6 Sept 2023 – As part of Metropolitan YMCA’s (MYMCA) continual strategic efforts towards fostering youth empowerment to facilitate avenues for youths’ personal development, MYMCA and NP HMS have inked a transformative Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will shape their collaborative journey for the next two years. This is following a successful year of MOU and collaboration in 2022-2023, which further underscores a shared commitment to nurture youth and cultivate conducive holistic learning pathways.
Titled “Nurturing for Tomorrow”, the MOU encapsulates the spirit of breaking traditional barriers, while embracing innovation and paving the way for a workforce that is ready to conquer the future. Both MYMCA and NP HMS collectively aspire to create a dynamic learning ecosystem that equips youths with tools, knowledge and hands-on experience needed to thrive.
One of the fruits in the partnership is through Project Atravesar (Cross-over) in 2022. Designed by a group of graduating students from Diploma in Community Development, the journal is a thoughtfully designed piece by youths for youths to confidently manage emotions to build healthy habits for greater self-awareness. The tool was conceptualised with a desire to create a platform for other youths to grow comfortable in embracing difficult emotions and regulating them through psychological theories and applications. The journal is now a key component of MYMCA’s youth engagement efforts, and has been integrated into our signature youth mentoring programmes and mental health outreach.
“As youths ourselves, we are passionate about mental health issues within our community. Hearing how much the youths that MYMCA have worked with enjoyed our journal made us very proud. We felt that our hard work truly paid off! The staff at MYMCA were also very accommodating and professional, guiding and seeing us throughout the process of ideation, design, and production. We are grateful to have met such a wonderful industry partner and hope to forge greater bonds in the coming future,” said Abigail Gan, Member of Project Atravesar.
The heart of this partnership beats a resounding commitment to youth empowerment, with both MYMCA and NP HMS standing resolute in their endeavour to nurture the leaders and changemakers of the future. The MOU also includes opportunities for youth internship, volunteering, industry visits and guest lectures.
Following this, MYMCA will further engage in the industry-in-curriculum collaboration with NP HMS to be part of the process to co-design, co-deliver, and co-assess students for social services. This will allow youths to gain confidence and understand real-world issues and challenges to complement their classroom learning.
As this promising partnership continues to take flight, both MYMCA and NP HMS remain committed to empowering youth and charting pathways for their dreams. Together, they seek to redefine the future and leave an enduring mark on the next generation.
INFOBOX
About Metropolitan YMCA
Metropolitan YMCA Singapore is part of the worldwide YMCA movement and was founded in 1946 with a vision to lead positive community transformation. The Association nurtures children and work with youth as part of our mission to effect and catalyse positive community transformation – today and for the future. We are also a social enterprise, where all net surpluses from our accommodation and conference facilities to drive our various community outreach programmes to serve the needy and vulnerable.
For more information, please visit https://www.mymca.org.sg.
About Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic started in 1963 and is today one of Singapore’s leading institutions of higher learning with over 13,000 enrolled students in close to 40 disciplines. It seeks to develop students with a passion for learning, values for life, and competencies to thrive in a globalworkplace. The polytechnic also supports Continuing Education and Training (CET) through its CET Academy, which offers a wide range of part-time programmes and short courses. It works closely with industry partners to curate programmes for emerging skills, develop talent pipeline for the industries and help adult learners stay agile in today’s rapidly changing global economy.
For more information, please visit www.np.edu.sg.
For media inquiries and further information, please contact:
Mr Simeon Cheok
[email protected]