In Your Opinion The Straits Times

Two youth volunteers - adults with full-time jobs - explain what motivates them to spark change in the community. 

Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Youth Corps Singapore, which is under the National Youth Council, turns 10 in 2024. It is a division under the council that champions youth volunteerism to ignite positive change in society through community service.

In this episode, ST podcast assistant editor Lynda Hong speaks with two volunteer leaders Afzal Hadi and Valerie Kwa, to find out about their experience with Youth Corps Singapore. 

Afzal is currently the Welfare Lead in the Engagement Taskforce Cluster and is a member of the Ambassadors Team cluster, while Valerie is Publicity Team Lead within the Mental Health Cluster. The two young working adults - Afzal is in business development while Valerie is in social service - also offer tips on how to pick a cluster to volunteer with.

Clusters can be thought of a “specialisation” - youth-led, youth-run interest groups within Youth Corps. They include: Children, Youth and Family, Eldercare, Special Needs, Beyond Singapore, Mental Health and Sustainability.

This podcast is brought to you by National Youth Council: https://str.sg/wFbf

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:30 Life-changing experiences from volunteering - Afzal's U-turn from business school to study social work instead, and Valerie advocating for mental health 

5:50 How youths can pick their preferred cause from Youth Corps’ 12 clusters - specialisation areas

7:40 Discovering leadership style through volunteerism

11:04 Afzal and Valerie on Youth Corps allowing interested youths to try out in a small way, before deciding which cluster to volunteer in

12:30 How much time Afzal and Valerie spends on volunteering? 

14:40 Despite working full-time jobs, hear why Afzal and Valerie are still volunteering

*Youth Corps will also organise a 10th Anniversary Carnival at *Scape Playspace in Somerset on July 6, 2024.

*Interested youths can also participate in the Do Good Fest, which will be held from May to July, providing over 3,000 opportunities to learn about volunteerism.

More on:

Youth Corps Singapore’s Instagram page: https://str.sg/eYAZ

Youth Corps Singapore’s Website: https://str.sg/bx2p

Youth Corps Singapore’s Telegram group for volunteering opportunities: https://str.sg/AtWZ

Produced by: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis & Hadyu Rahim 

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim

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Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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With Singapore’s resident total fertility rate dropping below 1 for the first time - hitting a historic low at 0.97 last year in 2023 - we discuss how the birth rate can be boosted.

Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests.

For many years in Singapore, we have not had enough babies to replace ourselves, with the Total Fertility rate, or TFR, remaining below the replacement rate of 2.1. 

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Indranee Rajah - who assists in oversight of the National Population and Talent Division in the PMO - said in Parliament on Feb 28, that preliminary estimates indicate a resident TFR of 0.97 in 2023, posing twin demographic challenges for Singapore alongside an ageing population.

In this episode, ST podcast assistant editor Lynda Hong hosts Ms Indranee to find out how workplaces here can become more family-friendly, and debates what an “excellent parent” should ideally mean in this day and age.  

Two young parents - unmarried to each other - are also in the studio to ask Ms Indranee about how Singapore's workplaces can be made friendly for parents juggling child-rearing responsibilities. 

Mr Daniel Lim, a 31-year-old research analyst, is a father of three. Ms Deniece Grace Foo, 37, runs Emerge Arts and Media Academy, a performing arts school for children. She has two young children. 

They also share their personal challenges and joys in raising a family. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:40 The government-paid paternity leave has just been doubled to four weeks on a voluntary basis; Minister Indranee on how the take-up rate is at just over 50% for now

2:33 Deniece asks the Minister: What can be done to support manpower challenges faced by SMEs?

7:38 Minister Indranee addresses the fear of a lack of mobility in one's career due to flexible work arrangement requests, and why Singapore employers who are hesitant to adopt such practices, should see it as a competitive advantage in hiring

9:20 Daniel’s experience as a "young parent employee", on "wanting to succeed at home and at work", and Deniece’s experience as an young employer helping "young parent employees"

23:24 Daniel asks the Minister: Would there ever be a form of grandparents childcare leave, especially if they will be the new "young working seniors" in future? Can Singapore be branded as one of the most "family-friendly nations" globally?

