NTUC commits $2.5 million to support youth’s education and welfare

NTUC shines a spotlight on youths, celebrating their aspiration and potential as well as their pride for Singapore under the theme “Celebrate SG Youths”

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) announced today it has committed $2.5 million in grants to empower and support youth and young school-going children in their education and welfare. At the sidelines of the NTUC x NDP Bay Celebrations^[1], NTUC also launched the Care-It-Forward campaign, an effort to raise awareness of NTUC’s initiatives in helping workers. The preview of the NTUC Bay Celebrations was attended by about 7,500 people.

On the initiatives, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said, “I am grateful for the encouraging public support for our NTUC Care-It-Forward campaign. Your support reaffirms the importance of NTUC's programmes in supporting our youths and young school-going children in their education and welfare. That is why today, NTUC has committed $2.5 million in grants and funds for our youths to support them in their education journey, especially when their families are hard-pressed. Hopefully, we eventually help them achieve their career aspirations. NTUC cares for our youths, which is why we will be alongside them in times of need, because #EveryYouthMatters!"

NTUC committed $2.5 million to support youth in their education, welfare

NTUC has committed about $2.5 million through a series of education grants to support youth in their education and welfare. This includes:

• NTUC Starter Awards: A new scholarship grant that provides bond-free scholarships and leadership development programmes for students in Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). For 2024, partner IHLs that NTUC will be working with for the NTUC Starter Awards are the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Temasek Polytechnic (TP) and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). The grant provides bond-free scholarships, including leadership development programmes, for Singaporean students, offering up to $6,000 for ITE students, $9,000 for polytechnic students and $16,000 for university students. Applications for the NTUC Starter Awards will open from 2 to 30 September 2024. For more details, please refer to the Media Factsheet (Annex A).

   

• NTUC Care Fund (Education Awards): The fund aims to motivate lower-income union members’ school-going children to excel in their studies. The fund is for children of union members who are enrolled in an approved institution for the Academic Year 2023.
  • For students studying in a full-time course in eligible IHLs such as Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Polytechnic and Universities in Academic Year (AY) 2023, application period for the fund is from 24 July 2024 to 27 August 2024. For more details, please refer to the Media Factsheet (Annex A).
  • For students studying in Primary, Secondary, Junior College, Millenia Institute and Special Education levels in Academic Year (AY) 2023, applications for the fund will be open in early August 2024. More details such as eligibility criteria and application procedures will be shared later.

   

• NTUC Care Fund (Youth Enable): The fund provides support and assurance to youths in times of adversity brought on by loss of income, such as serious chronic medical conditions, total/partial and permanent disability or death of their parents, who are NTUC members.
  • The fund provides an annual stipend to affected youth in their full-time studies until they complete their first tertiary certificate, or up till four years. The grant is fully funded by NTUC Foundation to aid vulnerable members through NTUC U Care initiatives. Applications for the fund opened from 27 May 2024. For more details, please refer to the Media Factsheet (Annex A).

Ms Natasha Choy, Executive Secretary, Young NTUC, and Co-Chairperson of the NTUC Bay Celebrations Organising Committee, said, "Youths are the future of our workforce. Through the NTUC Starter Awards, we hope to empower them to pursue their aspiration and enable them to reach their fullest potential.”

NTUC’s Care-It-Forward awareness campaign for workers

Alongside these additional funds to support youths in their education and welfare, the NTUC Care-It-Forward (CIF) is an awareness campaign aimed at showcasing NTUC’s efforts in caring for our workers and hopes to encourage workers to pay it forward and support one another. The CIF campaign was launched today and attendees at the event collectively showed their support for the launch of the latest NTUC Starter Awards grant. The attendees participated by scoring 75,000 points at the NTUC CIF Basketball challenge, which represents the $750,000 grant for NTUC Starter Awards. The CIF campaign will be progressively rolled out in the upcoming months to target other worker segments, to continue showcasing NTUC’s efforts in caring for them, and championing for their interests.

#EveryYouthMatters: NTUC’s commitment to youths 

The $2.5 million fund, as well as CIF movement, are part of NTUC’s ongoing efforts to engage and support Singaporean youths in their work-life aspirations. Since launching the NTUC Youth Taskforce as part of its year-long #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations in 2022, NTUC has spearheaded various programmes and initiatives focused on career development and financial well-being for youth. Key initiatives include the NTUC Starter membership tailored to address youth’s career and lifestyle needs.

Interested applicants for the NTUC Starter Awards will receive more information from their IHLs or can visit http://bit.ly/ntucstarterawards24.

^[1] To be referred to as “NTUC Bay Celebrations” for subsequent mentions.