Mr Andy Sim, Vice President & Managing Director, Dell Technologies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1 Very good morning to all of you. First of all, I am happy to be back at Dell InnovateFest for the third year running. This ‘Hackathon with a Heart’ has grown from strength to strength, and it is really heartening to see how each year, this event brings fresh ideas, perspectives and new energy to tackle real-world challenges. This year’s InnovateFest shines the spotlight on an important issue: supporting the mental health needs of two groups in society – one, caregivers of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PWIDs) as well as the second group, our youths.
Government Support for Mental Health
2 Mental health is health, and mental health is a national priority here in Singapore.
3 Caregivers of PWIDs, in particular, face unique challenges that extend beyond routine caregiving. They take on the mantle of advocating for their loved ones to secure the best care, while at the same time managing complex behaviours and needs around the clock. While they provide crucial care and support, they often prioritise the needs of others before their own. This often leads to stress, burnout and long-term mental health challenges.
4 Many often take a step back from their careers or social lives to accommodate their caregiving duties, and may therefore feel isolated and overwhelmed by their responsibilities. As they age, many have also shared their anxieties – and these are very real anxieties – about the future when they are no longer around to care for their loved ones.
5 At the same time, our young people, our teenagers youths, like many of you in this hall today, face challenges like peer pressure, academic stress and anxiety about the future, which can affect your mental health. While teenagers have always had to take on the challenges of adulting, youths today are grappling with issues that previous generations did not have to contend with. Some examples include addictions associated with the use of social networking sites, cyber bullying and the pressure to be picture perfect, such as the endless pursuit of the ideal body image. You face pressure at school, in the community, and even as you look at yourself in the mirror.
6 I therefore thank all 10 groups in advance for your ideas to support the mental health of these two groups at the Dell InnovateFest. The Government has made mental health and well-being a key priority in our national agenda.
7 Two years ago, in 2023, we launched the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy. This move supports Singaporeans in a few ways.
a. First, the cornerstone of this Strategy is the Tiered Care Model. Under this Model, mental health services and touchpoints are organised into different levels of care depending on the severity of needs and intensity of interventions required. This ensures that everyone can be provided with the right support at the right time.
b. Second, when we face mental health challenges, the people around us are often our first port of call. To enhance the capacities and capabilities of community-based mental health support, the Government will be increasing the number of Youth Community Outreach Teams (CREST-Youth) and Youth Integrated Teams (YIT) in the next few years. Over time, I hope that the larger networks of mutual support can detect more people who need help early and support their mental well-being.
8 For our caregivers, youths and anyone who needs mental health support, help is also available under the First Stop for Mental Health (FSMH), which comprises the national mental health helpline and textline, national mindline 1771, the self-help portal mindline.sg and in-person CREST and CHAT services.
9 We are in good company with many tech friends this morning. Technology definitely can be a vital tool to complement our work in mental health and well-being. I’m excited to hear from you in a while about your ideas. I did a little bit of homework, and I understand that there’s a huge diversity of solutions that will be proposed today, from app-based mood check-ins to online peer networks and gamified journeys, and many more. But after today’s Dell InnovateFest, however, I really hope that you will continue to leverage technology to tackle real-world challenges and promote mental health and well-being among your peers. In the process, I hope that you will develop solutions with a heart and at the same time, have a care about the ethical considerations these tech solutions might bring to bear.
Call to Action
10 I’ve been truly fortunate to participate in this hackathon from the very beginning. Coming to this event has become an annual ritual that I look forward to. Over the past years, we have seen how technology can be a powerful tool to make daily life more inclusive – from improving accessibility for persons with intellectual disabilities, to helping families navigate public spaces and now, to combat mental health challenges.
11 So I owe a word of thanks to all the schools, social service agencies and tech industry representatives who have gathered here this morning – and for the rest of the afternoon as well – for mentoring our students in this project and supporting their ideas. Dell InnovateFest is a stellar example of how, when the people, public and private sectors come together to work in concert as a collective, we can contribute to meaningful goals and support Singapore’s vision for inclusivity. Together, I'm confident that we can reduce stigma, encourage help-seeking, and at the same time, support those in need.
12 On that note, I thank all of you and wish everybody a wonderful day ahead.