Policy Forum: Climate Change – What is in it for Youth and Me?

Spearheaded by Canberra CC YEC, supported by Nee Soon Central CC YEC and other YECs in Sembawang GRC, we cordially invite you to:

PAYM Policy Forum @ Sembawang GRC and Nee Soon Central SMC “Climate Change: What is in it for YOUth and me?”

Climate change is one of the most critical global environmental challenges of our times. Recent events have emphatically demonstrated mankind’s growing vulnerability to climate change. There is also a general consensus amongst scientists and governments worldwide that our climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, largely caused by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. As an island state, we Singapore is of course not spared from the effects of global phenomenons, such as warming temperatures (yeah, weather getting hotter!) and rising sea levels (due to melting of ice glaciers in North or South Pole).

Definitely, this is a topic of concern for you and I.

How much do YOU actually know about current environment issues?
Why are YOUr ideas and efforts in environment-related issues and initiatives important? What can YOU do to develop an environment-friendly culture in Singapore?

Date: 23 May 2009 Saturday
Time: 2.00pm – 5.00pm (Registration starts at 1.45pm)
Venue: The Jelutung Community Club
Level 1, Theatrette
*Light refreshments will be provided for all.

Come share your views, concerns and recommendations with our panellists:

Guest of Honour:
Dr Lim Wee Kiak, PBM
Member of Parliament (Sembawang GRC)
and Adviser to Canberra Grassroots Organisations

Dr Khoo Hsien Hui
Research Fellow, Process Science and Modelling
Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, A*STAR

The Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES) is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Established in 2002, its mission is to carry out world class scientific research, to develop novel technology and to nurture creative scientists and engineers to support economic growth in Singapore to make a positive difference to society.

Hsien Hui received her PhD at the National University of Singapore in 2007. In the same year, she was selected by British Council to join International Networking for Young Scientists (INYS) for Climate Change and participated in an Invited-only International Conference on Climate Change held in Birmingham, UK. She was also the invited speaker for ‘Meet the Scientist’ event on Climate Change in Singapore Science Center, 2008 as well as the invited speaker for several other international conferences and workshops on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and was called to participate in United Nations Environment Programme-Life Cycle Assessment (UNEP-LCA) Initiative task force meeting for technology transfer in Zurich, Switzerland.

Mr Howard Shaw
Executive Director
Singapore Environment Council

The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) is a non-government organization working with business, government and civil society to help raise environmental awareness and promote greater levels of sustainability for Singapore.

Howard graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 1995 with a degree in environmental biology and business administration and has been a leading figure in Singapore’s green movement ever since, playing a key role in shaping the country’s environmental policy. In his role with the SEC he oversees the council’s outreach programmes with educational bodies and the business community, and represents the council on various national bodies, including the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement’s Environmental Review Committee, and the Action Plan Committee for the Singapore Green Plan 2012.

For registration and enquiries, please contact Ms Janise Chan @ 67556369/ Email: Janise_Chan@pa.gov.sg

Closing date for registration: Friday, 22 May 2009

See you there!~

SPI Ghoulish Trail (30 May 2009)

Calling YOUths who dare to step into the Realm of the Unknown!

This trail journey calls out to YOUths who are willing and dare to step into unknown world!

Ever have this desire to know the mysterious stories or urban legends behind certain places in Singapore which we do not find on our usual maps?

A SPI guide will guide us on a remarkable journey down some Singapore unbeaten paths, with some intriguing accounts of paranormal sightings, legends and historical wonders!

Latest: SPI Ghoulish Trail has been postponed from Saturday 18 April 2009 to Saturday 30 May 2009! Please take note!

Persons with following medical conditions are not advised to take part:
1.Pregnant ladies
2.Strained/Injured muscles
3.People who undergone recent surgeries
4.High blood pressure
5.Asthma
6.People with previous heart attacks
7.Difficulty with standing/walking distances
8.Difficulty with ascending/descending stairs

Assemble Pick-up Point:
Nee Soon Central CC

Places of Visit:
Haunted Pasir Ris Swamp
Red House
Parsi Cemetery
Choa Chu Kang Cemetery
Baby Corpse Dumping Ground

For those who have computer printers at home, for your convenience, if interested to obtain a copy of the registration form, please email -> nsc.yec@gmail.com

Don’t worry, full event details are in the registration form. After reading it, you may decide yourself whether you wish to sign up.

To sign up: download the form, complete filling in the registration form, print it out, and then kindly submit the completed form and activity fees to Nee Soon Central CC by Sunday, 24 May 2009 10.30pm

Nee Soon Central Community Centre (Near Yishun MRT Station)
Blk 749 Yishun Street 72 #01-138
Singapore 760749
Tel No: 6752 7687
(Opens 2pm – 10.30pm daily except public holidays)

We are only providing 30 places for 30 participants. Hence to avoid disappointment, please do sign up EARLY with us!

