You might have heard about the $500 credits for Youths to discover their interests. It’s part of the SG Youth Plan and in its pilot stage, it’s not meant for everyone.
From CDC vouchers for the household to ChildLifeSG Credits for the younger kiddos, Singapore has introduced various support schemes over the years. Now, there’s finally one aimed at teenagers: Curiosity Credits.
The new initiative is part of the newly launched SG Youth Plan — a five-year roadmap that aims to help young people build the confidence, skills and experiences they need as they transition into adulthood.
What is the SG Youth Plan?
The SG Youth Plan is a five-year national roadmap launched by the Singapore Government to help young people prepare for adulthood by supporting their personal development, career exploration and overall wellbeing.
Key programmes include Job Tasters, which allow Youths aged 15 and above to try out different jobs through short stints. They’ll receive education and career guidance through mentorship too. Within institutes of higher learning, students will sit through an Adulting 101 programme which will cover topics such as financial literacy, home ownership, healthcare, careers, and marriage.
Other support will include funding for youth-led projects, an independent living initiative for those aged 21 -35, and new third spaces developed across the island. Curiosity Credits come under this new roadmap and it currently in its pilot phase.
What are Curiosity Credits?
Adults use SkillsFuture credits to upskill for work and youths now have Curiosity Credits to discover their hobbies and interests. The scheme, part of the SG Youth Plan, gives eligible teenagers $500 to explore new interests, hobbies and learning opportunities outside of school. Think of it like Culture Pass but for teens.
What can the Curiosity Credits be used for?
Be it a sport, cooking, the arts, or technology, Curiosity Credits encourage teens to try out new things and to learn what genuinely interests them. It’s refreshing because for once it’s not about academic achievement. It’s about helping teens learn about themselves, about building confidence, and learning something that’s not covered in the school curriculum.
Who can receive Curiosity Credits?
At the moment, not every Singaporean teenager is eligible.
Curiosity Credits are currently being introduced as a pilot programme to eligible youths aged 13 -17 who are supported by self-help groups such as MENDAKI, Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) and the Eurasian Association.
This pilot will help the government determine if the programme should be expanded for all teens in the future.
So, why is Singapore introducing Curiosity Credits?
We know how volatile the world is today, with old jobs phasing out and new jobs popping out faster than ever. It is a complex and uncertain time for youths. More than 60,000 young people came together to share their hopes, concerns, and aspirations for the future. Many expressed a desire for more opportunities to explore different interests, greater confidence in making future education and career choices, meaningful experiences that help them discover their strengths, and support beyond academics. The Curiosity Credits is one of the ways to make these opportunities more accessible for youths.
Will all Singaporean youths eventually receive Curiosity Credits?
At this stage, we don’t know for sure if Curiosity Credits will eventually be rolled out nationwide. But as parents, what we can do is to support our youths in discovering their passions and interests. This may look like doing the activities with them, enrolling them in sport classes for kids or cooking and baking classes, or just learning new things together with your Culture Pass credits.
Until then, let’s keep our fingers crossed.
We’ll be updating this page with more information as it becomes available. Or, find out more from SG Youth Plan.
