Launch of Beyond the Label (BTL) Collective - Rallies Partners To Better Support Persons With Mental Health Conditions

07 Oct 2022

SINGAPORE, 07 OCTOBER 2022 – The Beyond the Label (BTL) Collective rallies 26 like-minded partners from the public, private and people sectors to better support persons with mental health conditions and to build a more inclusive society. Beyond raising awareness, the BTL Collective will inspire action in schools, workplaces and community groups to achieve these goals.

2. This new initiative was launched during the BTL Fest 2022 by the Guest-of-Honour President Halimah Yacob, and witnessed by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli.

Launch of BTL Collective to drive greater inclusivity and action

3. Led by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) and TOUCH Community Services, the BTL Collective will work with partners from the public, private and people sectors to:

Raise awareness of stigma and advocate for greater support for persons with mental health conditions;
Educate and equip the public with peer support skills that help them interact and support persons with mental health conditions;
Implement workplace adjustments to support persons with mental health conditions better; and
Encourage those who need help to seek help early

4. Building a more caring and inclusive society for persons with mental health conditions requires everyone to play a part – at homes, in schools and at workplaces. Ms Tan Li San, Chief Executive Officer, NCSS, and co-chair of the BTL Collective said, “All of us will likely experience mental distress in one form or another, at some point in our lives. Some will experience it much more acutely than others. It is therefore important for us to take care of our own mental health, look out for those around us, and encourage those who need professional help to seek it. Beyond the Label seeks to destigmatise mental health conditions. In this new phase, we want to work closely with corporates and the community to create an empowering and inclusive environment for persons with mental health conditions, and to improve the mental well-being of all Singaporeans.”

5. “Proactive community support is important to overcome challenges that may prevent persons with mental health conditions from seeking and receiving the support that they need. We urge everyone to consider their role as a member of the community, to go beyond in supporting persons with mental health conditions and helping them to be heard, valued and empowered,” said Mr James Tan, Chief Executive Officer, TOUCH Community Services, and co-chair of the BTL Collective.

6. The list of partners in the BTL Collective are in Annex A.

Improvements in public attitudes towards persons with mental health conditions

7. Since 2018, the BTL Movement has been actively raising public awareness and acceptance of persons with mental health conditions. These collective efforts have gained good traction. The 2021 NCSS Study on Public Attitudes towards Persons with Mental Health Conditions generally reveals positive shifts since the study was first conducted in 2017. However, more can be done to address stigma and garner more support for mental well-being. Key study findings are:

Seven in ten respondents agreed that people with mental health conditions can fully recover. (Up from about six in ten in 2017)
Four in ten respondents had a positive score for questions asking how they felt towards persons with mental health conditions. (Up from about two in ten respondents in 2017)
Six in ten respondents were willing to work with a person with mental health condition. (Up from about five in ten in 2017)
One in four respondents had the misconception that one of the main causes of mental health conditions is a lack of self-discipline and will-power. (Down from one in three in 2017)
Among working respondents, two in five agreed that their organisations provided adequate support for mental well-being. (Newly-added question in 2021)

8. Details from the findings, including comparisons with the 2017 Study, can be found in the accompanying infographics.

Over 1,500 participated in BTL Fest 2022

9. Marking its return after a hiatus due to the pandemic, the BTL Fest 2022, an annual flagship event by the BTL Movement, saw over 1,500 people participating in a host of curated activities. The BTL Fest Family Amazing Race was flagged off by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, and Culture, Community and Youth Eric Chua. Other family-friendly activities included the Resilience Collective’s Human Library, Health Promotion Board’s parenting talk, BTL’s Pebble Walk and Temasek Polytechnic’s sand play therapy. These activities provided participants safe spaces for conversations on mental health and advice on coping strategies and self-care methods.

10. Participants of all ages were entertained by local artistes and performance groups, such as Stanley Seet, Dick Lee, The Freshman and KR Steppers from the National University of Singapore. There were also food trucks by local brands such as GOOD Burger and Old Chang Kee, and a host of mental health themed carnival games.

11. For updates from the BTL Collective, follow the BTL Facebook and Instagram page (@beyondthelabelsg). For mental health resources and services, visit Belle, the BTL Helpbot (https://go.gov.sg/belle-helpbot).

Annex A - BTL 2.0 Steering Committee and organisations in the BTL Collective

Annex B - Infographics for findings from 2021 NCSS Study on Public Attitudes towards Persons with Mental Health Conditions

For media enquiries, please contact:
Amelia Cheng
Client Manager, WE Communications
Email: ameliac@we-worldwide.com

National Council of Social Service (NCSS)

NCSS is the umbrella body for over 450-member social service agencies in Singapore. Its mission is to provide leadership and direction in enhancing the capabilities and capacity of our members, advocating for social service needs and strengthening strategic partnerships, for an effective social service ecosystem. Community Chest is the fundraising and engagement arm of NCSS and Social Service Institute (SSI) is the human capital development arm of NCSS.

TOUCH Community Services

Since 1992, TOUCH Community Services has served people of all ages, races and religions to see sustainable change and transformation in their lives. It believes in the worth and potential of every child, youth at-risk, family in need, senior and person with special or healthcare needs to grow, participate and contribute in the community. The heartbeat of TOUCH is to activate potential, build independence, connect people, and deliver impact by developing sustainable solutions in society. For more information on TOUCH, please visit www.touch.org.sg

Annex A - BTL 2.0 Steering Committee and organisations in the BTL Collective

BTL 2.0 Steering Committee

S/N	Role	Agency	Representative
1	Co-chair	National Council of Social Service	Ms Tan Li San, Chief Executive Officer
2	Co-chair	TOUCH Community Services	Mr James Tan, Chief Executive Officer
3	Member	Agency for Integrated Care	Mr Thomas Tan, Deputy Director, Caregiver and Community Mental Health Division
4	Member	Care Corner Singapore	Mr Joseph Eio, Deputy Director, Mental Health & Counselling Services and Children Services
5	Member	Facebook Singapore Pte Ltd	Ms Clara Koh, Head of Public Policy, Singapore and ASEAN
6	Member	Institute of Mental Health	Dr Lee Cheng, Clinical Director (Population Health)
7	Member	MINDSET Care Limited (Jardine MINDSET)	Ms Colyn Chua, Head, MINDSET Singapore
8	Member	Samaritans of Singapore	Mr Phua Chun Yat, Chief Operating Officer
9	Member	Singapore Association for Mental Health	Ms Ngo Lee Yian, Executive Director
10	Member	Singapore Children’s Society	Ms Vivyan Chee, Deputy Director
11	Member	SG Enable	Mr Lin Weiting, Assistant Director, Independent Living and Caregiver Support Division