Should you have further queries, please feel free to either contact Ms Sri Rebazar at Email: Sri_REBAZAR@pa.gov.sg, or Mr Alan Soh at Email: alansoh1979@yahoo.com.sg

Recruitment of YEC Members (Term 2009 -2011)

We are currently looking for new members to join the upcoming term this July 2009.

A Community Club Youth Executive Committee (YEC) comes under the jurisdiction of PAYM (People’ Association Youth Movement). It is a committee comprising 15 (mimimum) to 30 youth community volunteers aged 16 – 35 years old, organising activities or events under its community club youth group.

The target audience is always the young residents of that particular district the community club/centre is serving.

YEC Monthly meetings are held to discuss/update the events, special projects or activities YEC members themselves have planned. The YEC events organised should help forge community bondings, of which is always the main objective. The community angle must be there.

Yes, we want passionate youths who are interested in forging strong community bonds.

Being a member of YEC, depending on the individual’s interest, he or she can take up any portfolio interested in, for example: Sports & Recreation, Community Services, Social Development, Public Relations, Publicity, IT etc, other than the main office bearers (Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Gen Secretary, Treasurer, and Auditor).

Please note that once being successfully elected as a member of NSC CC YEC, he or she is encouraged to stay committed till the end of his/her YEC term.

A YEC member will have to serve a term of 2 years.

With regards to the eligibility to join Nee Soon Central CC Youth Executive Committee (YEC), you have to be of the minimum age of 16 years old. Max age limit is 35 years old. For your additional information, priority to join Nee Soon Central CC YEC would be given to youths residing in Nee Soon Central constituency.

Come July 2009, we will have a YEC Biennal General Meeting (BGM) where we thank the outgoing comm members and welcome the incoming elected comm members.

All YECs across the island will have their BGMs held in July – September 2009.

If interested, please drop us an email -> nsc.yec@gmail.com

If you need help, seek help!~

Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

The Lunar New Year festive mood is still in the air, but for many Singaporeans, it is a sobering start to an anticipated “difficult year of the Ox.”

The current economic crisis is a global one, which affects, well everyone; you and me.

Singapore Budget 2009 was announced on Thursday 22 January 2009. It was indeed a bold and decisive budget, as for the very first time since independance, after careful considerations, the Government had decided to dip into the past country reserves, taking S$4.9 billion, particularly for funding two schemes – Jobs Credit Scheme and the Special Risk-Sharing Initiative.

This is on top of the S$600 million Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR).

It is understood that the priority measures taken are to help our Singaporean workers keep their jobs, as well as to subsidise part of the employers’ wage bills, making Singaporeans more cost-competitive than foreign workers.

Meanwhile, many low-income households are greatly affected by the current economic crisis. However, of those who are in need of government aid are either unaware that they can get help, or do not know where to turn for help.

The Government hopes to reach out to these groups of Singaporeans, and will announce its plans to do so during the 9-day Budget 2009 debate in Parliament which kicks off today.

For now, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon urges those facing tough times to step forward to ask for help if they really need it.

“The resources are there. The money is there. If you really face difficulty or tremendous pressure, please ask for help. There is enough money to go around because some of the funds set up to help those need it have gone untapped,” she said yesterday.

One example will be the S$6.25 million set aside for CCMC-ComCare Fund. As of December 2008 in the current MCYS financial year, only S$1.6 million had been disbursed.

This fund can be used by grassroots leaders to help residents who need urgent financial help.

But why the bulk of the funds had not been given out? Well, Singaporeans have dignity, hence perhaps they don’t casually ask for help?

“It is not a shame asking for help,” said Mrs Yu-Foo. She also urges grassroots leaders to be more flexible, more sympathetic and more pro-active in extending help to their residents during this recession.

MCYS expects to spend about $160 million in the current financial year to help the poor via its help schemes, and to fund social services run by charities.

In 2008, 40,681 people applied for various ComCare help schemes, an increase of 33% over the year before.

ComCare was set up in 2005, and was billed as the “final safety net” for the poor. It has some S$800 million in its piggy bank. It helps the poor with a variety of aid, from child-care subsidies to helping people who are temporarily unable to work (perhaps due to illness but do not qualify for the Public Assistance Scheme).

Only Singaporeans/PRs who permanently cannot work and have little or no family support can qualify for the Public Assistance Scheme.

So far as at the end of last year, about 24,000 families have benefitted from various ComCare schemes.

If you know any fellow Singaporeans who genuinely need such help, please urge them to call ComCare Helpline -1800 222 0000.

Lunar New Year Greetings!

Let’s be positive and hope that we all have a good and smooth bull year ahead! Yeah, let’s hope that the economic downturn would be over this year.

Happy ‘Niu’ Year!!~ Huat arh! Huat arh! Hahaha!

