Addressing youth mental health and well-being through Service Design.

The Service Design Network Singapore Chapter joined forces with The Majurity Trust, Ideactio, and Nanyang Polytechnic, School of Design and Media to organize an open innovation challenge. Our aim is to bring together aspiring young design talents with like-minded individuals to collaborate in creating meaningful solutions through Service Design thinking and doing.

The global pandemic has posed challenges to many adults, but youths have not been spared either. In Singapore, our collective mental health has been declining and youth aged 18 to 29 had the highest proportion of poor mental health in Singapore. "Suicide is the leading cause of death for those aged 10-29. Of the 452 suicides reported in 2020, nearly a quarter were people aged 10 to 29." (https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/youth-mental-health-challenges-a-profound-issue-preoccupying-government-ong-ye-kung)


This is our inaugural SDN SG Chapter in Social Design. We have engaged many of our close partners, design professionals, and mental health experts. Gathering youths, design mentors, mental health experts, and design educators in exploring multiple perspectives to tackle today’s youth mental health challenges through a series of workshops, mentor sessions, and activities.

Team OTOT - conducting user research --
Team OTOT - conducting user research
Concept Pitch Day!
Concept Pitch Day!

“The organizers did a fantastic job in raising awareness of the importance of parents and caregivers in supporting youths' mental health issues.” Design Mentor

A total of 63 aspiring participants and 14 dedicated design mentors and experts formed 15 exceptional teams from Singapore, India, Vietnam, and Australia. Teams harness their design sensitivity, varied skill sets, diverse knowledge, and compassion through an iterative design process. Engaging multiple stakeholders in co-designing solutions using Service Design methodologies and tools.


“We realized how prevalent the issue was.. enjoyed the learning, collaborative process. There can be many approaches to the problem. Many products were designed. We learn to narrow down what particular aspect will address today’s youth mental health.” Team - Dinner Dives

Team Dinner Dives - fun cards to promote conversations --
Team Dinner Dives - fun cards to promote conversations
The amazing design mentors!
The amazing design mentors!

Every team presented a unique approach and a wide array of perspectives while laser focusing on the same challenge. Proposals such as Dinner Dives seek to open new conversations during meals with fun cards on the dinner table to make it easier to start a conversation and describe feelings. OTOT (Own Time Own Target) concept encourages youth to take effective breaks based on their availability and interest. Bro-sure is an anonymous peer support system that aims to provide upper secondary school students with a listening ear.


“Our design expert, Megan, was amazing and I am grateful for her help in this project. We gained valuable insights when presenting to her our initial drafts of the “Bro-Sure!” initiative, letting us know that we could possibly do away with the “counselling with friends” part of our idea and instead focus on other areas, which ultimately worked in our favor.” Team - Bro-sure


“Some of the participants needed a longer time to warm up when trying to do discussion and presentation of their work, while some participants needed more motivation on embarking this Open Innovation Challenge. As for me, it is a valuable experience for me to try to motivate and guide design juniors.” Design Mentor


Our design journey --
Our design journey
Celebration of Commencement Day!
Celebration of Commencement Day!

“Mental health isn’t something that I would think of working on as a student. At the start, it wasn't an issue in my backyard, but when the opportunity came. It was eye-opening. So many discoveries. How big the issue is, and not just about depression but other issues as well.. helping one person may not change the world but it changes the world for that one person.” Team - OTOT

Backstage crew members
Backstage crew members

We are thrilled and would like to congratulate all the teams and their stellar teamwork. Kudos to all the design mentors and mental health experts for providing such a wonderful job in guiding the teams. We look forward to the fruition of these concepts in creating a positive social impact! 


Cheers!


Raymond Tan

SDN SG Chapter Rep


Committee members

  • Celine Oomen - Service Design Consultant, Ideactio Pte Ltd
  • Charles Tan - Director, Philanthropy, The Majurity Trust
  • Ho Kah Yoke - Manager, Philanthropy, The Majurity Trust
  • Nav Qirti - Founder & Principal, Ideactio Pte Ltd
  • Raymond Tan - Programme Lead, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design and Media
  • Roma Menon - UX Designer, Ideactio Pte Ltd
  • Vilvum - Lecturer, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design and Media

Special thanks to

  • Alumni from NYP Specialist Diploma in Service Experience Design and Innovation
  • Asher Low from Limitless
  • Bharath Haridas from Philips Design
  • Buvenasvari Pragasam from Solace Art Psychotherapy
  • Charlene Heng from Samaritans of Singapore
  • Chow Yen-Lu from WholeTree Foundation
  • Lecturers from Nanyang Polytechnic
  • Lionel Dorai from Character and Leadership Academy
  • Martin Tan from The Majurity Trust
  • Narash from Impart
  • Staff and students from Singapore University of Technology and Design
  • Staff and students from Singapore Institute of Technology


Related Headlines

SDN Chapters Service Design Global Conference 2024 - Virtual tickets still available!

Service Design Global Conference 2024 - Virtual tickets still available!

Join us for the Service Design Global Conference (SDGC24) this October! Our in-person tickets are sold out, but you can still register for the full virtual experience and be part of this inspiring event. See you there!

Continue reading
SDN Chapters Achieving Interdisciplinarity—Touchpoint Vol.15 No.2 is out!

Achieving Interdisciplinarity—Touchpoint Vol.15 No.2 is out!

In this issue of Touchpoint, we focus on interdisciplinarity itself. What does success look like, and what are the tried and tested methods to achieve it?

Continue reading
SDN Chapters Touchpoint 15-3 Call for Papers deadline extended: “Designing from Within”

Touchpoint 15-3 Call for Papers deadline extended: “Designing from Within”

As the practice of service design continues to gain recognition and traction, a notable trend has emerged: organisations are choosing to build and utilise in-house service design teams rather than relying on external agencies. This shift brings with it a host of considerations, both positive and negative, that merit in-depth exploration and critical reflection.

Continue reading
SDN Global News Touchpoint Vol. 15 No. 1 | Service Design at the Dawn of AI is out!

Touchpoint Vol. 15 No. 1 | Service Design at the Dawn of AI is out!

What you are about to read is the latest thinking — and hands-on application — around service design and AI.

Continue reading