IN view of the serious concern and recent spate of publicity regarding National Service (NS), The Star organised a panel discussion on April 21 with established and experienced youth workers in NGOs to discuss, and to give suggestions on, what it takes to run youth programmes.
The panel included NS training council member Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye and MCA National Youth secretary-general Loh Seng Kok, a member of the NS inspectorate.
Others in the panel were: Shelter Home executive director James Nayagam and senior administration officer Anderson Selvasegaram, both with vast experience working with street children; social work trainer and one of the NS master trainers Andrew Wong; The Star senior writer Sidek Kamiso who was an NS trainer; HELP Institute’s Centre for Psychology director Dr Goh Chee Leong; and D’Jungle People managing director Paul Kam who is an experienced trainer.
The discussion was moderated by The Star deputy group chief editor I Michael Aeria, deputy group chief editor II Datuk Wong Chun Wai and Star Metro editor and BRATs young journalists programme coordinator Tan Ju-Eng.
