National Youth Achievement Award Ceremony 2025

National Youth Achievement Award Ceremony 2025: Connecting Hearts, Rebuilding Lives, Shaping Singapore Together

SINGAPORE, 27 November 2025 – In 2000, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) introduced the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) for young inmates aged between 16 and 30, to provide them with a platform to learn, grow, and serve the community during their incarceration. This year, 58 inmate participants completed the NYAA programme, and among them, 46 inmates achieved the Gold Award, 10 achieved Silver and 2 were awarded Bronze.

2.              Themed ‘Connecting Hearts, Rebuilding Lives, Shaping Singapore Together’, NYAA 2025 is in line with the theme of SG60, ‘Building our Singapore Together’. Held at Institution TM1 today, we celebrated the achievements of the inmate participants who had completed the NYAA programme and contributed to a stronger and more united Singapore.

3.              Ms Goh Hanyan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment was the Guest-of-Honour. In her speech, Ms Goh highlighted the 25th anniversary milestone of the NYAA programme within SPS, with more than 2,400 inmates having completed the NYAA programme since its inception. She commended the inmate participants for their growth, service, and contributions, and encouraged them to continue to be inspired and inspire others as they rebuild their lives and give back to their families and the community. Ms Goh also thanked the NYAA council, volunteers, and community partners for their unwavering partnership and commitment to the NYAA programme in SPS, and for having transformed the lives of the inmate participants over the past 25 years.

4.              Mr Fairizal, an alumnus from the 2007 NYAA cohort, exemplifies the programme's enduring impact. Leaving behind his old self which had been caught in a cycle of drugs, crimes and secret societies, Fairizal earned his NYAA Silver Award whilst in prison and has since rebuilt his life. Today, he is an Operations Manager at a transport company and volunteers as an Industrial & Services Cooperative Society (ISCOS) Titan, sharing his success story with inmates, at-risk youth and students. "The NYAA is not just about medals or recognition—it's a journey of self-discovery that challenges young people to grow through service and personal development. These experiences taught me teamwork, resilience and compassion—values that shaped who I am today. I encourage everyone who's part of the NYAA journey to use the skills and values you have learned to rebuild not just your own life, but to strengthen the lives of others around you. That is how we break the cycle and create lasting change.”

Community Leadership Initiative Projects

5.              In collaboration with the community partners, the inmate participants developed and implemented five Community Leadership Initiative Projects (CLIP) as part of the NYAA Gold Award requirements. One of these projects was a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth, SPS, and Architects of Life (AOL), where AOL conducted a series of art workshops for the 2 inmate participants. Picking up drawing and painting skills, the inmate participants produced acrylic painted artworks which were showcased outside 111 Somerset in September this year.

6.              Ms Low Yi Juan, Executive Director of AOL, said, “We are honoured to support SPS for the NYAA in cultivating hope and transformation through the arts. This collaboration has been deeply meaningful for us. Through the art workshops with the inmates, we witnessed how creative expression can unlock confidence and a renewed sense of purpose. Seeing their artworks showcased at a public space was significant as it demonstrated not only their talents, but also the community’s willingness to recognise their stories and potential.”

7.              Other CLIPs included (a) organising an engagement session for the elderly residents from the Precious Active Ageing Centre @ Punggol Ripples – an active ageing centre under Allkin Singapore, (b) engaging the elderly from Lions Befrienders through activities that target their mental cognition and motor skills, (c) donating an origami-crafted chess board to the Metta Welfare Association for the disabled and elderly, and (d) collaborating with Art & Grow Collective SG to implement indoor urbanponics at the Reformative Training Centre and donating the harvest to the Apex Harmony Lodge.

8.              Deputy Superintendent Harvinder Singh, Chairperson of the NYAA Ceremony 2025, said, “As we celebrate 25 years of NYAA in SPS, I am reminded daily why this programme matters so deeply. In my years working with inmates, I have witnessed countless moments of transformation—young inmates who entered our gates believing they were defined by their worst decisions, only to discover through NYAA that they possess strength, compassion and leadership they never knew existed. This programme doesn't just teach skills; it rebuilds hope. Every life we touch has the potential to touch countless others. That's the true power of these 25 years—not just the individuals we have helped transform, but the ripple effect of healing they create in our community.”