IPS On Diversity Podcast

In 2019, the word “they” was announced as the world of the year, a pronoun referring to a single person whose gender identity is non-binary. As the political movements driven by identity politics continue to clash against traditional values in the West, the conversations surrounding neo-pronouns and the fluidity of gender identity has grown louder in Singapore as well. In the ninth and final episode of Season 4, the episode delves into the evolving landscape of gender identity and pronouns. Our host, Liang Kaixin, is joined by Dr Michelle Ho, Assistant Professor of Feminist and Queer Cultural Studies of the National University of Singapore, Chloe Ang, a Master's student, and Muddarius Husayn, an advocate and artist. They explore the complexities of the pronoun movement and the challenges for acceptance and inclusivity in Singapore's diverse society. Chloe and Muddarius shared on their individual exploration of non-binary and queer identities. Chloe shares their journey navigating life as a non-binary individual in a cisgender relationship, highlighting the fluidity and personal nature of gender identity. Muddarius, assigned male at birth and identifying as queer and gender-fluid, discusses the struggle of fitting into societal norms and the importance of self-identification. Dr Ho gave her academic perspective; she noted a generational gap in understanding gender identity and the significance of pronouns. She emphasises the need for respect and understanding in addressing non-binary individuals, suggesting practices like introducing oneself with preferred pronouns to foster inclusivity. Find out more about pronoun movement and identity politics in Singapore: RICE Media (21 October 2021): Pronouns & Neopronouns Decoded — Beyond Labels and Performativity Asia One (29 June 2022): They/them? Here's how gender-neutral pronouns work Time (1 May 2023): How Gen Z Changed Its Views On Gender About our guests: Dr Michelle Ho, Assistant Professor, Department of Communications and News Media, National University of Singapore Michelle H. S. Ho (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Feminist and Queer Cultural Studies in the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Her research interests lie at the intersections of gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity, affect and emotion, and media and popular cultures in contemporary (East) Asia. Her latest monograph, which explores trans/gender issues in late capitalist Tokyo, Japan through an ethnographic study of josō (male-to-female crossdressing) and dansō (female-to-male crossdressing) cafe-and-bars, is forthcoming with Duke University Press. More information can be found at: michellehsho.com. Chloe Ang, Master's Student, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Yale-NUS College   Chloe Ang (they/them) is a student at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Yale-NUS College, pursuing their love for public policy and philosophy. In their spare time, they love creative writing, collecting Hello Kitty merchandise and watching drag queens talk for hours. Muddarius Husayn, Advocate / Artist Someone who believes in a world that can be better if we communicate effectively. More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 8: Speaking English and the Mother Tongue with Dr Teo Kay Key, Research Fellow at IPS, and Kishan Singh, Science Educator Season 4 Episode 7: Girl Math and the Gender Gap in STEM Field with Sieren Lim, Associate Professor at NTU, and Ainul Md Razib, Founder AinLovesCode Season 4 Episode 6: Youth and Climate Anxiety with Melissa Low, Research Fellow at NUS and Darren Quek, Principal of Forest School Singapore Season 4 Episode 5: Youth and Caregiving with Tan Poh Lin, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Jason Leow Season 4 Episode 4: Home Alone and Adulting with Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Klinsen Soh Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Singapore's population losing its grip on mother tongue languages as we become more proficient in English? Two surveys by the Institute of Policy Studies on race, religion and language, found that while proficiency in English has risen, all ethnic groups have become less proficient in mother tongue languages. The eighth episode of the IPS On Diversity Podcast dive into the intricate mix of language, identity, and culture of Singapore. Liang Kaixin hosts the discussion with Dr Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow, and Kishan Singh, a science educator who embarked on formally learning his mother tongue, Hindi, in his mid-20s. Dr Teo sheds light on the paradox of English proficiency in Singapore, where the mastery of the English language, while opening global doors, seems to have diluted proficiency in official mother tongues such as Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. This decline in linguistic diversity sparks a deeper conversation about the loss of cultural identity and the implications for Singaporeans navigating their multilingual heritage. Kishan shares his personal journey, highlighting the challenges faced by non-Tamil Indian Singaporeans in connecting with their cultural roots through language. His experience underlines the broader societal and educational dynamics that influence language learning and retention among Singapore's minorities. In closing, the discussion touches on possible policy recommendations to Singapore's approach to language education. Dr Teo and Kishan propose innovative approaches to language learning that prioritise interest, relevance, and the removal of the stigma and shame associated with speaking mother tongues and dialects. Find out more about adulting and housing in Singapore: CNA (21 August 2022): Bad at Mother Tongue? What some parents are doing to help young ones be more fluent Straits Times (31 October 2023): Becoming proficient in English has come at a cost for many Singaporeans About our guests: Teo Kay Key, Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies Dr Teo Kay Key is Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies. She has a PhD in Political Science from the National University of Singapore. Her research interests are in political and social attitudes, public opinion, voting behaviour, and Singapore society. She is interested in examining these topics using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. Her current projects examine a myriad of issues in Singapore, including attitudes towards the family, social norms and values, and national identity. Prior to joining IPS, she worked in the civil service for nearly three years doing strategic planning, training, and policy work. She also has a Masters in Political Behaviour from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom and a Bachelors in Social Science from the Singapore Management University Kishan Singh, Adult learner of Hindi language, Science Educator Kishan Singh is a science educator with over 10 years of teaching experience, both in local and international schools. He also completed a secondment at the Ministry of Education concentrating on policy work around international students in our local schools. Since his MA in Science Education, he has an interest in how different groups perceive science, and how informal education, through social media and podcasts, has the potential to engage and involve wider audiences. He also does a podcast with his best friend called T42 available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 7: Girl Math and the Gender Gap in STEM Field with Sieren Lim, Associate Professor at NTU, and Ainul Md Razib, Founder AinLovesCode Season 4 Episode 6: Youth and Climate Anxiety with Melissa Low, Research Fellow at NUS and Darren Quek, Principal of Forest School Singapore Season 4 Episode 5: Youth and Caregiving with Tan Poh Lin, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Jason Leow Season 4 Episode 4: Home Alone and Adulting with Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Klinsen Soh Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Girl math," a TikTok trend where young women humorously rationalise their spending in ways that defy conventional math have sparked conversations surrounding gender stereotypes and gaps. In this episode of IPS On Diversity Podcast, we delve into the world of "Girl Math" and the persisting gender gap in STEM fields. Featuring Dr Sierin Lim, Associate Professor of Bioengineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Associate Dean of Global Partnerships at the NTU Graduate College, and Ms Ainul Md Razib, a full stack software engineer and tech career influencer, founder of AinLovesCode, and member of Women Who Code. The discussion unpacks the underlying causes of the gender disparity in STEM careers in Singapore. Despite equal mathematical abilities among genders in schools, a significant drop-off occurs as women progress in their academic and professional journeys. The episode explores the societal and psychological barriers contributing to this trend, including confidence issues and deeply ingrained stereotypes. Dr Lim, who champions community developments and initiatives towards empowering women in STEM careers, shares insights from her research on the representation of women in STEM and their career trajectory. She highlighted the impact of supportive environments from family, educational institutions, and workplaces in fostering women's sustained interest and growth in STEM fields. Ms Ainul, drawing from her personal journey and interactions within the tech community, emphasises the importance of support networks in overcoming the challenge of stereotypes, and the critical role of positive representation in encouraging more women to embark on and thrive in STEM careers. Find out more about Girl Math and the Gender Gap in STEM field: NTU Study (4 March 2022): STEM Gender Gap in Singapore UNESCO Courier (15 December 2022): Paradox in Singapore: Women steering clear of maths careers Today (20 September 2023): #trending: 'It's basically free' — women jump on 'girl math' trend to justify spending. Some say it's fun, others warn of potential harm About our guests:  Sierin Lim, Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Nanyang Technological University, Associate Dean of Global Partnerships, NTU Graduate College Sierin Lim is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU). Her research group focuses on repurposing nature-derived materials by designing and engineering biological entities for applications in health and the environment. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). She received the L'Oreal-UNESCO Singapore for Women in Science National Fellowship in 2013 and was named Singapore 100 Women in Tech Inaugural List in 2020. In addition to her research work, Sierin is championing community developments at NTU and in Singapore, particularly women in STEM initiatives. She founded the Biomedical Engineering Society (Singapore) Student Chapter in 2009, co-founded Women@NTU in 2018 and Society of Women Engineers Singapore in 2021 of which she is the Vice President (Academic). She is leading the Ministry of Education-funded Promotion of Women in Engineering, Research, and Science (POWERS) programme and is currently serving as the Associate Dean of Global Partnerships at the NTU Graduate College. Ainul Md Razib, Full Stack Software Engineer, Founder, AinLovesCode Ainul is the founder of Ain Loves Code, an educational social media brand that provides tips and advice on breaking into the tech industry. A software developer with over two years of experience in the IT sector, she actively advocates for better representation and diversity in the IT sector, and has partnered with a variety of organisations to raise awareness of tech learning and career opportunities, such as Google Singapore, Girls Who Code and SkillsFuture Singapore. Ainul graduated with a Bachelor in Engineering with a specialisation in Information Systems from the Singapore University of Technology and Design.  More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 6: Youth and Climate Anxiety with Melissa Low, Research Fellow at NUS and Darren Quek, Principal of Forest School Singapore Season 4 Episode 5: Youth and Caregiving with Tan Poh Lin, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Jason Leow Season 4 Episode 4: Home Alone and Adulting with Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Klinsen Soh Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A study published in 2021 found that 59 per cent of 10,000 young adults surveyed are extremely worried about climate change, with many experiencing negative effects on their daily lives. This phenomenon, termed "climate anxiety", is characterised by feelings of helplessness and fear due to the perceived enormity and complexity of climate change issues. In conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2024, themed around the topic of youths, the sixth episode of the "IPS On Diversity" Season 4, delves into the psychological and emotional impact of climate change on young people. Host Liang Kaixin is joined by Melissa Low, a research fellow at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, and Darren Quek, Principal of Forest School Singapore and a climate activist. Melissa and Darren discuss their personal experiences with climate anxiety and the broader implications of this emotional state on society. The conversation touches upon the role of media in shaping perceptions of climate change and the potential impact of climate anxiety on future demographic trends, like decisions around starting a family. The discussion concludes with suggestions for addressing climate anxiety, including seeking mental health support, and engaging in community and grassroots activities. The episode provides insights into the emotional toll of environmental issues on younger generations and the need for mental health support in the face of climate change. Find out more about adulting and housing in Singapore: Straits Times (17 July 2023): Green Pulse Podcast: Climate change is a mental health issue    Channel News Asia (30 March 2023): Commentary: Is ‘climate anxiety' a clinical diagnosis? Should it be? Asian Scientist (23 March 2023): The Climate Anxiety Issue  About our guests: Melissa Low, Research Fellow, Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore Melissa Low is a Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions. At the Centre, Melissa leads Continuing Education and Training. She previously worked at the Energy Studies Institute, NUS where she carried out research projects on a range of energy and climate issues of concern to Singapore and the region. She has participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP) for over a decade and is an active sustainability thought leader, authoring, publishing and presenting at various forums. She is the Designated Contact Point for NUS's accreditation to the UNFCCC and currently serves as interim co-focal point on the nine-member Steering Committee of the Research and Independent Non-Governmental Organisation (RINGO) Constituency under the UNFCCC. Melissa holds an LLM in Climate Change Law and Policy (with distinction) from the University of Strathclyde, MSc in Environmental Management and BSocSci (Hons) in Geography from NUS. For her Master's thesis on past and contemporary proposals on equity and differentiation in shaping the 2015 climate agreement, Melissa was awarded the Shell Best Dissertation Award 2013. She is currently pursuing a PhD part-time at the NUS Department of Geography. Outside of work, Melissa started an eco-friendly/ social book swop movement in Singapore, called Books and Beer, which has been featured in The Straits Times, The Business Times, Bangkok Post and The Wall Street Journal's Scene Asia Blog. Darren Quek, Principal, Forest School Singapore Darren is the Principal of Forest School Singapore (FSS). He has spent 15 years in the field of Education, starting from a simple Assistant Trainer for Robotics and Game Programming, till where he is now, a Principal for FSS and Trail Blazer for Forest School Education in Singapore. He started the first Forest School in Singapore in 2016, after learning from and understudying from his Mentor Atsuko sensei, a Forest Kindergarten practitioner and parent in Japan. He also earned his Forest School Level 3 Practitioner Certification through time spent in Manchester and Sheffield undergoing training and assessments. More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 5: Youth and Caregiving with Tan Poh Lin, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Jason Leow Season 4 Episode 4: Home Alone and Adulting with Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Klinsen Soh Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The complex dynamics of caregiving within families, especially for the “sandwich generation” juggling the care of both children and elderly parents, is a growing concern amongst Singaporean youths. The fifth episode of the "IPS On Diversity" Season 4, hosted by Liang Kaixin, explores the challenges faced by the “sandwich generation” and possible solutions. In conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2024, themed around the topic of youths, this episode features Dr Tan Poh Lin, IPS Senior Research Fellow, and Jason Leow, a youth caregiver who is also the sole breadwinner. They explore how younger generations, like Jason, balance the responsibilities of caring for their ageing parents while raising their own children, often within the same household. This setup reflects a shift in Singapore's social structure, where traditional extended