祝贺大家：
新年快乐！
身体健康！
学业进步！
事事顺利！
牛年扭转乾坤行大运！

City Alive!

CITY ALIVE 2009!
Saturday, 31 January 2009, 9.30pm – 3am
City Hall Front along St Andrew’s Road

Be part of SINGAPORE’S BIGGEST STREET DANCE PARTY proudly brought to you by
People’s Association Youth Movement (PAYM)!

Come join us for a time of fun and celebration this Chinese New Year! Come and party together with renowned international and local DJs, catching their incredible spin and scratching skills and of course, tons of yummy food and drinks are available!

Visit www.cityalive.sg for more information!
See you @ City Alive 2009!

PAYM Policy Forum: Employment outlook for youths (17 Jan 2009)

Are you a working youth?
Or a schooling youth, graduating this year to step into the workforce soon?

2009 has just started.
Thoughts about the anticipated economic recession, the potential increase in unemployment rate does make this year seem a little gloomy, isn’t it?

Let’s fret not!

Specially brought to you by Marsiling CC YEC and supported by the rest of the YECs in Sembawang GRC and Nee Soon Central SMC, this PAYM Policy Forum titled “Employment Landscape in SG, What’s in it for YOUths? hosted by Mr Hawazi Daipi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Manpower and Health, Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC (Marsiling GROs) aims to shed some insights on the current employment market for youths in Singapore in view of the present economic downturn.

You are cordially invited to participate in the forum and share your thoughts on

Date: Saturday 17 January 2009
Time: 2.00pm (Registration starts from 1.00pm)
Venue: Lecture Theatre W4 @ Republic Polytechnic

Come join us at this forum to find out more!

For enquiries or registration, please contact Ms Yati at 6365 6911 or email: Nurhayati_Samsudin@pa.gov.sg.

[LATEST! 20 Jan 2009: Photos to be up soon!]

Bye bye 2008, Hello 2009!

2008 is gone yesterday. In history.

2009 has come. Let’s look forward to a good year, despite the ongoing economic crunch. Believe believe believe….

Happy New Year everyone! Woohoo!

Nee Soon Central CC YEC will continue do its best to organise good nice activities for all youths.

Seasons’ Greetings!

We had our December YEC meeting aka mini christmas celebration last week..

Besides talking business about the events/activities coming up in the first half of 2009, we also had food and exchange of christmas presents! Hehehe….

It has been quite a good year for us. We aspire to do even better before the next BGM comes in July 2009~!

1-Day Sg Flyer & Marina Barrage Tour (20 Dec 2008)

The Singapore Flyer is a giant Observation wheel which started operations on 11 February 2008, and if you can remember, it was officially opened to the public on 1 March 2008. The grand opening, graced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was held on 15 April 2008.

Reaching 42 stories high, the Flyer comprises a 150m diameter wheel, built over a three-story terminal building, giving it a total height of 165m.

Do you know that our Singapore Flyer exceeds the Star of Nanchang (China) by 5m and The London Eye (Britain) by 30m?

Each of the 28 air-conditioned capsules is capable of holding 28 passengers, and a complete rotation of the wheel takes approximately 30 minutes. Located on the southeast tip of the Marina Centre reclaimed land, it offers a paranomic view of the Singapore city skyline and beyond to about 45 km, including the Indonesian islands of Batam and Bintan, as well as Johor, Malaysia.

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Yes, the very latest downtown icon is Marina Barrage!!!!!!!

The Marina Barrage is a dam in Singapore built across the Marina Channel between the reclaimed lands of Marina East and Marina South. turns Marina Bay and Kallang Basin into a new downtown freshwater Marina Reservoir. It provides water supply, flood control and a new lifestyle attraction. This structure will provide flood control by changing the tide flow into the barrage.

Do you know that this S$226 million project requires the relocation of Clifford Pier? It has to be moved from Collyer Quay to Marina South.

Marina Barrage is now Singapore’s 15th reservoir, and the first in the heart of the city. With a catchment area of 10,000 hectares, or one-sixth the size of Singapore, the Marina catchment is the island’s largest and most urbanised catchment. Together with two other new reservoirs, the Marina Reservoir will boost Singapore’s water catchment from half to two-third’s of the country’s land area. It was officially opened on 1 November 2008.

Want to hit 2 birds with 1 stone – a tour of these 2 attractions this December holidays? Hehehe..wait no more.. here comes your chance!!!!

(Click on the below poster for more details!)

1-day-sg-flyer_n_marina-barrage_poster

Please note that 2-way bus transportation is provided too!
To avoid disappointment, please sign up early NOW at Nee Soon Central Community Centre today!

Registration closes on Wednesday 17 December 2008.

LATEST! (Saturday 20 December): There has been an overwhelming response. 2 full buses!

Photos will be up soon!! Stay tuned!