Minister Alvin Tan launches practical guide to help establish community-based mental health support initiatives.
On November 16, 2024, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan introduced a new guide aimed at helping groups create “well-being circles” for mental health support within their communities. Available on the SG Mental Well-Being Network’s LinkedIn page, the guide offers best practices and valuable insights from existing circles to assist those interested in establishing such support systems.
The initiative seeks to address mental health stigma, increase awareness, and empower individuals to provide peer support. Tan emphasized the guide’s practicality, designed to make it easier for communities across Singapore to form well-being circles effectively.
These circles are a key component of the SG Mental Well-Being Network, which brings together citizens, mental health advocacy groups, social service agencies, and other partners. Since its launch in 2022, the network has provided peer support training to over 600 individuals, benefiting more than 3,000 people. The circles cater to the unique mental health needs of different communities, including youth-focused initiatives and programs to support elderly individuals, like the circle in the Yuhua area.
Tan further stressed that mental health remains a top priority for the government, especially in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, with such initiatives fostering greater resilience and awareness in the public.
