SINGAPORE: When crises strike, young people could play a part in helping their peers cope with the psychological impact, under a new volunteer programme launched on Tuesday (Oct 27).
The Human Emergency Assistance and Response Teams (HEART) Associates Youth Wing programme aims to equip youths with psychological first aid skills to support their peers and strengthen community resilience.
Participants will connect with other youths through youth-led outreach and peer-to-peer support, while applying their knowledge of psychology and related disciplines to crisis support roles.
Close to 100 youths have expressed interest in the programme, with 30 making up its first cohort. Most of the remaining youths are expected to join by the end of this year.
The programme was launched by Second Minister for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann at a forum organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA)'s Home Team Psychology Division.
"In a crisis, young people, like everyone else, can experience psychological distress," said Ms Sim. "When facing adversity, some may turn to friends and peers first for support and comfort."
She highlighted that these youth volunteers are "well-placed" to support their peers experiencing psychological distress by sharing accurate information, providing peer support and helping to build resilience in their own communities.
"We cannot predict every crisis, but we can prepare before one strikes," she added.
Participants in the programme include third-year polytechnic students, university undergraduates and postgraduate students pursuing psychology, social work or related mental health disciplines.
The programme falls under the youth arm of the HEART Professionals Network, which was launched in July 2025 to foster collaboration between Home Team psychologists and professional associations in mental health and crisis management.
Dr Diong Siew Maan, director of psychological research at MHA's Home Team Psychology Division, said these young volunteers would be better able to connect with their peers through their familiarity with youth lingo and social media.
Through role-playing exercises, lectures, discussions and case studies shared by experts, participants will learn skills such as showing empathy, listening to and supporting their peers, she added.
"We hope that we can expand (the youth wing) beyond psychology, mental health and social work students."
Among the volunteers is 20-year-old Nimbalkar Arrya Ajit, a second-year psychology student at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
She has seen first-hand how a friend struggled with mental health issues, becoming withdrawn and behaving differently from usual.
"Its in times like these where it is good to have psychological first aid skills at the back of your head," she said.
"Through this programme, I hope to be confident in administering psychological first aid ... so if a crisis happens and I have to step up, I can do it and won't hesitate or become a bystander."
Another volunteer, 23-year-old Ryan Oh, hopes to learn more about crisis response and frontline mental health work.
"We, as youths, are often the first ones to spot other youths in distress because we exist in the same spaces," said the third-year psychology student at NUS.
"So I feel it is very meaningful and important to turn this leverage into credible skilled support, going from wanting to help to knowing how to actually help."