactive role in motivating other young people to do the same, says Mr Benjamin Loh, YAH President.

The symposium aims to highlight pertinent youth health issues and concerns and raise awareness among youth and relevant stakeholders such as educators and youth organisation leaders about the importance of youth health and pertinent health concerns. It will also showcase existing youth-initiated health promotion projects, encourage stronger youth engagement in youth health promotion and empower youth to become effective health advocates.

Symposium participants include students from secondary schools, junior colleges, centralised institutes, ITEs, polytechnics and universities, youth leaders and youth from youth organisations and voluntary welfare organisations, as well as those from the general public.

In conjunction with the symposium, a health video competition has been organised. Winners will be determined by live audience voting during the symposium. There will also be fringe activities such as exhibition booths showcasing youth health projects.

The Guest-of-Honour for the event is Mr Lucas Chow, Chairman, Health Promotion Board and Chief Executive Officer, MediaCorp Pte Ltd.