family support is evolving in the face of modern living constraints and societal changes. The discussion also touches on the emotional and financial aspects of caregiving, the impact of caregiving on women's work and life satisfaction, and the role of government and community in supporting caregivers. Dr Tan and Jason provide insights into the realities of intergenerational care, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to address the challenges faced by today's sandwich generation in Singapore. Find out more about adulting and housing in Singapore: Straits Times (28 June 2023): Caught in the middle: How the sandwich generation can ease the squeeze   Channel News Asia (28 September 2022): Sandwich generation: How can those caring for the elderly and children take care of their finances? Straits Times (5 September 2021): Courses and support networks help young caregivers facing burnout About our guests:  Tan Poh Lin, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies   Tan Poh Lin is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Governance and Economy Department. Her research focuses on women's fertility, health and work-life balance in the contexts of extremely low fertility rates in Singapore and Asia. She is Principal Investigator of the Singapore Time to Conception Study and Youth Outlook on Life Opportunities study. She serves as the Secretary of the Population Association of Singapore. Previously, she was a population policy officer at the National Population Secretariat (now the National Population and Talent Division) within the Prime Minister's Office in Singapore. She obtained her PhD in Public Policy from Duke University and Bachelor's in Economics from Princeton University. Jason Leow, Youth Caregiver  Jason has been self-employed in the design industry for 10 years. He is the sole breadwinner for a household of five, including two elderly parents, spouse, and toddler. More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 4: Home Alone and Adulting with Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at IPS and Klinsen Soh Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The idea of “adulting” and independence is often on the minds of youths, past and present. However, while young people used to wait until they marry before applying for a flat, more young Singaporeans are moving out of their parents' homes and renting a place on their own as a rite of passage to adulthood, a topic explored in the fourth episode of "IPS On Diversity" Season 4. In conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2024, themed around the topic of youths, host Liang Kaixin, Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies, engages with Dr Chew Han Ei, IPS adjunct senior research fellow, and Klinsen Soh, a 32-year-old working adult who has chosen to move out before getting married. The episode delves into the motivations and implications of this trend, revealing insights into the challenges and experiences of young adults navigating their journey towards independence. In this episode, Dr Chew Han Ei discusses findings from the Youth STEPS study, highlighting factors such as the desire for personal space, the impact of the pandemic on work-from-home dynamics, and financial considerations. Klinsen, on the other hand, shares his personal journey, emphasising the importance of creating one's own living space for personal growth and independence. Find out more about adulting and housing in Singapore: Straits Times (11 September 2022): Rental, shared housing more appealing to young S'poreans, though most still want to own homes: Study Channel News Asia (8 May 2023): 'Way over budget': Why some young adults have given up on renting as prices rise Today (11 September 2021): The Big Read in short: Young, single and living away from parents  About our guests:  Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies   Chew Han Ei is Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). He is concurrently an international expert at the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab and a board member of SG Her Empowerment. During his adjunctship, he is spearheading a new research initiative on digital trust. Dr Chew is a quantitative research specialist and has a keen interest in pursuing research work on social issues, especially on technology adoption in societies. Some of his key international projects for UNESCO include “Reading in the Mobile Era” and “I'd Blush If I Could — Closing Gender Divides in Digital Skills through Education”. At the IPS, Dr Chew is Principal Investigator of the Youth Study on Transitions and Evolving Pathways in Singapore (Youth STEPS), the first national-level longitudinal study of youths in Singapore funded by the National Youth Council.  Klinsen Soh, 32-year-old working adult Klinsen Soh is a public servant at the Ministry of Communications and Information as of January 2023. Aside from his current roles in strategy and foresight, he has experience as an analyst in the fields of AI, transportation and logistics, and geopolitics. His interests include social policy, internet culture, and consumer behaviour. He produces his own podcast and is a freelance stunt actor. More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Singapore, the concept of work-life balance is evolving amidst the prevalent hustle culture. Are young Singaporeans leaning towards a more relaxed approach to work, or is the drive to maximise productivity still dominant? In conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2024, which centres on topics surrounding youths, the third episode of "IPS On Diversity" Season 4 will dive into the themes of hustle culture and quiet quitting. Host Liang Kaixin engages with Laurel Teo, IPS Senior Research Fellow, and He Ruiming, co-founder and main writer of The Woke Salaryman, to dissect the dynamics between the two social trends. They explore the changing work attitudes among Singaporean youth, with a focus on phenomena like “lying flat” and the embrace of “lazy girl jobs”, contrasting these with the still-pervasive hustle culture. The discussion delves into how these attitudes impact professional choices, the pursuit of financial independence, and personal well-being. Find out more about hustle culture and quiet quitting in Singapore: Rice Media (24 August 2022): Singaporean Quiet Quitters Set the Record Straight on Quiet Quitting Singapore Business Review (10 November 2022): Commentary: More than 1 in 2 Gen Z Singaporeans are ‘quiet quitting'  Today (30 October 2023): ​​​​​​​Gen Zen: How to have a healthy relationship with hustle culture About our guests: Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies   Laurel Teo is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, Society and Culture department. She studies how people think, feel, and behave in organisational settings. Her research focuses on the future of work, technology and privacy issues at work, as well as ethics and inclusion at work. She was conference co-chair for Singapore Perspectives 2023: Work, and was also the research coordinator for Reinventing Destiny, a conference held in 2023 to mark the occasion of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's 100th Birth Anniversary. In her prior careers, Laurel has worked in journalism, consulting, and regulatory engagement in Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong. These experiences have helped to shape her research interests. Laurel is also a Chartered Financial Analyst and currently volunteers on the board of CFA Society Singapore as honorary secretary. She graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor's degree (magna cum laude) double majoring in Anthropology and Chinese. She earned her PhD in Business (Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources) from Singapore Management University. He Ruiming Co-founder and Main Writer, The Woke Salaryman  Council Member, 17th National Youth Council He Ruiming is the Co-founder and Main Writer at The Woke Salaryman, a personal finance blog that helps Singaporeans make better financial and life choices through their educational webcomics. Ruiming is also a Council Member of the 17th National Youth Council, and was recognised in the Gen T 2021 List as a Leader of Tomorrow shaping Asia's Future. More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC Season 3 Episode 4: Racism at Work with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

*Trigger Warning: This episode of the podcast touches on topics involving suicide and bullying* In Singapore, the social stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS remains a significant challenge, lagging behind the rapid advancements in medical science. This persistent stigma, rooted in fear and prejudice, hampers efforts towards a more inclusive and informed society. In the second episode of the fourth season of IPS' On Diversity Podcast, our host Liang Kaixin, Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies and a former journalist, delves into this critical issue with Dr Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Outreach Education and Testing at Action for AIDS. Their discussion revolves around the enduring misconceptions about HIV, the vital role of campaigns and sexual health education in dispelling these myths, and strategies like HIV self-testing kits to encourage early detection, especially for high-risk groups. Where to get help: Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1767 Institute of Mental Health's Helpline: 6389 2222 Singapore Association for Mental Health Helpline: 1800 283 7019 Action for AIDS: 6254 0212 You can also find a list of international helplines here. If someone you know is at immediate risk, call 24-hour emergency medical services. Find out more about HIV and AIDS in Singapore: CNA (2 February 2019): Commentary: Public attitudes of HIV have not moved beyond narratives of fear, prejudice from early years of global epidemic CNA (4 November 2021): Commentary: Could the use of COVID-19 self-test kits and vending machines be replicated for HIV testing? CNA (1 December 2022): ​​​​​​​'They used to physically recoil': How stigma around Singaporeans with HIV changed over the years About our guests: Rayner Kay Jin Tan, Assistant Professor, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore Dr Rayner Kay Jin Tan is an Assistant Professor at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and a sociobehavioural researcher by training. His research interests revolve broadly about the social determinants of health, community engagement, implementation science, and health equity of vulnerable communities. Rayner was a recipient of the Fulbright Visiting Research Scholarship for the academic year 2022/2023 and is receiving training in implementation sciences as a fellow of the HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Health Implementation Research Institute (HIGH-IRI) of the Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently deputy editor of a leading HIV scientific journal, the Journal of the International AIDS Society and a perspectives editor at the BMJ journal, Sexually Transmitted Infections. He also actively contributes to the organising and scientific committees of the International AIDS Society and International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI) conferences. He currently is the president of Project X Society serving the health and social needs of sex workers, and a Director at The Greenhouse Community Services Limited, a charity providing substance use recovery services for marginalised groups in Singapore. He also currently serves as the Vice President for the Society of Behavioural Health, Singapore and a co-lead at SG Mental Health Matters. Terry Lim, Associate Director, Outreach Education and Testing Action for AIDS Terry Lim has been working with AfA for over 12 years leading its heterosexual outreach work and yet is still learning and growing in this ever-changing environment especially as we deal with the new normal. Terry sees himself as a connector and a bridge, taking the policies and big picture on HIV, digesting and understanding them, and then translating it on the ground to the target audience. He has found some success in doing this to achieve and bring about change in behaviour over the years. More from On Diversity Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC Season 3 Episode 4: Racism at Work with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab Season 3 Episode 3: Ableism at Work with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, and Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Singapore, the silent struggle of single mothers facing poverty often goes unnoticed. In a society known for its affluence, these women confront unique challenges that are deeply intertwined with societal norms and government policies. In the opening episode of the fourth season, host Liang Kaixin, Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies and a former journalist, engages in an in-depth discussion with two key figures in the field: Carrie Tan, Member of Parliament (MP) at Nee Soon GRC and founder of Daughters of Tomorrow, and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE who managed the Support Housing and Enable (S.H.E.) project. They delved into the multifaceted issues faced by single mothers in Singapore, especially those who are unwed and divorced, and explore the complex intersection of poverty, single motherhood, and societal stigma. This episode sheds light on the economic hardships, support systems, housing challenges, and the impact of societal perceptions on these women. It also explores recent policy shifts aimed at providing better support to unwed mothers. Find out more about single parenthood in Singapore: AWARE (December 2016): Single Parents' Access to Public Housing Findings from AWARE's Research Project The Straits Times (25 March 2023): Struggles of mothers, lower-income women highlighted in new book The Straits Times (9 March 2022): Budget debate: MPs call for better support for single parents, low-income families About our guests: Carrie Tan, Member of Parliament; Founder, Daughters of Tomorrow Carrie Tan is recognised for her dual role as the founder of Daughters of Tomorrow (DOT), a charity aiding underprivileged women in Singapore, and as a MP of Nee Soon GRC. Her journey in politics is a natural progression of her commitment to community service, emphasising the representation of marginalised voices and advocating for inclusive policymaking. DOT's approach complements existing workforce-related agencies, connecting volunteers and community resources to each woman individually. By understanding their day-to-day constraints, the organisation provides tailored coaching and assistance, helping women achieve regular and sustained employment. In her political role, Carrie Tan continues this ethos, advocating for the representation of marginalised voices and inclusive policy-making. Her work spans critical areas including women's empowerment, mental health, and community care. Carrie has proposed initiatives like "Carefare" to support low-income full-time caregivers and tirelessly advocates for better mental health support in education and healthcare. In her constituency of Nee Soon South, she has established programmes like the Mental Well-being Committee and a Diaper Support Programme for the elderly, alongside an online show highlighting children's perspectives, all reflective of her dedication to mindful parenting and enhancing community well-being. Elizabeth Quek, Program Manager, AWARE Elizabeth Quek has had experience in the social service sector for over 15 years, with a focus on supporting single parents. As a Programme Manager at AWARE, she played a pivotal role in the S.H.E Project (Support, Housing and Enablement), a research-based service offering stable housing and transformational support for low-income families led by single mothers. This initiative, with its pilot program running from 2018 to 2021, aimed to provide these families with a chance to stabilise their lives and transition out of poverty. The S.H.E Project, addressing findings from AWARE's 2016 study on single parents' access to public housing, provided long-term housing stability, unlike typical transitional housing programmes. From July 2019 to April 2020, Elizabeth also managed the Community Childminding Network, part of Daughters of Tomorrow, focusing on building community support among mothers. This initiative created a "kampong of trust" to address childminding needs, allowing more women to work and support their families. More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC Season 3 Episode 4: Racism at Work with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab Season 3 Episode 3: Ableism at Work with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, and Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 2: Ageism at Work with Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Singapore, race is closely tied to identity, and racial categories are commonly used in policymaking. With the rising number of inter-racial marriages in the country, is there a need to better represent and account for those with mixed race heritage? In the final episode of the third season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab and Dave Parkash, an F&B business owner who was at the centre of a viral racist incident involving a polytechnic lecturer in 2021. They reflect on the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Others (CMIO) categorisation in Singapore, the difficulties they face as biracial individuals, and how they think Singaporeans could be more racially inclusive. Find out more about biracialism in Singapore: Today (11 June 2021): My mixed-race children and I have been subjected to racist remarks. How can we do better, Singapore? Vice (17 January 2020): What It's Like to Grow Up Biracial In Singapore Rice Media (29 November 2019): Someone Once Said to Me, “You Look Good For A Half-Indian Guy” About our guests: Shane Pereira Research Associate IPS Social Lab Shane is a Research Associate at IPS Social Lab. He specialises in applied ethnography and social research methods, and holds qualifications in Sociology and social research methods, which he taught for the last 11 years in both the NUS and King's College London. He also taught Cognitive Processes and Problem Solving in Republic Polytechnic.Shane's research focus centres on issues of diversity, pluralism, and multiculturalism. His current research interests include ethnographic methodology, in-work poverty in the gig economy, intergenerational poverty, social and cultural diversity, and Singapore's religious landscape.He also has a keen interest in the social construction of cults, sects, and other minority religions. Dave Parkash F&B Business Owner Dave is co-founder and co-owner of a restaurant in Singapore. He graduated with a bachelor of science in International Business Management from Newcastle University London. He is experienced in Business Development and has previously made several ventures in the F&B scene. Dave has previously been invited to speak on the issue of race in Singapore on CNA's On The Red Dot: Who We Are, What We Eat. