Stay well, maintain balance

Ms Cecilia Ho, President of Lee Hysan Foundation, speaks wholeheartedly about the importance of achieving and maintaining wellbeing. She advocates allround education, focusing on strengths and capacity-building. for parents, educators and social workers.

Empowerment for all

Young people need positive, all-round education that focuses on their individual strengths. There is no onesize-fits-all-solution so instead of adopting a topdown approach there should be avenues for two-way communication that allow for self-expression where youth can take the lead and showcase their talents.

Resilience in times of uncertainty

Every crisis ends and there are things we cannot control. It is important for parents and educators to instill a sense of gratitude and “walk the talk”. This will set a good example for youth. Sharing real-life stories to prove that there are always ups and downs in life is important. The parent-student-teacher triangle plays a vital role in youth development and wellbeing. Young people are keen observers – they will notice reactions to stress in their parents and teachers so practicing empathetic communication and emotional management is also key.

Programmes in partnership

NGOs can help teachers better understand the emotional and social development of their students and their needs for both hard and soft skills. The Foundation has funded training on managing youth’s psychological need for both teachers and parents because capacity building for social workers, counsellors and teachers is also central to wellbeing. Early intervention is the key to education and social services, so we need to raise awareness in the community as a whole. Both physical and emotional wellbeing are needed and for follow-up support, an open platform for dialogue is paramount. In schools, the focus shouldn’t only be on students but on the situation of the family as a whole.

Future NGO directions

Tapping into technology, improving connectivity and embracing innovative digital skills: these will all engage youth and enable NGOs to offer fun, creative learning programmes while ensuring that service providers have the know-how to use new technology themselves. With digital tools as an integral part of the curriculum, there should also be more emphasis on media literacy to minimize any negative impact of a technology-driven environment and lessen vulnerability to fake news.

Think positive

Activities that are deliberately positive, heartwarming, stressreducing and laughter-inducing: that’s what we all need now!

Remember, together we’ll get through this and it is perfectly OK to take a break occasionally, find some ‘me time’, de-stress, rest, recuperate and recharge. Still, treasuring your family, building strong connections and then maintaining this is crucial for positive thinking, as is knowing how to show gratitude and telling the people who matter how much you appreciate them.