Youth mental health in Singapore is reaching a grave stage. Suicide rates rose for three straight years until 2023, and a 2024 survey found that 1 in 3 young people (aged 15–35) experience severe mental health symptoms. Awareness is growing, but understanding and support is lagging—about 1 in 10 parents can recognize clinical-level symptoms in their children, while schools are stretched, with teachers often stepping in as counselors on top of teaching and administrative work.
Meanwhile, national initiatives like the Mental Health and Well-being Strategy 2023 are gearing up to address needs, and health and community services are trying to keep pace. The gap between awareness and action needs to be bridged— more upstream efforts along with a strong first line of defence and accessible community support has never been more urgent.
Early research suggests that Mental wellbeing and Mental illness can be separate trajectories (‘dual continuum’), both contributing to an individual’s holistic mental health. We are keen to delve into the nature of the dual continuum, and explore more that can be done earlier to protect a child’s overall wellbeing, developing and strengthening their ‘muscle’ for coping with early warning signs.
We are not ready to make any grants at the moment.