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC Season 3 Episode 4: Racism at Work with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab Season 3 Episode 3: Ableism at Work with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, and Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 2: Ageism at Work with Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Season 3 Episode 1: Sexism at Work, with Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE)  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Working mothers and pregnant women are still facing discrimination, in spite of guidelines that were introduced to prevent this. What are the reasons behind the continued discrimination? Can legislation better ensure fair treatment of these women in society? In the eighth episode of the third season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with two of our guests, Sher-li Torrey, founder of Mums@Work, as well as Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS, about making childcare more gender-equal, the impact of career breaks and having maternity covers that could help mothers go on maternity leave with a peace of mind. Find out more about pregnancy and maternity discrimination: CNA (10 October 2022): Singapore Airlines says pregnant cabin crew may choose to work temporary ground jobs The Straits Times (27 June 2022): Pregnant women still facing discrimination at workplace despite anti-discrimination laws Today (9 June 2022): Police say they are 'firmly against workplace discrimination', after ex-officer claims appraisal dropped due to pregnancy Today (17 June 2017): Pregnant workers still ‘face subtle discrimination' in Singapore   About our guests: Sher-li Torrey Founder of Mums@Work In 2010, following the birth of her daughter, Sher-li started Mums@Work (Singapore), which is a social enterprise that supports women. In 2016, she started a subsidiary of Mums@Work, Career Navigators, with the focus of bringing women back into the workforce in full-time roles. Sher-li currently sits on the 12th COMPASS Council (Ministry of Education), having been on the 10th council since 2017. She also sits on the ACCORD Family & Community Council (Ministry of Defence) since 2019. In addition, she is a Families For Life Council (Ministry of Social & Family Development) Member as of August 2019. In 2012, she co-authored the book “Successful Work-Life Balance: The Flexi-work Way/ The Mumpreneur Way”. Sher-li also won the SG Heroine award in the SG Women's Festival 2022, in recognition for her work done to encourage women equality in Singapore. She was selected as LinkedIn Top Voices in Gender Equity in 2022 and also one of the three women in Singapore in a LinkedIn-sponsored International Women's Day 2022 feature in Vogue Magazine. Kalpana Vignehsa Senior Research Fellow at IPS Kalpana is Senior Research Fellow in the Governance and Economy Department at the Institute of Policy Studies. She works on topics related to immigration and social integration in families and workplaces. Kalpana also has interests in the lived experience of parenthood and behavioural interventions in healthcare and environmentalism. Before joining IPS in 2020, Kalpana worked across public advocacy, academia, non-government work, and consulting. Most recently, she was Design Ethnographer at the Australian Consumer Association, where she led the social research programme within R&D. Kalpana worked on projects related to housing, the circular-economy, ageing, and energy affordability. Prior to this, she was Assistant Professor at UTS Business School. Her research focused on organisational “stuckedness”—the how and why of our persistence with practices that are non-generative, or even counterproductive. Kalpana received her PhD in Organisational Sociology from the University of Technology Sydney (Australia). She also holds a Bachelors of International Business and a BA with Honours in Political Science and International Relations from Macquarie University (Australia).  On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC Season 3 Episode 4: Racism at Work with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab Season 3 Episode 3: Ableism at Work with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, and Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 2: Ageism at Work with Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Season 3 Episode 1: Sexism at Work, with Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE)  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Death has always been a taboo topic in Singapore. With our ageing population rising as well as Health Minister Ong Ye Kung's plans to increase the proportion of people dying at home or in palliative care settings instead of hospitals, is it time we begin talking more openly about our end-of-life plans? In this episode, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with guests Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After. They discuss the concept of what a good death means, the changes needed to allow more people to spend their final moments at home and when people should begin thinking of their end-of-life plans. Read more about palliative care in Singapore: CNA (2 July 2022): IN FOCUS: Dying at home may seem ideal to many, but it's not always straightforward The Straits Times (2 June 2022): MOH to boost palliative care at home, better support caregivers About our guests: Chong Poh Heng Medical Director HCA Hospice Limited Dr Chong is Vice Chair of Singapore Hospice Council and Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited. He founded Star PALS (Paediatric Advanced Life Support), a specialist paediatric palliative care service under HCA Hospice in 2012.  He advocates in his field nationally as chairperson of the paediatric and young adults Advanced Care Planning (ACP) task force, and internationally at Asia Pacific Hospice Network (APHN) Paediatric Palliative Care Special Interest Group respectively.   Dr Chong received the Healthcare Humanity Award in 2015, and won the Leader of Good (adult category) at the President's Volunteerism and Philanthropy Award ceremony in 2021. Tay Jia Ying Founder Happy Ever After Jia Ying started her exploration into end-of-life work in 2013 through her involvement as a producer with Both Sides, Now, an arts-based community engagement project on end-of-life issues. After seven years working with the community, she founded Happy Ever After in 2021 to connect directly with individuals to support them and their loved ones in navigating the complexities of life and death, love and loss, hopes and fears, laughter and tears. She is a certified end-of-life doula with The Dying Year, and a certified Respecting Choices 1st Steps Advance Care Planning facilitator. She is also a member of the National End-of-life Doula Alliance (NEDA), and is NEDA proficient. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC Season 3 Episode 4: Racism at Work with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab Season 3 Episode 3: Ableism at Work with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, and Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 2: Ageism at Work with Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Season 3 Episode 1: Sexism at Work, with Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE)  Season 2 Episode 9: Youth Mental Health, with Dr Jacqueline Tilley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and Asher Low, Founder of Limitless Season 2 Episode 8: What Makes Us Singaporean, with Matthew Matthews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, and Oon Shu An, Singaporean actress and host See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The demands of the social work profession have recently been in the spotlight, in part because of the pandemic, as well as highlighted in Parliament. The heavy caseload and long working hours are just some of the problems social workers struggle to deal with. What are the pitfalls of working in a job that focuses so greatly on passion? What policies can be put in place to alleviate the challenges social workers face, and encourage them to stay in the profession? In this episode, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with two of our guests Louis Ng, Member of Parliament for Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children's Aid Society. They discuss how the community can support social workers, what the government can do to help the industry and what needs to change in the industry itself to retain younger social workers. Find out more about social worker burnout: CNA (17 April 2022): Back-to-back crises, days that end at 4am: Why some social workers in Singapore are burning out The Straits Times (14 December 2021): S'pore social workers' mental health badly hit during Covid-19 peak in 2020: Study About our guests: Louis Ng Member of Parliament (MP) Nee Soon GRC Louis was elected as MP for Nee Soon GRC in 2015. In 2001, he founded the ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society), an animal protection charity. He currently chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Sustainability and the Environment and is a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for National Development. In 2014, he received the Advocate of the Year award in the inaugural Singapore Advocacy Awards in 2014 and the Inaugural Yahoo! “Singapore 9” award in 2011. Louis has been advocating on the issue of social worker burnout in Singapore since May 2021, pushing for legislative change in parliament. Cindy Ng-Tay Director of Home Children's Aid Society Cindy is a social worker by training with extensive experience working with low-income families and persons experiencing violence and abuse. Over the years, she has developed and executed programmes that aim to address poverty, violence and abuse in families and the community. Cindy is passionate about issues relating to early childhood trauma, poverty, income inequality and social mobility. She is an active advocate for disadvantaged communities in Singapore, where she contributes commentaries to local publications. She is also passionate about good social work practice and has developed standards framework to guide programmes and services and competency framework to guide the development of Social Workers and Social Service Practitioners. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC Season 3 Episode 4: Racism at Work with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab Season 3 Episode 3: Ableism at Work with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, and Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 2: Ageism at Work with Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Season 3 Episode 1: Sexism at Work, with Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE)  Season 2 Episode 9: Youth Mental Health, with Dr Jacqueline Tilley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and Asher Low, Founder of Limitless Season 2 Episode 8: What Makes Us Singaporean, with Matthew Matthews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, and Oon Shu An, Singaporean actress and host Season 2 Episode 7: Homelessness, with Harry Tan, IPS Research Fellow, and June Chua, Co-founder of T Project See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2021 saw a five-year record high number of lawyers leaving the industry locally. What must change to encourage lawyers to stay on in the profession? What is being done to increase the retention of lawyers, especially younger ones? In this episode, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC. They discuss what exactly is causing the mass exodus of lawyers from the profession, and how individual firms as well as the industry at large can help to reduce the stress faced by lawyers in Singapore. Find out more about lawyers leaving the profession in Singapore: AsiaOne (24 January 2022): Quitting law jobs for something 'risky': Young ex-lawyers on why they left the profession The Straits Times (23 January 2022): Young lawyers cite long hours, stress for quitting amid calls for more support from legal fraternity Today (22 January 2022): The Big Read: Burnt out and disillusioned, young lawyers head for the exit — and the industry is worried The Straits Times (10 January 2022): 538 lawyers in Singapore left profession in 2021, a five-year high About our guests: Andrew Chan Partner Allen & Gledhill LLP Andrew Chan's practice encompasses commercial work, and he is a specialist in dispute resolution (especially arbitration), trusts, and insolvency (corporate and personal). In arbitration, he has acted as counsel, been appointed arbitrator and appointed to give expert evidence on Singapore law. Andrew was admitted to the bar in 1993. In October 2011, he was presented the Minister for Law Outstanding Volunteer Award, the highest volunteer award for individuals given by the Ministry of Law Singapore, for providing expertise and helping shape insolvency practice in Singapore. Andrew is passionate about the topic of lawyers leaving the profession, and how to make changes in the industry. He wrote an article on the Great Resignation in the February 2022 issue of the Law Gazette. Michelle Yeo Of Counsel LVM Law Chambers LLC Michelle Yeo is a litigator with a special focus on white-collar criminal law. Qualified in Singapore and in the UK, she is a former legislation drafter and Deputy Public Prosecutor with experience in English law. Michelle began her legal career in 2011 as a Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney-General's Chambers. In 2013, Michelle joined the AGC's Legislative Division, where she drafted Parliamentary bills and subsidiary legislation. She moved to the UK in 2016, where she worked in a law firm and volunteered at a prison law charity. An advocate for social justice and action, Michelle co-founded and is actively involved with ReadAble Ltd, a children's literacy and numeracy charity. She has also drafted Parliamentary speeches and questions for a former Nominated Member of Parliament. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 4: Racism at Work with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab Season 3 Episode 3: Ableism at Work with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, and Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 2: Ageism at Work with Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Season 3 Episode 1: Sexism at Work, with Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE)  Season 2 Episode 9: Youth Mental Health, with Dr Jacqueline Tilley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and Asher Low, Founder of Limitless Season 2 Episode 8: What Makes Us Singaporean, with Matthew Matthews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, and Oon Shu An, Singaporean actress and host Season 2 Episode 7: Homelessness, with Harry Tan, IPS Research Fellow, and June Chua, Co-founder of T Project Season 2 Episode 6: The Young vs The Old, with Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, and Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Race has recently been at the forefront of conversations surrounding workplace culture and hiring in Singapore. In addition to the new anti-discrimination laws which will soon be enshrined, what other measures must be put in place to ensure a racially inclusive workspace? Is Singapore's racial diversity truly represented at individual workplaces? In this episode, which is in conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2023, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with Dharesheni Nedumaran, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC, at Mediabrands and Shamil Zainuddin, Research Associate at IPS Social Lab. They discuss how hiring and appraisal processes can be made more equitable, how to approach the sensitive topic of race at work, and how workplaces can be made more inclusive for minority groups especially. Find out more about conversations on racism at work: CNA (27 June 2022): The Big Read: To stamp out everyday racism or microaggression, treat it as anything but casual The Straits Times (28 May 2022): Formalising HR practices can fight workplace racism: Panellists at race forum South China Morning Post (29 August 2021): Singapore will pass new laws to combat racism, workplace discrimination: PM Lee About our guests: Dharesheni Nedumaran Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, APAC Mediabrands Dharesheni Nedumaran (Sheni) is a global Diversity & Inclusion specialist, with more than 10 years international experience spanning tech, NGOs, global businesses and government, working on data driven projects and programs with underrepresented communities, tailored to countries regulations and culture. In her current role as Mediabrands APAC Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, she works across a network of more than 3000 media and marketing professionals in multiple agencies across 13 Asia-Pacific countries, to lead the development of a long term strategy and roadmap that helps to increase representation, create a culture of belonging and contribution, and promote respect, equity and fairness. Accredited with Campaign Asia's Women Leading Change award for Diverse & Inclusive Workplace for Mediabrands Singapore in 2022, Sheni has a Master's of Work & Organisational Psychology from the Vrije Universiteit. Shamil Zainuddin Research Associate IPS Social Lab Shamil Zainuddin specialises in applied ethnography and holds qualifications in Sociology which he has taught as a Teaching Assistant while completing his Masters in the National University of Singapore. Prior to joining IPS in 2018, he was a Senior Design Ethnographer at NCR Corporation, a global enterprise technology company. There, he spent five years using qualitative methods researching human experiences to inform R&D, innovation and marketing. He has received awards for applied ethnographic work and is the recipient of the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Day Award in 2005. Above all, he is most interested in carrying out the work to make the everyday easier for especially disadvantaged communities. He is an active volunteer with Beyond Social Services and highly encourages everyone to volunteer with an organisation they believe in. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 3: Ableism at Work with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, and Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Season 3 Episode 2: Ageism at Work with Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Season 3 Episode 1: Sexism at Work, with Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE)  Season 2 Episode 9: Youth Mental Health, with Dr Jacqueline Tilley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and Asher Low, Founder of Limitless Season 2 Episode 8: What Makes Us Singaporean, with Matthew Matthews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, and Oon Shu An, Singaporean actress and host Season 2 Episode 7: Homelessness, with Harry Tan, IPS Research Fellow, and June Chua, Co-founder of T Project Season 2 Episode 6: The Young vs The Old, with Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, and Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow Season 2 Episode 5: The New Civil Society, with Carol Soon, IPS Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture, and Woo Qiyun, Environmentalist and creator of The Weird and Wild            See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of The Enabling Masterplan 2030, Singapore aims to have 40 per cent of working persons with disabilities (PWDs) employed by 2030. Are the current measures in place sufficient to encourage the employment of PWDs? How big is the problem of ableism at the workplace in Singapore? What more must be done to ensure workplaces are inclusive for PWDs? On the third episode of the third season, which is in conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2023, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with Cassandra Chiu, a vision impaired counsellor and advocate for PWDs, as well as Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS, about the state of disability inclusion in Singapore and what can be done to ensure that PWDs are meaningfully employed and engaged at the workplace. Find out more about ableism at work: The Straits Times (17 August 2022): Singapore aims to have 40% of working-age persons with disabilities employed by 2030 The Straits Times (25 August 2022): People with disabilities bring new perspectives, strengths to workplace, say forum panellists Today (26 August 2022): Strides made towards an inclusive S'pore but more can be done, say disabled community and experts About our guests: Cassandra Chiu Psychotherapist and Coach Director at The Safe Harbour Counselling Centre Cassandra Chiu is a Director at The Safe Harbour Counselling Centre and is also a Consultant for Equal Opportunity and Corporate Disability Policies. She is vision impaired. Ms Chiu is also a lecturer in the post-graduate program under Executive Counselling and Training Academy Pte Ltd. She teaches modules on counselling the disabled, where she imparts knowledge to understand issues that disabled clients face and how to work with them. An active advocate and speaker for PWDs, Ms Chiu has written on the issue for local publication Today. She has also been featured on CNA938 and Must Share News. She received her Masters in Professional Counselling from Swinburne University of Technology in 2011. Justin Lee Senior Research Fellow at IPS Justin Lee is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies. He is interested in issues related to disability, community development and social services. He has created a wiki platform that allows mass participation in the mapping of social needs (socialcollab.sg) and co-founded a skilled volunteer matching platform (serve.sg). He is Chairman of ArtsWok Collaborative, and also serves on the Board of Trampolene and the Research Committee of Singapore Children's Society. He has a PhD in Sociology from UCLA. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.   More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 2: Ageism at Work with Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). Season 3 Episode 1: Sexism at Work, with Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE)  Season 2 Episode 9: Youth Mental Health, with Dr Jacqueline Tilley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and Asher Low, Founder of Limitless Season 2 Episode 8: What Makes Us Singaporean, with Matthew Matthews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, and Oon Shu An, Singaporean actress and host Season 2 Episode 7: Homelessness, with Harry Tan, IPS Research Fellow, and June Chua, Co-founder of T Project Season 2 Episode 6: The Young vs The Old, with Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, and Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow Season 2 Episode 5: The New Civil Society, with Carol Soon, IPS Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture, and Woo Qiyun, Environmentalist and creator of The Weird and Wild Season 2 Episode 4: Diversity in Elite Schools, with Gillian Koh, IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, and Paul Jerusalem, master's student at NUS Season 2 Episode 3: The Plight of Buskers, with Yeo Ying Hao, Co-chairman of Buskers Assocation, and Louis Ng, Nee Soon GRC MP              See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore is a rapidly ageing society, with over 17% of our population being 65 years old and above as of June 2021. As a result, the retirement and re-employment ages for Singapore workers will be raised progressively to 65 and 70 respectively, which will result in an increase in older employees at workplaces over time. How prevalent is ageism in Singapore?  What more can be done to encourage employers to hire older workers? On the second episode of the third season, which is in conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2023, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with Mr Heng Chee How, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), as well as Associate Professor Helen Ko of the Master & PhD in Gerontology Programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. They discuss tackling ageist stereotypes at the workplace, catering upskilling programmes to the needs of older workers, and the ways in which workplaces can transform themselves to become more age-friendly. Find out more about ageism at work: The Straits Times (25 August 2022): Ageism and health are major barriers to seniors staying longer in the workforce The Independent (25 March 2022): MOM Survey: Employees over 40 are most often discriminated in workplace The Straits Times (1 November 2021): Debate on retirement, re-employment age and CPF: Four issues MPs raised About our guests: Helen Ko Master and PhD in Gerontology Programmes Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Associate Professor Helen Ko specialises in issues pertaining to the ageing workforce, geragogy and gerontological counselling. She is an active advocate for hiring seniors in the workforce. She has conducted many training programmes for seniors and employers, focusing on seniors employability and counselling of seniors. A/Prof Ko received her Doctor of Education from the University of Western Australia in 2015, where her research focused on training older adults. She was awarded the thesis prize for Best Piece of Research. She also holds a certificate in Counselling, Clinical Programme, from the Counselling & Care Centre, Singapore (1990). She has published several books including Counselling Older Adults: An Asian Perspective and Gerontological Counselling: An Introductory Handbook. She has served on various national committees, including the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Ageing Population. Heng Chee How Deputy Secretary-General at the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) and Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How is a Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).  He joined the NTUC in 1995. Within the Labour Movement, he held numerous appointments, including being the Chief Executive Officer of the NTUC Club and the Executive Secretary of numerous key unions.  He has been a member of the NTUC Central Committee since 1997. He advocates on mature workers' issues on various platforms, including tripartite committees on older workers as well as in Parliament.  His work has been instrumental in the passing of legislation to better safeguard retirement re-employment rights of older workers and tripartite guidelines that foster their fair treatment in workplaces. In addition to his work at the NTUC, Mr Heng is a Member of Parliament since 2001 and Senior Minister of State for Defence since May 2018 On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 3 Episode 1: Sexism at Work, with Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE) Season 2 Episode 1: Conversations About Race, with Daniel Goh, Associate Professor of Sociology and Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education at National University of Singapore (NUS) and Haresh Tilani, Co-founder and Creative Director of Ministry of Funny Season 2 Episode 2: Stay-At-Home Dads, with Kelvin Seah, Stay-at-home Father and Adjunct Lecturer and Tam Wei Jia, Medical Doctor and Founder of Kitesong Global Season 2 Episode 3: The Plight of Buskers, with Yeo Ying Hao, Co-chairman of Buskers Assocation, and Louis Ng, Nee Soon GRC MP Season 2 Episode 4: Diversity in Elite Schools, with Gillian Koh, IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, and Paul Jerusalem, master's student at NUS Season 2 Episode 5: The New Civil Society, with Carol Soon, IPS Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture, and Woo Qiyun, Environmentalist and creator of The Weird and Wild Season 2 Episode 6: The Young vs The Old, with Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, and Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow Season 2 Episode 7: Homelessness, with Harry Tan, IPS Research Fellow, and June Chua, Co-founder of T Project Season 2 Episode 8: What Makes Us Singaporean, with Matthew Matthews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, and Oon Shu An, Singaporean actress and host Season 2 Episode 9: Youth Mental Health, with Dr Jacqueline Tilley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and Asher Low, Founder of Limitless See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2022 has seen a greater focus on encouraging gender equality at the workplace in Singapore. The White Paper on Singapore Women's Development released in March 2022 highlighted the introduction of laws which would encourage flexible work arrangements and support greater gender diversity on boards, to name a few. However, is there more that must be done to ensure gender diversity and equality at work? What are the greatest barriers facing women at the workplace? On the first episode of the third season, which is in conjunction with IPS' annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2023, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with two of our guests Corinna Lim, Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and Simran Toor, Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE) about the laws that are in place to protect women at work, as well as what can be done to reduce the incidences of sexual harassment and unconscious gender bias at work. Find out more about sexism at work: Today (11 July 2022): Woman Up: From job interview to the boardroom, gender bias often follows women through each step of the career ladder CNA (9 April 2022): IN FOCUS: Beyond diversity quotas and anti-discrimination laws, can Singapore embrace gender equality at the workplace? The Straits Times (28 March 2022): 25 action plans from the White Paper on Singapore Women's Development Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (4 March 2022): Equipping and Supporting Women in the Workplace Today (3 March 2022): Over 1 in 5 S'poreans believe gender discrimination exists in the workplace: Survey About our guests: Corinna Lim Executive Director of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) Ms Corinna Lim is the Executive Director of AWARE, the Association of Women for Action and Research. Ms Lim joined AWARE as a member and volunteer in 1992 and has been a women's rights activist for close to 30 years.Since becoming Executive Director in 2010, Ms Lim has been responsible for a range of initiatives including the setting up of the Sexual Assault Care Centre, the only specialised service in Singapore that provides support to sexual assault victims. She also led teams at AWARE to successfully advocate for the enactment of the Protection from Harassment Act, the repeal of marital rape immunity, better access to housing for single parents, gender equal workplaces and greater support for low income families and caregivers of the elderly.In recognition of her contributions to civil society and the advancement of women's rights, Ms Lim received a Fulbright Scholarship (1998 – 1999). As Executive Director, Ms Lim has improved the governance and management of AWARE, resulting in AWARE being awarded the Charity Governance and Transparency awards in 2015.  Simran Toor Chief Executive Officer at SG Her Empowerment Limited (SHE) Ms Simran Toor began her legal career as a criminal prosecutor at the Attorney-General's Chambers of Singapore, and thereafter spent 15 years at a Big 4 law firm, where she specialised in white-collar investigations and regulatory matters. Ms Toor is a strong proponent of diversity, gender equity, and community development through outreach. Prior to leaving legal practice to join SHE, she was an elected member of the Council of the Law Society of Singapore, where she took a particular interest in promoting gender and access to justice issues. In particular, Ms Toor co-led the Law Society's Women in Practice Task Force that looked into the challenges facing women lawyers in the modern-day workplace. She also co-founded/chaired the Law Society's Women in Practice Committee that spearheaded the launch of a template anti-workplace harassment policy for adoption by all law firms. