20 September 2006
MEDIA RELEASE
POLYTECHNIC FORUM’S YOUTH PROJECTS DEMONSTRATE GOOD GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
~ Participants aim to raise public awareness for long-term sustainability of projects
A bold experiment to include youths both as participants and as facilitators for Polytechnic Forum 2006 has come to a fruitful end this year with a total of 13 projects developed by 300 polytechnic student participants from the five local polytechnics – Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic,
Breaking away from the Forum norm for facilitators to be staff from the five polytechnics, this year’s Forum—in alignment with the youth empowerment and engagement theme—placed specially equipped student facilitators with each of the participant groupings. Revolving around the main theme of Polytechnic Forum - “Empowering and Engaging Through Global Partnerships”, the students conceptualised projects based on five sub-themes of the forum.
Sub-Theme 1: Me – A World Citizen?
- The students were off to a good start with the “Using Your Talent For Good” project, where they used their performing talents to raise $180 at the Opening Ceremony of Polytechnic Forum on 18 September. The students plan to identify more talents and carry out busking activities on a wider scale in December. The proceeds collected would be donated to Red Cross to fund local and global projects.
- Another project would be to enhance a web portal, Youth-bank (http://www.bank4u.org/youth/default.aspx),that lists volunteerism opportunities for youths. Students plan to boost the database to include more organisations and finetune the search engine so that
Sub-Theme 2: Information Access – Are We Overloaded or Starving?
- Focusing on raising awareness with regards to the dangers on the Internet and on the importance of getting accurate and reliable information online, this team of students would hold an education seminar to reach out to 300 lower secondary students in October. Industry experts would be invited to help Internet users to become more savvy and critical consumers.
Sub-Theme 3: The Living, Aging World
- A prototype board game has been designed with real life situations encountered by the elderly incorporated to help youths experience the challenges faced by the aging population. The team plans to promote the use of the game as a teaching tool for Civic Moral Education in schools.
- Minister of State for Education and Manpower, Mr Gan Kim Yong’s comments on aging well, being financially independent, and being socially and physically active, are elements which have been included in the board game.
- Mrs Ann Wee, ex-Board Member from the Singapore Action Group for Elders and expert panellist for Polytechnic Forum, noted that the board game succinctly captured some real milestones of aging.
Sub-Theme 4: Global Health Threats – The Universal Currency
- Including five different medical conditions (Obesity, Aids, Tuberculosis, Dengue Fever and Hepatitis B), the central theme of sub-theme 4 is to educate the public on the potential harm of the conditions if left unchecked. Targeting different segments of the population, ranging from primary school children for combating obesity to youths in tertiary institutions for preventing Aids, the students have devised various programmes to inform their target population.
- The Obesity theme has received support from the National Library Board and students performed an interactive story-telling session to convey the obesity message to children at Seng Kang and Bishan Regional Libraries.
- Dr Rose Vaithinathan, expert panellist for the Polytechnic Forum and Director of Youth Health Division, Health Promotion Board, has expressed interest to collaborate with students to expand on the Aids educational video and the Obesity story-telling activity.
Sub-Theme 5: Economic and Social Profit – An Ideal Equation
- Aiming to raise awareness on what corporate social responsibility (CSR) means to society at large and how businesses can practise CSR while making economic profits. Believing that inculcating CSR should start young to have long-term sustainability, students plan to organise a children’s carnival and identify businesses to talk about CSR through outreach programmes.
Republic Polytechnic CEO and Principal, Professor Low Teck Seng, said: “It is encouraging that these polytechnic students have achieved so much. The Polytechnic Forum has provided participants with a platform to engage in authentic projects which will bring benefits to the community, while exercising teamwork and resourcefulness.”
Students will be presenting these projects to the Guest-of-Honour, Mr Teo Ser Luck, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, at the Closing Ceremony on 21 September.
The media is cordially invited to join us for the Closing Ceremony of the event:
Date: 21 September 2006
Time: 2.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Venue: Downtown East, D’Marquee
1, Pasir Ris Close, S(519599)
Programme:
2.00 pm Arrival of Guests
2.30 pm Arrival of Guest of Honour, Mr Teo Ser Luck, Parliamentary Secretary,
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
2.45 pm Presentation of projects
4.25 pm Closing Address by Mr Teo Ser Luck
4.25 pm Tour of Exhibits
4.30 pm Reception
For media enquiries, please contact:
| Name |
DID |
|
| Nanyang Polytechnic |
||
| Sandra Tan |
9479-1033 |
Sandra_TAN@nyp.gov.sg |
| Ngee Ann Polytechnic |
||
| May Goh |
6460 8907 |
|
| Sadiah Ahmad |
6460 6232 |
|
| Republic Polytechnic |
||
| Low Bee Hong Lorraine Chua |
6510 3153 9819 9151 |
low_bee_hong@rp.sg |
| |
||
| Adrian Lim |
6772 1350 |
|
| Temasek Polytechnic |
||
| Vimala Christie |
6780 5019 97900319 (M) |
Background Information
Ø The Polytechnic Forum was launched in 1996 to allow polytechnic students to have a deeper understanding of issues, challenges and opportunities facing
Ø In a revolutionary move this year, students were appointed to act as the forum’s facilitators to lead their fellow students in action. In line with this year’s main theme “Empowering and Engaging Through Global Partnerships”, the students were fully empowered to develop their own community projects, from conceptualisation through to execution.
Ø In previous years, the Polytechnic Forums had been directed and facilitated by lecturers. It is an event where polytechnic students of
Ø During the four-day residential programme, the students discussed their ideas with various advisory panels comprising well-known leaders ranging from policy makers to prominent business people.
Ø Some 300 participants from the five Polytechnics – Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic,
Ø Republic Polytechnic (RP) is the host for the 2006 event and the National Youth Council is the main supporter.
Name lists of Expert Panel Review for Polytechnic Forum
| Session |
Name |
Designation |
Organization |
| Sub-theme 1.Panel |
Mr Ramon Molina |
Director (People-to-People Exchange) |
Asia-Europe Foundation |
| Sub-theme 1.Panel |
Ms Leigh Pasqual |
Director (Public Education Pgms) |
|
| Sub-theme2.Panel |
Ms Melissa Hyak |
Presenter, East Asia Tonight |
MediaCorp News |
| Sub-theme3.Panel |
Mrs Ann Wee |
past Board Member |
S'pore Action Group for Elders |
| Sub-theme4.Panel |
Dr Rose Vaithinathan |
Director, Youth Health Division |
Health Promotion Board |
| Sub-theme5.Panel |
Mr Lee Hong Chuang, PBM |
Board Member |
Nat'l Volunteer & Philantrophy Centre |
| Sub-theme5.Panel |
Mr Douglas Foo Peow Yong |
CEO |
Apex-Pal |
| Roundtable.Panel |
Mr Viswa Sadasivan |
Chairman |
The Right Angle Group |
| Roundtable.Panel |
Mr Lee Hong Chuang, PBM |
Chairman, Central Executive Cttee |
PAYM Central Youth Council |
| Day 1 Dinner.Speaker |
Mr Martin Tan |
Motivational Speaker |
Young Leaders Foundation |
| Day 4 Lunch.Speaker |
Mr Gordon Aw |
Motivational Speaker |
OTI Consulting |