Heartware also engages youth volunteer leaders to encourage and facilitate students in problem-solving projects that will benefit the community such as the elderly and young children. These leaders and students will be given the opportunity to recognize imperceptible yet important issues surrounding their community, and subsequently plan and execute projects aiming to remedy these problems.One movement to get youths to step up in taking up these challenges is the annual National Secondary School Student Leader Conference (NS3LC) organized by the National Youth Council (NYC) with the support of the Ministry of Education (MOE), and partly facilitated by Heartware Network. In this conference, secondary school leaders, youth volunteers, teachers, and community professionals gather to share experiences, ideas, and approaches for making a difference in the community. From the many proposals produced, promising ones will be able to see the light of day through fund support and plenty of guidance from the teachers and external professionals.
As mentioned by Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Chairman of NYC, Mr Lawrence Wong, we too “hope we can nurture a new generation of active, caring and connected youths and youth leaders, who will serve as change agents and role models in our society even after they leave school.” Indeed, from the conference, not only do students come away with a great sense of fulfillment and humility after seeing the meaning and impact of their actions, but also are imbued with a stronger spirit of youth volunteerism.