31:20 Minister Indranee on a line in her Parliament speech, on how “pressures to be an excellent parent” is one of the concerns to having children;

35:10 Daniel and Deniece on juggling pressures to be "excellent" young parents

Produced by: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and rate us:

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Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Read ST's Budget 2024 coverage: https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/budget-2024

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Two young hawkers chat about the profession in this era of high inflation - how to maintain profitability while still serving that affordable meal. 

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests.

The cost of living has gotten more expensive in the last two years. Inflation measured by a basket of consumer goods was 4.8 per cent higher in 2023 than 2022, more than in 2021 when the price increase was at 2.3 per cent. For young hawkers who also have their families to care for, maintaining a profit margin while resisting raising prices, can be challenging. 

Cost differences between running a stall in private coffee shops vis a vis hawker centres managed by NEA, could make a stark difference in profitability, according to two hawkers. In this episode,ST podcast assistant editor Lynda Hong speaks with Jeevan Ananthan, 32, who sells Li Na noodles - bak chor mee - in three stalls in coffee shops with a central kitchen. Also in the studio is Cornelius Tan, 38, vice-chairman of the Chinatown Complex Hawker association. He is also a second-generation hawker of Chai Wee Cuttlefish stall in a hawker centre managed by the NEA.  

They also talk about how the government subsidy waives the 0.5 per cent transaction fee that stallholders will have to pay for each digital transaction – those made via QR code payments under the Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) platform.

The new subsidy window, under the Hawkers Go Digital initiative to spur more merchants to digitalise, continues until Dec 31, 2024 – the second time it has been extended. It was initially extended to the end of 2023 to support stallholders during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Highlights (click/tap above):

7:34 “Let hawkers increase prices without guilt”? How rentals in hawker centres managed by NEA are charged differently from private coffee shops and food courts

13:20 Juggling manpower costs: Hiring Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs)

15:19 Is there "greed" when it comes to rent in private coffee shops and food courts? 

16:13 Why the SGQR unified payment code method has helped many hawkers survive lately

17:30 Jeevan's and Cornelius' journey from the corporate world to the hawker profession; did their university degrees help in current hawker profession?

24:32 Overseas ventures: How will the Lina Noodles empire strike out next?26:01 Advice for young and aspiring hawkers or “hawkerpreneurs”

Produced by: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Hadyu Rahim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and rate us:

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Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

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Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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This Budget 2024 special analysis examines how measures announced would benefit Singaporean youth, from education, to housing, childcare and inflation. 

Synopsis: Titled “Building our Shared Future Together”, Budget 2024 was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong in Parliament on Feb 16, 2024. 

The plan for revenue and expenditure of the Singapore government was laid out to address immediate challenges like cost-of-living pressures while investing in longer-term goals of strong economic growth, better jobs and a culture of lifelong learning.

We examine how Budget 2024's measures announced would benefit Singaporean youth, from education, to housing, childcare and inflation. 

In this special episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong hosts two guests:

Ms Cherlyn Ng, 35, a video producer who has two young children. Ms Ng is also a young union leader with Creative Media Publishing Union, which is affiliated to NTUC. 

Mr Jod Gill is global employer services partner at Deloitte Singapore.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:46 Should the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, which gives $4,000 to a Singaporean worker aged 40 and above, also in future, include workers in their 30s?

4:38 Cherlyn on how the new SkillsFuture Level-Up programme might in future, help young mothers restart their careers for example; Jod on the impact on younger workers

7:40 Thoughts on the financial support from the (Open Market) Voucher under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme for young couples waiting for Build-To-Order (BTO) homes.

9:08 Would new subsidies for pre-schools be enough to push Ms Ng to consider having a third child? Pre-school subsidy indicative of inflation pressures on younger families?