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 2 Episode 1: Conversations About Race, with Daniel Goh, Associate Professor of Sociology and Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education at National University of Singapore (NUS) and Haresh Tilani, Co-founder and Creative Director of Ministry of Funny Season 2 Episode 2: Stay-At-Home Dads, with Kelvin Seah, Stay-at-home Father and Adjunct Lecturer and Tam Wei Jia, Medical Doctor and Founder of Kitesong Global Season 2 Episode 3: The Plight of Buskers, with Yeo Ying Hao, Co-chairman of Buskers Assocation, and Louis Ng, Nee Soon GRC MP Season 2 Episode 4: Diversity in Elite Schools, with Gillian Koh, IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, and Paul Jerusalem, master's student at NUS Season 2 Episode 5: The New Civil Society, with Carol Soon, IPS Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture, and Woo Qiyun, Environmentalist and creator of The Weird and Wild Season 2 Episode 6: The Young vs The Old, with Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, and Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow Season 2 Episode 7: Homelessness, with Harry Tan, IPS Research Fellow, and June Chua, Co-founder of T Project Season 2 Episode 8: What Makes Us Singaporean, with Matthew Matthews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, and Oon Shu An, Singaporean actress and host Season 2 Episode 9: Youth Mental Health, with Dr Jacqueline Tilley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and Asher Low, Founder of Limitless See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trigger warning: This episode contains references to depression and other mental health disorders. Listener discretion is advised. The pandemic has certainly shed light on the issue of mental health in Singapore. The mental health of youths especially is becoming an increasing concern, but what exactly are the issues youths are facing today that make them more vulnerable to facing mental health problems than previous generations? Is social media the reason for it or can social media even be helpful in supporting these youths with mental health conditions? On the final episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Liang Kaixin chats with Dr Jacqueline Tilley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education, as well as Asher Low, the founder of Limitless, which is a non-profit organisation that provides counselling for youths, to talk about the mental health struggles youths face, and also the struggles they face seeking help. Find out more about youth mental health: CNA (11 Dec 2021): Mental health lessons to be progressively rolled out to primary, secondary and pre-university students over next 2 years TODAY (9 Nov 2021): TODAY Youth Survey: Amid Covid-19 stress, youths turn to exercise, shopping but also bingeing on snacks, social media The Straits Times (15 Oct 2021): TikTok launches hub for mental health resources and wellness content for users The Straits Times (7 Oct 2021): Whole-of-nation approach needed to tackle mental health issues; youth of particular concern: President Halimah CNA (1 Aug 2021): ‘With school counsellors, it's really hit-or-miss': Behind the challenge of safeguarding student mental health Mashable (28 Jun 2019): How being sad, depressed, and anxious online became trendy About our guests: Dr Jacqueline Tilley  Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE)  Jacqueline is an Assistant Professor with the Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group at the NIE under the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and a US-licensed psychologist. Her research focuses on understanding risk and resilience factors in youth mental health among Asian families. Jacqueline has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Southern California, USA and an M.Phil. in Education and Psychology from the University of Cambridge, UK. She has specialised clinical experience working with high-risk adolescents and adults across both public and private sectors in the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore.  Asher Low Founder of Limitless Asher is the Founder and Executive Director of Limitless, a non-profit organisation that work with youths between 12 and 25 years old who are facing mental health woes. He is a trained social worker and has been working with youths for over 10 years. He also has experience working in the youth, family and prison sector. He is passionate about improving the mental health landscape in Singapore. As a member of Tote Board's Gifting Circle for Children and Youth Mental Health, he seeks to explore how various stakeholders in the mental health landscape can better support youths with mental health conditions and facilitate the prevention of these conditions through trauma-informed work. In 2019, he was also awarded The Straits Times Generation Grit Award. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.  More from On Diversity Season 2 Episode 8: What Makes Us Singaporean, with Matthew Matthews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, and Oon Shu An, Singaporean actress and host Season 2 Episode 7: Homelessness, with Harry Tan, IPS Research Fellow, and June Chua, Co-founder of T Project Season 2 Episode 6: The Young vs The Old, with Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, and Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow Season 2 Episode 5: The New Civil Society, with Carol Soon, IPS Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture, and Woo Qiyun, Environmentalist and creator of The Weird and Wild Season 2 Episode 4: Diversity in Elite Schools, with Gillian Koh, IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, and Paul Jerusalem, master's student at NUS     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a young and multicultural country, Singapore's national identity has always been hard to define. With the world becoming more globalised, more Singaporeans are migrating overseas and more foreigners are moving to Singapore, our Singaporean identity is increasingly fluid and ever evolving. So is being Singaporean simply a matter of citizenship? Or is it about possessing uniquely Singaporean traits or values? If so, what exactly are these traits and values? On the eighth episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Liang Kaixin chats with Dr Mathew Mathews, Principal Research Fellow of IPS and Head of IPS Social Lab, as well as Oon Shu An, a Singaporean actress and host, to discuss about our national identity and multiculturalism. Find out more about what makes us Singaporean: The Straits Times (23 Nov 2021): Six views on identities and diversity The Straits Times (24 Sep 2021): S'porean identify strongly with both national and racial identities: IPS study CNA (23 Sep 2021): Singaporeans most proud of healthcare system, cleanliness; low scores for press freedom, treatment of migrant workers: Study TODAY (2 Apr 2021): Understanding the ire and intricacies of immigration in Singapore CNA (19 May 2019):Commentary: Singlish is not English. That's not a bad thing Oon Shu An's video (22 Jun 2016): “Here, I Am…” About our guests: Dr Mathew Mathews Principal Research Fellow of Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and Head of IPS Social Lab Dr Mathew is a Principal Research Fellow at IPS and is the Head of the IPS Social Lab. He has been involved in over 50 research projects examining social policy issues including race, religion, immigrant relations, family and poverty. Dr Mathew has taught courses on social policy and has published in a range of academic and media outlets. He currently sits on the boards of OnePeople.sg and the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). He is a Research Advisor to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and serves on the VWOs-Charities Capability Fund Panel and the Families for Life Council.  Oon Shu An Actress and Host Oon Shu An is an actor who has been spreading her natural warmth and energy across theatre, TV, film and the internet. She's know for her roles like the ill-fated Song Dynasty courtesan Jing Fei in Netflix Original Marco Polo, Lawyer Stephanie Szeto in Code of Law, and she is currently hosting the newest season of Renovaid. She is an Associate Artist with Checkpoint Theatre. Her sell-out one woman show, the cross-media production '#UnicornMoment' with them was nominated for Best Original Script at the Life! Theatre Awards. She has also had Best Actress nominations for her roles in Pangdemonium's Chinglish and Esplanade's Mergers and Accusations. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 2 Episode 7: Homelessness, with Harry Tan, IPS Research Fellow, and June Chua, Co-founder of T Project Season 2 Episode 6: The Young vs The Old, with Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, and Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow Season 2 Episode 5: The New Civil Society, with Carol Soon, IPS Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture, and Woo Qiyun, Environmentalist and creator of The Weird and Wild Season 2 Episode 4: Diversity in Elite Schools, with Gillian Koh, IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, and Paul Jerusalem, master's student at NUS Season 2 Episode 3: The Plight of Buskers, with Yeo Ying Hao, Co-chairman of Buskers Assocation, and Louis Ng, Nee Soon GRC MP See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many might be surprised that there are homeless people in Singapore. In fact, there are about 1000 people living on the streets in Singapore. Homelessness is often hidden in plain sight and with it being so hidden, it is easy for people to have misconceptions and questions surrounding it. What does it mean to be homeless? Why are people homeless and should we see homelessness as a problem that needs solving? On the seventh episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Liang Kaixin chats with Dr Harry Tan, Research Fellow at IPS, and June Chua, Co-founder of The T Project, to talk about the state of homelessness in Singapore and the possible options that we can provide to the homeless to better support them.  Find out more about homelessness: The Straits Times (16 Nov 2021): Helping the homeless beyond putting a roof over their heads South China Morning Post (20 May 2020): Homeless in Singapore: why some prefer to sleep rough during coronavirus circuit breaker despite more shelter beds The Straits Times (24 Mar 2020): Whole-of-community approach needed to help Singapore's homeless: Expert panel CNA (8 Nov 2019): About 1,000 homeless people live on Singapore's streets: Study Mothership (3 Oct 2019): Shanmugam visits T Project shelter, S'pore's first & only social service for transgender people CNA (30 Jul 2019): ‘You don't know our pain': Helping the homeless find their way home About our guests: Dr Harry Tan Research Fellow at Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Harry is a Research Fellow in the Policy Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies. His research interests are in homelessness, social inequality, social policy, housing insecurity and addiction issues. He has researched on the homeless population in Singapore, street children in Thailand and Singapore's street buskers.  Harry is also a volunteer in the PEERS (Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers) network in Singapore and has worked closely with people experiencing homelessness in Singapore since 2012 and in Melbourne from 2015 to 2017. Harry received his PhD in Sociology from Monash University, Australia in 2018 and was a postdoctoral research fellow under the Sociology department at the National University of Singapore (NUS) from 2019 to 2020. June Chua Co-founder of T Project June is the Co-founder and Executive Director of The T Project, Singapore's first transgender shelter. In 2018, she opened the Alicia Community Centre which offers counselling services and other resources to transgender and queer youths. She has participated in various outreach and advocacy events in Singapore and abroad. In 2018, she participated in the 7th ILGA Asia Conference, the Peace Boat's 97th Voyage Asia and the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Programme. In 2016, she received the AWARE Champion for Gender Equality & Justice Award and the Promising Advocate of the Year during the Singapore Advocacy Awards (SAA), a peer initiative organised by The Working Committee 3 (TWC3), a group of civil society activists. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 2 Episode 6: The Young vs The Old, with Kanwaljit Soin, Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon, and Teo Kay Key, IPS Research Fellow Season 2 Episode 5: The New Civil Society, with Carol Soon, IPS Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture, and Woo Qiyun, Environmentalist and creator of The Weird and Wild Season 2 Episode 4: Diversity in Elite Schools, with Gillian Koh, IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, and Paul Jerusalem, master's student at NUS Season 2 Episode 3: The Plight of Buskers, with Yeo Ying Hao, Co-chairman of Buskers Assocation, and Louis Ng, Nee Soon GRC MP Season 2 Episode 2: Stay-at-home Dads, with Kelvin Seah, full-time stay-home-dad of two, and Tam Wai Jia, Medical Doctor See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has always been a generational gap between the young and the old with their differing values and attitudes on various topics ranging from parenting to politics. But are these differences really because of the difference in age? Does our age really matter so much and how can we bridge this generational gap between the young and the old? On the sixth episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Liang Kaixin chats with Dr Kanwaljit Soin, an orthopaedic and hand surgeon, and Dr Teo Kay Key, a Research Fellow at the IPS Social Lab, about generational divide, ageism, retirement and re-employment. Find out more about the young vs the old: The Straits Times (1 Nov 2021): Retirement and re-employment ages in Singapore will be raised to 65 and 70 ·       The Straits Times (30 Sep 2021): Ending ageism - the prejudice against one's future self TODAY (19 Apr 2021): Generational divide emerges in debate over young singles choosing to move out of parents' home The Straits Times (23 Mar 2021): Singapore's approach to healthy ageing is to see it as a positive force CNA (25 Jul 2020): Commentary: Older workers vulnerable to rising tide of retrenchment as ageist mindsets persist London School of Economics (12 Feb 2020): Welcome to the multi-stage life Channel News Asia (25 Oct 2019):Commentary: Regardless of age, here's how to make sense of Singapore's generation divide About our guests: Dr Kanwaljit Soin Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon Kanwaljit graduated top of her class with MBBS Hons in 1966 and received her Master of Medicine (Surgery) from the University of Singapore in 1970. She was the President of Singapore Orthopaedic Association in 2014 and the President of the Singapore Hand Society in 1989-1990. In 1992, she became Singapore's first female Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP). She was also founding member and president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). Her other credentials include being the founding chair of the Singapore chapter of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), founding president of Women's Initiative for Ageing Successfully (WINGS) and the Global Ambassador of HelpAge International. She was named Singapore's “Women of the Year” in 1992 and has received many other accolades since then including being awarded UNIFEM Lifetime Achievement Award, Singapore Medical Association Merit Award and the “Good Samaritan” Award from the Rotary Club of Singapore. Dr Teo Kay Key Research Fellow at Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Kay Key is Research Fellow at the IPS Social Lab. She has a PhD in Political Science from the National University of Singapore. Her research interests are in political and social attitudes, public opinion, voting behaviour, and Singapore society. She is interested in examining these topics using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. Prior to joining IPS, she worked in the civil service for nearly three years doing strategic planning, training, and policy work. She also has a Masters in Political Behaviour from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom and a Bachelors in Social Science from the Singapore Management University. Her recent works include the World Values Survey and “Integral: A Report on Social Integration in Singapore for the 10th Anniversary of the NIC” as well as “Religiosity and the management of religious harmony: Responses from the IPS survey on race, religion and language”. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 2 Episode 5: The New Civil Society, with Carol Soon, IPS Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture, and Woo Qiyun, Environmentalist and creator of The Weird and Wild Season 2 Episode 4: Diversity in Elite Schools, with Gillian Koh, IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, and Paul Jerusalem, master's student at NUS Season 2 Episode 3: The Plight of Buskers, with Yeo Ying Hao, Co-chairman of Buskers Assocation, and Louis Ng, Nee Soon GRC MP Season 2 Episode 2: Stay-at-home Dads, with Kelvin Seah, full-time stay-home-dad of two, and Tam Wai Jia, Medical Doctor Season 2 Episode 1: Conversations about Race, with Dr Daniel Goh, Associate Professor of Sociology at NUS, and Haresh Tilani, Co-founder of Ministry of Funny See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Social media has changed the face of civil society and activism as more individuals, especially youths, begin to advocate for causes online. In fact, there are many social media accounts that are dedicated to speaking out for specific causes including climate change, migrant workers' rights and the LGBTQ+ movement. But does social media activism accomplish anything or could it possibly cause more harm than good? On the fifth episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Liang Kaixin chats with Woo Qiyun, creator of “The Weird and Wild” Instagram page, and Dr Carol Soon, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture at IPS, to talk about social media activism, keyboard warriors and cancel culture. Find out more about the new civil society: Esquire (10 Dec 2021): Neil Humphreys talks activism and social media BBC (14 Oct 2021): What is Extinction Rebellion and what does it want? Channel News Asia (29 Jun 2021):Commentary: Benefits and drawbacks when citizens use social media to raise concerns TODAY (20 Dec 2020): Youth in Action: Environmental activist raises climate issues one doodle at a time Mothership (5 Aug 2020): Cancelling & cancel culture: Are they relevant to us in S'pore & why should we care The Straits Times (13 Apr 2019): Not just ‘snowflakes': Millennials are changing the face of civil society About our guests: Woo Qiyun Environmentalist and Creator of The Weird and Wild Qiyun is an environmentalist who is passionate about pushing for ambitious climate action. She is also an avid science communicator, working to combine science and art. In 2018, she started The Weird and Wild Instagram page to contextualize climate science and to advocate for climate action. In 2020, she graduated with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the National University of Singapore, and she has worked in a variety of sustainability-related fields such as sustainable finance, environmental policy and environmental communications and consulting. She currently works as a Climate Risk Advisory Consultant, and occasionally writes or talks about climate issues on public platforms. Carol Soon Senior Research Fellow and Head of Society and Culture at Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Carol is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) where she leads the Society and Culture Department. Her research interests are in false information, media regulation, digital inclusion, new media and activism, online public opinion sensing and public engagement. She worked with the Ministry of Health in 2017 on Singapore's first Citizens' Jury and is working with various government agencies on engaging citizens in co-creating policy solutions. She is currently leading a study on building digital competencies of own-account workers, funded by SkillsFuture Singapore. Dr Soon is also Associate Director of the Temasek Foundation-IPS Asia Journalism Fellowship. She is Vice Chair of Singapore's Media Literacy Council and Principal Investigator at the NUS Centre for Trusted Internet and Community. She has taught courses at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the University Scholars Programme at National University of Singapore (NUS). She was a recipient of the Australian Endeavour Award and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Research Excellence Award. