Debated in Parliament on 13 May 2013.
Dr Janil Puthucheary asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what percentage of the funds allocated by the National Youth Council to subsidise the Youth Expedition Project (YEP) are utilised over the past five years; (b) how many YEPs have been supported through these funds over the past five years; and (c) whether more funds will be allocated for such projects in the future.
The Youth Expedition Project (YEP) is a flagship programme of the National Youth Council (NYC). It aims to nurture socially responsible youths who contribute to the community both at home and abroad.
Over the past five years, NYC has utilised around 95% of the funds allocated to the YEP programme. This has supported around 900 Youth Expedition Projects, benefiting over 1,700 youth leaders and 18,000 youths. There has been strong demand for the YEP, and an average of 40 more projects have been supported every year.
With the establishment of the National Youth Fund, MCCY and NYC will review whether more funds can be allocated to support the YEP so that this meaningful programme can be made accessible to more youths.