11:25 Cherlyn on renewed support for cost-of-living measures like CDC vouchers and U-save rebates; Jod on how personal tax rebates can help cushion higher cost of living

15:40 Reacting to how ITE graduates will get S$5,000 when enrolling for a diploma, and a S$10,000 CPF top-up when attaining it

Read ST's Budget 2024 coverage: https://str.sg/6kzj

Produced by: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and rate us:

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Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Empathy for the generation divide and user behaviour patterns may need to be studied more as Singapore digitalises itself rapidly.

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests.

The hard deadline for full transition from an older card-based ticketing system to the account-based SimplyGo public transport payment system by June 1, 2024 eventually went away. This is after public outcry over SimplyGo’s inability to display fares and card balances at fare gates and bus card readers. 

Such negative reactions have raised questions how impactful nationwide policies, like the adoption of SimplyGo, can be better communicated to the public. And is a one-size-fit-all approach even possible for Singapore’s rapidly ageing population that must constantly overcome the first hurdle in adapting to technology? 

ST podcast editor Ernest Luis and assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong host two guest speakers in this episode:

Associate Professor Helen Ko from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) for her insights on ageing issues

Ms Neeta Lachmandas, founder of ConsciousService, a training and consulting company, and also a former executive director of the Institute of Service Excellence at SMU and assistant chief executive of STB.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:33 Technology and convenience versus customer experience and communication

4:55 Selling people the upside on digital policies as well as how to handle major changes; was this just an issue for the 'older' generation?

8:05 Tailoring "instructional design" - the art and science of teaching seniors

11:25 Understanding the need for bite-sized info in small steps across older generations, "empathy" in designing public policy for an increasingly ageing population

18:08 Contradictory "digital transformation" messaging not an issue exclusive to only Singapore

20:45 Why it's good to aim for "universal design"; why seniors are a highly diverse group

Produced by: Ernest Luis (ernest@sph.com.sg), Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) and Hadyu Rahim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and rate us:

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Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

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Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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How can community spaces co-exist with competing demands while fostering spontaneous and free play?

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests.

Managing the use of void decks in Singapore is like a cagey board game – one where Sembawang Town Council played the ultimate “no ball games” card, recently barricading Block 638 Woodlands Ring Road's void deck due to noisy school kids, stirring both controversy and reflection. 

This was not a solo act; similar void deck blockades have hit Jalan Kayu and Tampines, creating a recurring match between communal play and resident grievances in recent years. 

The incident sparked a lively online commentary, with opinions ranging from “Give kids space!" to "Stray balls are public enemy #1."

The barricades may have been taken down, but bigger questions persist: Have we taken for granted the community spaces we share? Do we still value conviviality, or have we become too individualised? Is there still room for spontaneous play and social cohesion, or are Singaporeans becoming more intolerant?

As the city evolves, the challenge remains – how can we rejig our infrastructure requirements to preserve the magic of free-access public spaces? The game is afoot!

In this episode, ST journalist Gabrielle Chan and assistant ST Now editor Sazali Abdul Aziz delve into this discussion with Professor Laavanya Kathiravelu, who specialises in sociology with a focus on urban planning in cities at the National Technological University of Singapore.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:37 Why has the discussion of this issue evoked such strong emotions among Singaporeans?

7:44 Is too much balance and structure limiting the creativity of Singaporeans?11:39 The “Not In My Backyard” syndrome16:07 Are playgrounds still a good tool for social integration?

21:02 Are authorities too heavy-handed in dealing with complaints?

27:22 What other solutions are there to balance the needs of the community when it comes to shared spaces?

Read Gabrielle Chan’s article: https://str.sg/iYrX

Read Sazali Abdul Aziz’s opinion column: https://str.sg/iggq

Produced by: Gabrielle Chan (gabchan@sph.com.sg), Sazali Abdul Aziz (msazali@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here twice a month and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

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Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Read Gabrielle Chan’s articles: https://str.sg/nYBZ

Read Sazali Abdul Aziz’s articles: https://str.sg/Jbxq

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.