Singapore: Youth’s death spurs new initiative to look out for one another

Sikh Welfare Council management committee member Sarabjeet Singh with the resource kits that address mental health concerns. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

By Malavika Menon | The Straits Times | Singapore |

SINGAPORE – The suicide of a young person in their community last year spurred the Sikh Welfare Council (Siwec) to start an initiative empowering family members and friends to be “eyes and ears”, looking out for individuals around them who may be struggling with mental health concerns.

Launched on Sept 30, Theek Thak or “All Ok?” was the culmination of a year’s effort by Siwec members along with therapists, counsellors and other grassroots level organisations.

Siwec provides educational support, family support services and eldercare services among other services to the Sikh community, as well as non-Sikhs in Singapore.

Siwec’s chairman, Mr Harmit Singh, said community organisations need to take the lead in promoting conversations about mental health.

“The biggest aim of this initiative is to destigmatise mental health issues. We must acknowledge that the chances of people coming forward for help are low, so it takes a village, the people around them, to look out for signs that someone needs help,” he added.

The initiative directs users on social media to the resources that they can use to get help, including Siwec’s own counselling services.

Mr Sarabjeet Singh, management committee member at Siwec, said the kits were developed with the need to reach out to people from diverse backgrounds in mind. He said Siwec hoped to collaborate with other organisations to come up with new editions of the kit.

Read the full story, ‘Causes Week 2021: Youth’s death spurs new initiative to look out for one another’ (The Straits Times, 20 Dec 2021), here.

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