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 2 Episode 4: Diversity in Elite Schools, with Gillian Koh, IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, and Paul Jerusalem, master's student at NUS Season 2 Episode 3: The Plight of Buskers, with Yeo Ying Hao, Co-chairman of Buskers Assocation, and Louis Ng, Nee Soon GRC MP Season 2 Episode 2: Stay-at-home Dads, with Kelvin Seah, full-time stay-home-dad of two, and Tam Wai Jia, Medical Doctor Season 2 Episode 1: Conversations about Race, with Dr Daniel Goh, Associate Professor of Sociology at NUS, and Haresh Tilani, Co-founder of Ministry of Funny Season 1 Episode 9: Tech and the Token Female, with Anna Gong, CEO and Founder of Perx Technologies, and Wynthia Goh, Head of NCS NEXT Digital See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

IPS On Diversity Podcast S2E4: Diversity in Elite Schools Education is highly valued in Singapore and many parents are willing to spend money on tuition to help their child get into elite schools. As such, there have been increasing concerns that Singapore's education system does not improve social mobility, but merely reflects and reproduces class divisions which contributes to the lack of diversity in elite schools. So is our education system truly meritocratic and how exactly do we define merit? On the fourth episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Liang Kaixin chats with Dr Gillian Koh, Deputy Director of Research at IPS, and Paul Jerusalem, a master's student at the National University of Singapore (NUS) who previously studied in both a neighbourhood school and elite school, to discuss their views on the primary school admission system, streaming in secondary schools and Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools. Find out more about diversity in elite schools: The Straits Times (10 Sep 2021): New P1 registration rules from 2022: What are the key changes? CNA (16 Aug 2021): The Big Read: Singapore's endless love affair with private tuition just got deeper with COVID-19 Mothership (27 Jan 2019): Class origin shouldn't decide class destiny, but that's still very much an aspiration in Singapore Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (13 Nov 2018): Meritocracy in Singapore: Solution or problem? The Straits Times (29 Dec 2017): New study finds clear divide among social classes in Singapore  About our guests: Dr Gillian Koh IPS Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow Gillian's research interests are in the areas of party and electoral politics, the development of civil society, state-society relations, state governance and citizen engagement in Singapore. She contributes to the research programme “Governance of a City-State” at IPS. Since joining IPS in 1996, she has led the research teams that generated the three IPS Post-Election Surveys (2006, 2011, 2015), and the two surveys on the Presidential Election (2011, 2017). She also conducts surveys on Singaporeans' political attitudes, sense of identity, rootedness and resilience. She was part of the team that conducted “A Study on Social Capital in Singapore (2017)”. In 1995, She gained her PhD in Sociological Studies from the University of Sheffield (UK) where she also obtained her Master of Arts in Third World Studies in 1989. She is also an alumnus of the National University of Singapore. Paul Jerusalem Master of Arts (MA) Candidate at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Paul graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature from Yale-NUS College in 2019 and is currently a master's student at NUS where he studies Communications and New Media. He worked in public relations briefly before pursuing further studies. He has experience in corporate communications, LGBTQ+ advocacy and education. He is also passionate about non-profit work, social justice and the arts. He has written for articles for media outlets such as Rice Media, with poetry published in Vagabond Press, Quarterly Literary Review Singapore, and Likhaan: The Journal of Contemporary Philippine Literature. His paper “Locating the ‘culture' in ‘cancel culture'- sociopolitical public discourse in Singapore” won Best Full Paper at CNM Graduate Student Conference 2021. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 2 Episode 3: The Plight of Buskers, with Yeo Ying Hao, Co-chairman of Buskers Assocation, and Louis Ng, Nee Soon GRC MP Season 2 Episode 2: Stay-at-home Dads, with Kelvin Seah, full-time stay-home-dad of two, and Tam Wai Jia, Medical Doctor Season 2 Episode 1: Conversations about Race, with Dr Daniel Goh, Associate Professor of Sociology at NUS, and Haresh Tilani, Co-founder of Ministry of Funny Season 1 Episode 9: Tech and the Token Female, with Anna Gong, CEO and Founder of Perx Technologies, and Wynthia Goh, Head of NCS NEXT Digital Season 1 Episode 8: Of Marriage and Migration, with Dr Kalpana Vignehsa, Research Fellow at the Governance and Economy Department at IPS, and Colin Miles, Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research Pte Ltd See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our streets used to be lively and lined with buskers but since the pandemic started in early 2020, they have become a lot quieter. Some buskers have tried to switch to performing online but many still wish to return to performing on the streets. The pandemic has affected Singapore's busking scene and the livelihoods of our buskers. Although there has been support provided from the government, our buskers are still facing many challenges. So what more can be done to help our buskers? On the third episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with Yeo Ying Hao, co-chairman of Buskers Association and freelance busker with Chinese pop band Afterworkers, as well as Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Ng, who has advocated for buskers and helped to set up the association in 2019, to discuss about the plight of buskers during the pandemic and their hopes for the future of busking. Find out more about the plight of buskers: Channel News Asia (24 Dec 2021): Thank you notes, flowers, smiles: What drives Singapore's young buskers to play their hearts out Channel News Asia (26 Nov 2021): Online and on air, but buskers still waiting to perform live The Straits Times (5 Dec 2020): Busking pilot kicks off with over 80 applications for 12 slots on first weekend TODAY (12 Sep 2020): Despite options to perform online, buskers yearn for return to the streets The Straits Times (25 May 2020): Singapore buskers adapt to tough times by going online, helping one another TODAY (5 Aug 2019): Balloting for sites, app for buskers on the cards following MP's suggestions  About our guests: Louis Ng Member of Parliament (MP) Nee Soon GRC Louis was elected as MP for Nee Soon GRC in 2015. In 2001, he founded the ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society), an animal protection charity. He has been a member of the Animal Welfare Legislation Review Committee and the Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration Committee since 2012. He also has been volunteering with grassroots organisations since 2008. In 2014, he received the Advocate of the Year award in the inaugural Singapore Advocacy Awards in 2014 and the Inaugural Yahoo! “Singapore 9” award in 2011. He was also awarded The Outstanding Young Persons of Singapore Award in 2007 and the HSBC/NYAA (National Youth Achievement Award) Environmental Award in 2002. Yeo Ying Hao Co-chairman of Buskers Association and Freelance Busker Ying Hao is the Co-chairman of Buskers Association and a freelance busker with Chinese pop band Afterworkers in which he is the lead keyboardist. In 2018, the band helped to raise over $2000 for Bright Visions Hospital. He graduated from the Singapore Management University (SMU) with a Bachelor of Business Management and Accounting in 2015. Upon graduation, he started working for a bank in Singapore but has since left the banking industry. He is currently the Music Director of Fete Musicians, a string quartet company. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 2 Episode 1: Conversations about Race, with Dr Daniel Goh, Associate Professor of Sociology at NUS, and Haresh Tilani, Co-founder of Ministry of Funny Season 2 Episode 2: Stay-at-home Dads, with Kelvin Seah, full-time stay-home-dad of two, and Tam Wai Jia, Medical Doctor Season 1 Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Season 1 Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab Season 1 Episode 8: Of Marriage and Migration, with Dr Kalpana Vignehsa, Research Fellow at the Governance and Economy Department at IPS, and Colin Miles, Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research Pte Ltd Season 1 Episode 9: Tech and the Token Female, with Anna Gong, CEO and Founder of Perx Technologies, and Wynthia Goh, Head of NCS NEXT Digital   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the past, it was common for wives to stay at home to take care of the house and the children while husbands were the sole breadwinners. However, recently there has not only been the rise in dual-income households, but also stay-at-home dads. Yet, there is still stigma and misconceptions associated with stay-at-home dads. With the change in household roles, how do these husbands grapple with their identity and what can be done better to support stay home dads? On the second episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with Kelvin Seah, full-time stay home father of two, and Tam Wai Jia, a medical doctor whose husband left his career to be a stay home father, to talk about some of the challenges they face coming from ‘unconventional' households, the idea of masculinity and ways to support these families. Find out more about stay home dads: TODAY (25 June 2021): My husband is a stay-at-home dad. This is my journey with him as a sole breadwinner The Straits Times (21 June 2021): Fatherhood: Stay-at-home dad says no one-size-fits-all parenting method Mothership (20 June 2021): The good, bad & judgy: What I learnt after quiting my job to be a stay-at-home dad in S'pore TODAY (18 June 2021): It wasn't easy to convince myself I am ‘masculine and useful' as a stay-home dad Institute of Policy Studies (30 Jan 2020): “Stay-at-home” fathers and their families: What lessons for policymakers?  About our guests: Kelvin Seah Writer, Adjunct Lecturer & Stay-at-home Father Kelvin is a writer, stay home father of two, and adjunct lecturer. He has had a varied career spanning over two decades, with experiences in real estate, tourism, human resource development, corporate communications, training & teaching. He was previously a civil servant for 5 years before becoming an educator in Vietnam where he taught students English and Tourism Management at Hanoi University and a top private school. Following, he went on to teach Communications and Media Management as a local polytechnic lecturer for 12 years. In 2019, he left his career to become a full-time stay at home father to spend more time with his two sons but continues to work as an adjunct lecturer. He frequently writes on his personal blog www.kelvinsmusings.com where he shares about his life, parenting and writing.  Dr Tam Wai Jia Medical Doctor and Founder of Kitesong Global Wai Jia is a medical doctor, leader of medical-based philanthropy missions around Asia and author-illustrator. She graduated from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2018. During her first trip to Nepal in 2005, she met girls who had been abused and abandoned but was deeply inspired by them to write and illustrate a book “Kitesong” which eventually helped raise $100,000 for them. In 2018, she then founded Kitesong Global, an international non-profit organisation that aims to inspire youths to empower vulnerable communities. She was awarded the Young Outstanding Singaporean Award in 2011 and was also recognized as one of Forbes Asia's “30 under 30” in 2016. More recently in 2020, she founded Brother SG, a platform that connects migrant workers to healthcare authorities and other organisations in Singapore to deliver risk communication and community engagement for better health. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Season 1 Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Season 1 Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Season 1 Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said Season 1 Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab Season 1 Episode 5: Sex and People with Disabilities, with Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme at the National University Singapore, and Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the IPS Society and Culture Department. Season 1 Episode 6: Arts vs Culture, with Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra, and Clarissa Oon, Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Season 1 Episode 7: Empathy and Healthcare, with Dr Mohan Tiru, Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at Woodlands Health Campus and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and Dr Maleena Suppiah Cavert Deputy Director of Clinical Education at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, NUHS Season 1 Episode 8: Of Marriage and Migration, with Dr Kalpana Vignehsa, Research Fellow at the Governance and Economy Department at IPS, and Colin Miles, Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research Pte Ltd Season 1 Episode 9: Tech and the Token Female, with Anna Gong, CEO and Founder of Perx Technologies, and Wynthia Goh, Head of NCS NEXT Digital Season 2 Episode 1: Conversations about Race, with Dr Daniel Goh, Associate Professor of Sociology at NUS, and Haresh Tilani, Co-founder of Ministry of Funny See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While previously seen as a taboo, talking about race in Singapore is becoming more common now especially with the rise of social media. However, while social media opens space for discourse, it also creates space for polarisation. So how can we talk about instances of racism? Do such conversations detract from the larger structural racism? Aren't we tired from talking about racism? On the first episode of the second season, host and Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies Liang Kaixin chats with two of our guests Daniel Goh, Associate Professor of Sociology, and Co-founder of Ministry of Funny Haresh Tilani about the pros and cons of using social media as a platform to talk about race, the idea of Chinese privilege and the changing attitudes towards discussions about race. Find out more about conversations about race: Today (17 November 2021): Understanding how Singapore's youths feel about race and religion The Straits Times (12 September 2021): Let's talk about race, but not just about race NDR 2021: PM Lee says ‘entirely baseless' to claim that ‘Chinese privilege' exists in Singapore https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ndr-entirely-baseless-claim-chinese-privilege-exists-singapore-lee-hsien-loong-2143026 Channel News Asia (19 July 2021): The Big Read: High time to talk about racism, but Singapore society ill-equipped after decades of treating it as taboo IPS-RSIS Forum on Race and Racism in Singapore (25 June 2021) https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/events/details/ips-rsis-forum-on-race-and-racism-in-singapore Academia SG (14 June 2020): How to talk about race in Singapore: a conversation with Mohd Imran Taib About our guests: Daniel Goh Associate Professor of Sociology and Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education at National University of Singapore (NUS) Daniel specialises in comparative-historical sociology and studies state formation, urbanism, postcolonialism, race and multiculturalism, and religion in Asia. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with a PhD in Sociology, he joined NUS as an Assistant Professor of Sociology in 2005. He is currently the Associate Professor of Sociology and the Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education at NUS where he enjoys teaching and learning from undergraduate and graduate students. He was also a Workers' Party Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) in the 13th Parliament of Singapore between 2016 and 2020. He has since retired from political service. He has published many books, special issues, journal articles and book chapters. His more recent works include Regulating Religion: Norms, Modes and Challenges, ‘Chinese Privilege' as Shortcut in Singapore and Protest and the Culture War in Singapore. Haresh Tilani Co-founder and Creative Director of Ministry of Funny Haresh is a content creator, filmmaker, podcaster and digital marketer. He is the Co-founder and Creative Director of Ministry of Funny, a comedy brand that has produced viral content in the form of online videos, podcasts, live shows and an award-winning TV series. He has produced videos that have garnered over 27 million views and his podcast “Yah Lah But…” is one of the top podcasts in Singapore. He has also been featured in international media including South China Morning Post, Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. He is inspired by the power of comedy to make people laugh, think and drive social change and he was even one of YouTube's 47 Creators for Change Global Ambassadors in 2018. In 2019, he co-created, co-wrote and starred in “She's a Terrorists & I Love Her”, a dark comedy TV series that won the “Best Original Program by a Streamer/OTT” at the 2019 Asian Academy Creative Awards and “Best Comedy Program” at the 2020 Asian Academy Creative Awards. On Diversity is a podcast inspired by the Institute of Policy Studies Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, we chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab Episode 5: Sex and People with Disabilities, with Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme at the National University Singapore, and Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the IPS Society and Culture Department. Episode 6: Arts vs Culture, with Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra, and Clarissa Oon, Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Episode 7: Empathy and Healthcare, with Dr Mohan Tiru, Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at Woodlands Health Campus and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and Dr Maleena Suppiah Cavert Deputy Director of Clinical Education at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, NUHS Episode 8: Of Marriage and Migration, with Dr Kalpana Vignehsa, Research Fellow at the Governance and Economy Department at IPS, and Colin Miles, Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research Pte Ltd Episode 9: Tech and the Token Female, with Anna Gong, CEO and Founder of Perx Technologies, and Wynthia Goh, Head of NCS NEXT Digital     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Singapore schools, there is an equal ratio of men and women in the science and tech streams. But at tertiary levels and in the job market, men in tech outnumber women. Efforts are being made to correct this imbalance, as well as that in other sectors where women are under-represented. But can this be considered tokenism? Shouldn’t women — and men — be hired based purely on merit? Besides hiring practices, what else needs to change? And what role do men have to play in this? In the final episode of this season, we speak to two female trailblazers in the Singapore tech industry. They share their experiences with conscious and unconscious gender biases and other barriers that may have stood in their way over the course of their respective careers. Despite these factors, our guests also highlight the opportunities and ways in which women can thrive in their careers, regardless of industry. Find out more about women in tech and gender inequality in Singapore: TODAY Online (19 November 2020). Singapore can be a model of a country that has women in tech: Tharman TODAY Online (4 December 2020). We shouldn’t make a big deal about women in tech — a female entrepreneur’s perspective Infocomm Media Development Authority (8 September 2020). 100 Women Honoured for Outstanding Achievements in Tech Ministry of Manpower (10 January 2020). Singapore's Adjusted Gender Pay Gap Narrows to 6% About our guests: Anna Gong, CEO & Founder, Perx Technologies Ms. Anna Gong has over 20 years of global technology experience in enterprise software. She has transformed Perx Technologies, a Singapore-based enterprise software startup, from a consumer loyalty app to a category-creating lifestyle marketing SaaS platform helping enterprises to deliver meaningful engagements and experiences in the digital economy. She is the Chairwoman of SEA Founders Organization, sits on the Advisory Board of Duke Corporate Education Asia, and is a Board Member at Genius Group. She is listed as one of Singapore’s Top 100 Women in Tech 2020 and is the winner of the Singapore Women Entrepreneur Awards 2017. Anna, a TedX speaker, was also featured in the LinkedIn CEO Power Profiles 2017 and is a frequent keynote speaker on leadership, technology, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship, for large corporates and global conferences such as C2 Montreal, SaaStock Dublin, InnovFest Unbound, RISE, and European Business Leaders’ Convention.  Wynthia Goh, Head, NCS NEXT Digital Wynthia Goh leads NEXT Digital in NCS and is responsible for growing the digital business in areas such as digital transformation, mobility, user experience, and analytics. She has led regional digital teams in Asia Pacific for companies such as Aviva, SAP, eBay, and Nokia. Wynthia was the Chief Digital Officer for Aviva in Asia and set up their Asia digital centre of excellence in Singapore. Most recently, she was with NTUC Enterprise where she was seconded to FairPrice to lead and grow their B2B online business and partner ecosystem. She holds a Bachelor of Business from Nanyang Technological University. She was a Fulbright scholar and completed her Masters in Public Policy at the State University of New York. Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.  Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions.  This is the end of the first season of On Diversity, a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.  More from On Diversity:  Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said  Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr. Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab Episode 5: Sex and People with Disabilities, with Dr. Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme at the National University Singapore, and Dr. Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the IPS Society and Culture Department. Episode 6: Arts vs Culture, with Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra, and Clarissa Oon, Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Episode 7: Empathy and Healthcare, with Dr. Mohan Tiru, Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at Woodlands Health Campus and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and Dr. Maleena Suppiah Cavert Deputy Director of Clinical Education at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, NUHS Episode 8: Of Marriage and Migration, with Dr. Kalpana Vignehsa, Research Fellow at the Governance and Economy Department at IPS, and Colin Miles, Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research Pte Ltd See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Singapore, where binational marriages are on the rise, what cultural and policy adjustments must be made to balance openness with national interests? People who are called “foreign talent” may sometimes have lived in Singapore for several decades — like one of our guests on this episode. On the cultural front, does the label “foreigner” still apply to these people? Is it possible to be from both Singapore and somewhere else? Where Singapore citizenship is concerned, the choice can be difficult as dual citizenship is not a possibility. For the children of binational couples, these questions of identity can be hard to grapple with. In this episode, we discuss the various cultural and policy implications of binational marriages, and why this concerns Singaporeans, non-Singaporeans, and those that fall in between. IPS is conducting a study on binational couples where one partner is Singaporean. If you would like to know more, please contact Dr Kalpana Vignehsa at kalpana.vignehsa@nus.edu.sg Find out more about marriage and migration in Singapore: CNA (25 September 2019). Number of citizen marriages in Singapore lowest since 2013 CNA (15 January 2019). Transnational marriages are 'as resilient' as local marriages: MSF Straits Times (11 July 2018). More mixed marriages registered in Singapore Mothership (29 September 2016). 1 in 3 marriages these days between S'porean & foreigner About our guests: Dr Kalpana Vignehsa Research Fellow at the Governance and Economy Department at IPS Dr Vignehsa received her PhD in Organisational Sociology from the University of Technology Sydney. Her current research portfolio focuses on immigration and integration in families and workplaces. Dr Vignehsa also has interests in the lived experiences of parenthood and behavioural interventions in healthcare and environmentalism. Before joining IPS in 2020, Dr Vignehsa worked across public advocacy, academia, non-government work, and consulting. Most recently, she was Design Ethnographer at the Australian Consumer Association, where she led the social research programme within R&D. Colin Miles Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research Pte Ltd Colin Miles has lived and worked in Singapore and Asia for three decades. He is the Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research, which operates the Singapore-founded Zilliqa public blockchain. He is also Chair Emeritus of MEF Asia, a mobile industry association and has been a member of the Rotary Club of Singapore for 25 years.  Colin and his Singaporean wife received a Public Spiritedness Award from the Singapore Civil Defence Force for helping evacuate residents from a large fire in a nearby condominium. They have two sons in local schools; one has just completed his Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and the youngest will be taking his in 2021. Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.  Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions.  On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.  More from On Diversity:  Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said  Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab Episode 5: Sex and People with Disabilities, with Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme at the National University Singapore, and Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the IPS Society and Culture Department. Episode 6: Arts vs Culture, with Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra, and Clarissa Oon, Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Episode 7: Empathy and Healthcare, with Dr Mohan Tiru, Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at Woodlands Health Campus and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and Dr Maleena Suppiah Cavert Deputy Director of Clinical Education at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, NUHS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often think about healthcare in terms of prescriptions and clinical treatments. Rarely, if ever, does empathy come to mind. But in recent years, growing evidence has shown how critical empathy can be in treatment, for both medical practitioners and patients alike. Knowing, discussing and constantly checking in with a patient about their personal needs and feelings can speed up recovery; or with chronic diagnoses, foster a better quality of life. For emergency medical staff, who have high burnout and suicide rates, it is also vital for them to cultivate empathy for themselves as well as for their colleagues and patients. The onset of COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of empathy across our society, including healthcare workers and the most vulnerable among us. In this episode, we discuss the benefits of centring empathy in the medical world and its larger implications. Find out more about empathy and healthcare in Singapore and abroad: Third Spacing, a podcast series by medical students which explores topics on the fringes of clinical medicine in Singapore. CNA (2 May 2020). 'We learned to smile with our eyes': Doctors volunteer to care for migrant workers at dormitories hit by COVID-19 CNA (30 April 2020). Compassionate clinicians: Making a lasting impression The Conversation (7 May 2019). Empathy in healthcare is finally making a comeback in (12 January 2015). Being Mortal: What matters is not how we live but how we die Thomas Jefferson University. Jefferson Scale of Empathy About our guests: Dr Mohan Tiru Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at Woodlands Health Campus and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital Dr Mohan Tiru specialises in emergency medicine, serving as senior consultant at Woodlands Health Campus and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. He is also the chairman of the Ministry of Health’s Residency Advisory Committee (Emergency Medicine) and is deputy chairman of the Medical Board (Surgical and Ambulatory Divisions) at Woodlands Integrated Health Complex. Lastly, Dr Mohan is an associate professor at the National University of Singapore School of Medicine and is the Singapore representative to the board of the Asian Society of Emergency Medicine. Dr Maleena Suppiah Cavert Deputy Director of Clinical Education at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, NUHS Dr Maleena helms undergraduate and postgraduate (residency) clinical education and continuing medical education at NUHS. Since 2018, she has been heading staff wellbeing and mental health initiatives at NUHS, collaborating with counterparts in the healthcare sector and the Ministry of Health. Where humanity and compassion are lacking in healthcare, she tries to restore these fundamental practices through training. She is also a certified mindfulness facilitator and works closely with staff and students to enhance resilience and combat burnout. Maleena is also a board director at ALife, a non-profit organisation that assists unsupported mothers and their children. Maleena graduated from King’s College, London and went on to pursue an MBA at ESSEC Business School in Paris. Her doctoral thesis was on empathy and healthcare. She has worked in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Austria, and Singapore, thus having the opportunity to experience and enact cross-cultural empathy. Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.  Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions.  On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.  More from On Diversity:  Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said  Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab Episode 5: Sex and People with Disabilities, with Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme at the National University Singapore, and Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the IPS Society and Culture Department. Episode 6: Arts vs Culture, with Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra, and Clarissa Oon, Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does one distinguish between art and culture? Are the two synonymous, does one serve the other, or is this a false divide? In this episode, Ong Soh Chin and her guests explore these questions in the context of Singapore. At times, art can be boxed within certain cultures and seen as “ethnic art’’. For example, Chinese theatre might be interpreted as something exclusively for the Chinese community, rather than society as a whole. In small, multiracial Singapore, such perceptions can inhibit critical funding, support and engagement. Can art exist for art’s sake or must it have a clearly defined cultural and economic output? With the onset of COVID-19, when art and culture practitioners are struggling to survive, these issues have become more loaded. It is within this context that our guests, Clarissa Oon, Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade, and Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra, discuss the role of art and culture in Singapore, and the importance of sustaining a broader arts ecosystem. Find out more about art and culture in Singapore: The Peak Magazine (2 August 2020). Theatre companies focus on development and training as venues remain closed Institute of Policy Studies (11 June 2020). Art in the Time of Pandemic: Meaning, Relevance and Future About our guests: Clarissa Oon Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay Clarissa Oon joined Esplanade, Singapore’s national performing arts centre, in 2016 and oversees digital content production and archival. This includes the Esplanade Offstage (www.esplanade.com/offstage) site, launched in October 2019, which has streamed, archived and featured the works and insights of over 1,500 artists and cultural thought leaders from Singapore and Asia. Prior to this, she was a journalist with The Straits Times for 17 years and authored a book on the history of Singapore’s English-language theatre. Her writing on the arts has been published in essay anthologies as well as international publications such as ArtReview and Mekong Review, and she was a keynote speaker at the inaugural Asian Arts Media Roundtable organised by ArtsEquator in 2019. Shaza Ishak Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra Shaza Ishak leads Teater Ekamatra, one of the longest running ethnic minority theatre companies in Singapore. She directs the company’s strategy and vision, working closely with the artistic director to programme and produce artistic works. She believes in effecting social change through the art of storytelling and is committed to forging progress for the ethnic minority arts scene in Singapore and beyond. In 2019, she graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (UK) with an MA in Creative Producing with the support of the National Arts Council Arts Postgraduate Scholarship, the Goh Chok Tong Youth Promise Award, and the Li Siong Tay Postgraduate Scholarship; as well as the BinjaiTree Foundation and the Trailblazer Foundation. In the last three years, she has been a fellow of the Singapore International Foundation’s Arts for Good Fellowship and of the International Society for the Performing Arts (USA), and most recently, the Eisenhower Fellowship (USA). Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.  Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions.  On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.  More from On Diversity:  Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said  Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab Episode 5: Sex and People with Disabilities, with Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme at the National University Singapore, and Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the IPS Society and Culture Department. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains explicit content. Listener discretion is advised. Sex — and all its accompanying discussions of trust and consent — is often neglected in conversations concerning people with physical and intellectual disabilities. This is especially so in societies where sex is a taboo subject. But people with disabilities need support when it comes to navigating their sexual needs and identities as well as developing healthy romantic and sexual relationships.  From caregivers to educators, advocates to everyday folk, society needs to start removing barriers and stigmas around the sexual health and wellbeing of people with disabilities. Find out more about sex and people with disabilities in Singapore: Channel NewsAsia (15 June 2020): Navigating taboos, parents grapple with sexual stirrings of children with special needs The Straits Times (30 June 2018): Disability and sexuality: Able-bodied ignores sexual desires and need for love TODAY Online (18 October 2016): Sex after a disabling injury? Yes, it’s possible Our Grandfather Story (17 September 2020): Do People with Disabilities Feel Like One Of Us? Tsao Foundation (2 December 2020): Our Health, Our Lives, Our Stories: Webinar on Living with Intellectual Disability in the Community Note: In the episode, Dr Lohsnah talks about an intellectually disabled client who sought sexual gratification in Geylang. She was eventually placed in a residential home for her own safety and has received psychological therapy. She has matured emotionally but will admit, when gently prodded, that she continues to yearn for a romantic relationship because she is lonely.  About our guests: Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Clinical Psychologist Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam specialises in sexuality management in persons with intellectual disability. She trained at the University of Queensland, Australia and is currently a Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, where she is also the Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme. She is a Senior Consultant Clinical Psychologist with the Cognitive Health Consultancy International clinic, as well as an expert trainer for a range of topics for mainstream and special needs educators. Dr Jeevanandam previously worked at The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore and is strongly passionate about the advocacy for persons with intellectual disability. Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at IPS’ Society and Culture Department Dr Justin Lee specialises in issues related to disadvantaged populations in Singapore. Some of his research includes the social inclusion of people with disabilities, proper end-of-life planning for vulnerable seniors and the re-integration of ex-offenders. He is also interested in the non-profit sector at large, and has been paying keen attention to the role and strengths of new and untapped resources like game designers, community artists and other social innovators. Aside from his work at IPS, Dr Justin Lee is also Chairman of ArtsWok Collaborative, a non-profit organisation, which seeks to connect communities by harnessing the power of the arts to create dialogue, invite social participation and build bridges across difference. Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.  Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions.  On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity:  Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said  Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The media landscape is changing, offering diverse points of view and satisfying increasing demands for varied opinions and information. However, there are concerns that this diversity could lead to polarisation. Digitalisation has democratised and sped up access to news. With so much information at our fingertips, bite-sized, snackable content is often preferred over detailed, time-consuming features. News aggregators and social media algorithms also play into consumer preferences, creating echo chambers – narrowing rather than expanding the breadth of content available to consumers. What role and responsibility does the media have in maintaining a well-informed citizenry and encouraging open public discourse? Find out more about media and diversity in Singapore: The Straits Times (3 November 2020): The truth about social media The Straits Times (9 October 2020): Online sites for S’pore media saw surge during GE2020 Channel NewsAsia (1 October 2020): Facebook, CNA and YouTube were channels voters turned to in 2020 ‘online’ General Election: IPS survey IPS Survey on The Role of Media and Social Media (2015) About our guests: Mark Tan, Founder and CEO of Rice Media Mark Tan is the founder and CEO of Rice Media, a digital media platform that publishes stories and insights into contemporary Asian culture. A die-hard print magazine junkie, Mark fell in love with publishing at the age of 12 after chancing upon an old copy of MAD magazine.   Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab Dr Chew Han Ei is a quantitative research specialist with a keen interest in social issues and technology adoption in societies. Some of his key international projects with UNESCO, where he is concurrently a research consultant, include “Reading in the Mobile Era” and “I’d blush if I could – Closing Gender Divides in Digital Skills through Education”. At the IPS Social Lab, he is the Principal Investigator of the Youth Study on Transitions and Evolving Pathways in Singapore, the first national-level longitudinal study of youths in Singapore. Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.  Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions.  On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.  More from On Diversity:  Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Different races and religions co-exist peacefully in Singapore, but fault lines are starting to show as the world at large grapples with the challenges of multiculturalism. How can one address these sensitive issues as people talk more openly about them? This episode’s guests are Low Sze Wee, CEO of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre; and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said, a singer, performer, and composer of an award-winning love song in Malay and Chinese, called Ku Mahu 在乎 . Together they discuss what multiculturalism means in Singapore today, whether the country can or should become a true melting pot, and how we can enable an open and civil dialogue about race issues. Find out more about multiculturalism and race in Singapore: The Straits Times (1 September 2020): Rethinking approach to policies and politics in a time of change IPS Commons (19 August 2020): Why Singapore needs new ways to tackle racism more effectively Channel NewsAsia (27 August 2020): Heart of the Matter: The conversation on race and multiculturalism younger Singaporeans want CNA – IPS Survey on Race Relations (August 2016) IPS Survey on Race, Religion and Language (2013 – 2014) About our guests: Low Sze Wee Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Since April 2018, Low Sze Wee has been Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre. He is an award-winning curator with management experience. He was previously Director (Curatorial, Collections and Education) at the National Gallery Singapore and involved in strategic arts planning and policy in the former Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. Sze Wee is the first Singaporean to be selected as a Fellow for the Clore Leadership Programme in 2013. He was a practising lawyer prior to his transition into the arts and cultural sector. Jamiel Said Singer-songwriter Jamiel is an established singer-songwriter, producer and content creator from Singapore. He is the creative director of Melody Central, a team of musicians that provides live music, DJ and emcee services for weddings. In 2019, the song Ku Mahu 在乎 (I Want to Care in a mix of Malay and Chinese) won the SCCC Xchange Award at SG:SW I Write the Songs songwriting competition, which aims to encourage compositions with strong multi-ethnic elements. It was composed by Jamiel, with lyrics by him and Lim Wei Bin. _____ Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions. On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity: Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer Theophilus Kwek Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to dementia, are we focusing on the disease but neglecting the person? Medication should not be the only treatment for dementia, which is incurable and robs people of their dignity. And what does the pandemic mean for dementia care and programmes? Ong Soh Chin explores different ways to care for persons with dementia, as well as the challenges faced by caregivers. Her guests are physician Dr Chen Shiling and Johnson Soh, who uses music therapy and virtual tea dances to draw out the people behind the illness. Find out more about dementia and caregiving support: SanCare Asia organises programmes to help seniors live a better quality of life. IPS Exchange Series: Leaving Well: End-of-Life Policies in Singapore About our guests: Dr Chen Shiling Physician Dr Chen Shiling is a physician who is currently working with Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Tsao Foundation Community for Successful Ageing (ComSA) in providing care for persons with dementia and their families. Dr Chen is also the Head of Hua Mei Intellectual Disability Service – HEALTH FOR ME, an initiative by Tsao Foundation to cater to the healthcare needs of ageing persons with intellectual disability and their ageing caregivers. She is the founder of “Happee Hearts Movement”, which advocates and provides for the medical needs of adults with intellectual disability. Dr Chen is currently a member of the Management Committee of Alzheimer's Disease Association (ADA) and chairs in their Programmes and Services Sub-Committee. She is also a member of the Residential and Community-based Care Services Committee in Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) and serves on their Healthcare Working Group. Dr Chen is also a member of the AWWA Programmes and Services Committee and serves on the board of Mamre Oaks Ltd, a centre for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is also an appointed member of the Adult Protection Team (APT), Ministry of Social and Family Development.    Johnson Soh Founder/owner of SanCare Asia Johnson’s career has spanned over nearly three decades in the music and media industries, helming various management positions at Warner Music, Universal Music, Ericsson Telecommunications and Gibson Brands. He is also the founder and owner of SanCare Asia – Asia’s first and only eldercare service company offering person-centred programmes based on reminiscence music. With a combination of extensive research and deep music repertoire knowledge, Johnson created SanCare Asia’s proprietary personalised music playlist programme, Strike a Note, which is customised so every client can connect with their loved ones and environment. More recently, he rolled out a music and movement programme, Return to The Tea Dance©, which is based on the silent disco concept. The programme, which is suitable for seniors across all abilities, has been adopted by multiple senior care facilities across the country and was also nominated as a finalist in the 2020 Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards in the ‘Best Dementia Program’ category. _____ Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions. On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity: Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke with Lydia Lim, journalist with SPH and poet and writer Theophilus Kwek Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism? with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To be woke and to cancel involve a heightened awareness of social injustice and the calling out of offending institutions or powerful people — like the Me Too movement which brought down Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Largely attributed to today’s youth who are less afraid to challenge institutionalised norms, they level the playing field when it comes to justice. But they can also lead to polarisation. In this debut episode, host and Institute of Policy Studies Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with Lydia Lim, head of Schools and Education Projects at Singapore Press Holdings, and poet and writer Theophilus Kwek about the complexities of this new form of activism, whether being woke is exclusively for the young and how to take it to a better place for Singapore. Find out more about cancel culture: The Straits Times (20 September 2020): Asking awkward questions of the powerful Mothership (5 August 2020): Cancelling & cancel culture: Are they relevant to us in S’pore & why should we care? Channel NewsAsia (23 July 2020): Cancel culture: Positive social change or online harassment? SCMP (19 July 2020): Cancel culture: how Asia’s ‘woke brigade’ became a political force About our guests: Lydia Lim Head of Schools and Education Projects at Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Lydia specialised in reporting and writing on Singapore politics and policy before moving to head editorial training in November 2017. In May 2019, she took on a new role as Head of SPH Schools department, a team that specialises in producing News in Education products and services for students ranging from pre-primary through tertiary levels, across four languages. She also writes a regular Sunday column in The Straits Times. She joined Singapore Press Holdings in 1999 and was on The Straits Times’ political desk for 14 years, during which she covered general elections, Parliament sittings and two historic international court hearings involving sovereignty disputes between Singapore and Malaysia. She is a co-author of two books, Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going and Struck by Lightning: Singapore Voices post-1965, and editor of Vintage Lee, a collection of 33 landmark speeches by Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. Before joining SPH, she worked in television as a current affairs producer and broadcast journalist at MediaCorp. Theophilus Kwek Poet and Writer Theophilus Kwek is a writer, translator and editor, with an interest in migration and public policy issues. His poetry collections Circle Line (Math Paper Press) and Giving Ground (Ethos Books) were shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize in 2014 and 2018; while his pamphlet The First Five Storms, published in the UK, won the inaugural New Poets’ Prize in 2016. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, Times Literary Supplement, The London Magazine and Columbia Journal, among other platforms. His most recent collection, “Moving House”, was published in July 2020 by Carcanet Press, also in the UK. Theophilus holds a MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from Oxford University and has also written about questions of citizenship and migration for The Straits Times, South China Morning Post, Singapore Policy Journal, and The Diplomat. He supports various ground-up initiatives to empower and welcome the migrant community in Singapore."  _____ Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions. On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. More from On Diversity: Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism? with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin will chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. On Diversity launches Nov 2, with new episodes every fortnight. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.