Youth & Children Education Society Singapore (新加坡青少年与儿童教育协会)

About YCESS

A Society Built Around the Potential of Young People

YCESS — Youth and Children Education Society Singapore — is a Singapore-based not-for-profit society committed to creating a stronger environment for children and young people to learn, grow, participate and contribute.

Founded in 2017, we bring together educators, families, schools, communities, volunteers, industry and international partners around one shared belief: when young people are given meaningful opportunities and the right support, they can shape a better future for themselves and for society.

Discover Our StoryMeet Our Leadership

Who We Are

Bringing People Together Around the Future of Young People

YCESS is a Singapore-based not-for-profit society dedicated to youth and children’s education and development.

We believe that preparing young people for the future is not the responsibility of one school, one family or one organisation. It requires a wider community of educators, families, institutions, volunteers, industry partners and international collaborators working toward shared goals.

YCESS provides a platform for that collaboration. We connect people, ideas and opportunities so that children and young people can explore their potential, develop confidence and character, participate meaningfully in society and contribute to the communities around them.

Our programmes and partnerships have evolved since our establishment in 2017, but our purpose has remained consistent: to place young people at the centre of a stronger, more connected and more forward-looking education ecosystem.

We are not defined by a single programme, discipline or competition. We are defined by the shared purpose that connects them.

Singapore-Based
Rooted in the needs, strengths and communities of Singapore.
Not-For-Profit
Guided by educational and social purpose rather than commercial return.
Youth-Centred
Placing the development, dignity and long-term interests of young people at the centre.

Why a Society

Because the Future of Young People Is a Shared Responsibility

Young people grow within a wider social environment. Their opportunities are shaped by families, schools, educators, communities, institutions, public spaces and the wider world. A society can bring these parts together.

YCESS was established to create a neutral and collaborative platform where different parts of society can contribute to youth and children’s development. Our role is not to replace schools, families or educators. It is to connect and strengthen them.

  • Convene

    Bringing people and institutions together around a shared commitment to young people.

  • Connect

    Linking communities, knowledge, resources and opportunities across sectors and borders.

  • Strengthen

    Supporting educators, mentors, volunteers and organisations that help young people grow.

  • Sustain

    Building relationships and platforms that create continuity beyond individual activities.

Our Foundation · Vision, Mission & Values

The Purpose That Guides Us

Vision · The Future We Believe In

A future where every young person has the opportunity, confidence and capabilities to learn, lead, contribute and thrive.

Mission · How We Work Toward It

To advance youth and children’s education by creating meaningful opportunities, strengthening the people and communities around young people, enabling participation and building partnerships across Singapore and the world.

Our Story

Growing With Purpose Since 2017

YCESS began with a belief that young people should have meaningful opportunities to learn, participate, create and contribute beyond the boundaries of the classroom.

Since then, the society has grown by bringing together new communities, disciplines, partnerships and international connections. Our journey is not defined only by the events we have delivered, but by the relationships, trust and shared purpose built along the way.

  1. 2017

    Established in Singapore

    YCESS is established in Singapore with a commitment to youth and children's education and development.

  2. —

    Building a Foundation

    The society begins connecting educators, families, venues, community partners and youth platforms around educational and cultural opportunities.

  3. —

    Expanding Opportunity

    YCESS develops broader pathways spanning creativity, performance, technology, community engagement and youth participation.

  4. —

    Strengthening Social Contribution

    Youth creativity and community collaboration are connected with charitable and social initiatives — including a charity painting campaign that raised S$800,000 in goods and donations.

  5. —

    Connecting Internationally

    YCESS expands relationships with international programme and competition systems — and is officially recognised as an RECF International Representative, supporting programme development, team recruitment and the development of Event Partners in Singapore.

    Explore Robotics & STEM Development →

  6. —

    The Next Chapter

    YCESS continues developing as a Singapore-rooted and globally connected platform for youth education, participation and community contribution.

Explore the complete event archive →

Our Identity

Rooted in Singapore. Open to the World.

Singapore is more than the place where YCESS was founded. It shapes how we think about education, diversity, responsibility, collaboration and the future.

Our role is two-way: to bring meaningful global opportunities into Singapore, and to enable Singapore’s young people, educators, ideas and values to contribute beyond our shores.

Hundreds of young participants gathered across a stage, waving and celebrating together
Hundreds of young people, one shared moment — the community that shapes how YCESS thinks about the future.

Rooted in Singapore

  • Serving local young people and communities
  • Supporting schools, educators and families
  • Building accessible and trusted platforms
  • Contributing to an inclusive and forward-looking society
  • Reflecting Singapore's multicultural character

Open to the World

  • Building international education relationships
  • Connecting young people with wider perspectives
  • Enabling cross-cultural learning and exchange
  • Supporting recognised international platforms
  • Sharing Singapore-based experience globally

Our identity is local in responsibility and global in outlook.

Leadership & Governance

Responsible Leadership. Clear Accountability.

YCESS is governed by a leadership body responsible for protecting the society’s purpose, overseeing its direction and ensuring that its activities remain responsible, sustainable and aligned with the interests of young people.

Our leaders bring experience from education, community development, business, technology, finance, law and other relevant fields. Their role is not only to support programmes, but to provide oversight, uphold standards and help the society build for the long term.

Meet Our LeadershipExplore Governance

  • Purpose

    Protecting the mission and ensuring that young people remain at the centre of the society's work.

  • Oversight

    Reviewing strategy, governance, risk, partnerships and responsible use of resources.

  • Stewardship

    Building an organisation that is credible, sustainable and accountable to its community.

Accountability

Trust Is Built Through Responsibility

Working with children and young people carries a responsibility to act with care, transparency and integrity. YCESS is committed to strengthening the policies, standards and reporting practices that support safe participation, responsible partnerships and public trust.

See also: Privacy Policy · Feedback & Contact

From the Council

Building for the Generations Ahead

The future becomes stronger when young people are empowered to help shape it.

YCESS was established in 2017 with a simple conviction: young people deserve meaningful opportunities to discover what they are capable of becoming.

Over the years, those opportunities have taken many forms. Young people have created, performed, competed, collaborated, served their communities and connected with audiences and platforms beyond Singapore — stage by stage, opportunity by opportunity.

Each initiative has reinforced the same lesson. Talent grows when it is recognised. Confidence grows when responsibility is trusted. Communities grow stronger when young people are encouraged to contribute.

Our responsibility is therefore not only to deliver the next programme or event. It is to build an organisation, a network and a culture of opportunity that can continue serving young people for generations.

We remain committed to that work — rooted in Singapore, connected to the world and guided by the belief that the future becomes stronger when young people are empowered to help shape it.

The CouncilYouth and Children Education Society Singapore

Help Build a Stronger Future for Young People

YCESS grows through the people and organisations who share our belief in the potential of young people. Join us as a participant, educator, volunteer, community partner or supporter.

Get InvolvedPartner With YCESS

Contact YCESS →