Mr Clarence Ching was thousands of kilometres away in Britain last year studying political studies at Durham University when a debate on inequality and social mobility erupted across Singapore.
The former Normal (Academic) student, 24, he noticed that while all the policymakers and academics were talking about inequality, no one from the lower academic streams was talking or coming up with solutions.
He decided while he was overseas to start Access to “bridge the gap”, by building a team of 20 core volunteers and flying back to Singapore every few months.
Access, which will be registered as a non-profit organisation by October, gives secondary school students from disadvantaged backgrounds access to office tours, career workshops and short attachments with companies.
Part of giving these underprivileged young people a chance to succeed is to equip them with resources and social capital, he said. He added that disadvantaged students lack access to networks and opportunities that arise from being better off.
Clarence said nearly 20 companies – from the media, technology and healthcare sectors – have expressed interest to host students, and he is looking for more.
He is also in the midst of applying for the National Youth Council’s National Youth Fund, which supports ground-up initiatives.
He will be back in Singapore for good after graduating next July and plans to carry on his work with Access with a full-time team.
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Source: The Straits Times, 13 August 2019