Design4Impact 2 (2021)

Strengthening mental well-being in our new normal

The protracted COVID-19 pandemic created uncertainties in the life of every Singaporean. Many struggled with heightened anxieties over health, finances, career, education and relationships. Adjusting to life in the “new normal” – riddled with constantly evolving adaptations – had taken a toll on the mental and emotional health of many. This impact was especially pronounced among vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities, who often face additional barriers to support and stability.

The increase in the prevalence of mental health conditions affecting a person’s emotional and interpersonal well-being can no longer be overlooked. The 2016 Singapore Mental Health Survey found that one in seven Singapore residents suffered from some form of mental health condition in their lifetime. A study commissioned by The Straits Times in April 2021 found that more than one in three Singaporeans experienced a decline in their mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the face of an unprecedented and unrelenting social crisis, it became clear that fresh and bold approaches were needed to ensure mental health support reaches every corner of society.

As part of D4I2, all participants attended industry-led design thinking workshops with pedagogy and training jointly developed by the NUS Institute of Systems Science (NUS-ISS) and DesignSingapore Council’s School of X (Dsg SoX); had an opportunity to pitch their ideas to attain seed funding; and were guided and championed by sector developers to implement their winning solutions in the community.

D4I2 saw community providers, grassroots organisations, social service agencies, caregivers, residents, public service officers, corporate volunteers and persons with lived experience coming together to co-design implementable and sustainable solutions to help Singaporeans thrive during and beyond COVID-19.

Challenge statements

Meeting the mental health & well-being needs of seniors

• How might we develop solutions to better support our seniors’ mental health needs?

Empowering caregivers to improve their mental health and well-being

• How might we empower caregivers to improve their mental health and well-being?

Facilitating youths’ help-seeking behaviour for mental health and well-being

• How might we increase youths’ accessibility to early mental health support?

A comprehensive and immersive learning experience

Participants underwent five stages of learning as part of the D4I2 experience (one per week).

Phase 1: Empathy
Research and immerse in the needs and challenges of our users

Phase 2: Define
Analyse research, synthesise insights and refine the design challenge​

Phase 3: Ideate
Generate ideas and concepts based on research insights​

Phase 4: Prototype
Transform conceptual ideas into tangible solutions​

Phase 5: Test & Iterate
Test solutions and improve though iteration

Judging criteria

Solution Fit
To what extent does the proposed solution address the problem statement and end users’ needs effectively?

Feasibility/Scalability
How easy will it be to develop and implement a working model of this solution?

Application of Design Thinking Principles
How well has the team used design thinking principles (empathy, define, ideate, prototype, test & iterate) to inform their solution?

Pitch & Presentation
How has the team articulated their proposal and engaged the audience?

Innovation
How well does the solution present new concepts or approaches to tackle the design challenge?

Funding

Top three ideas qualified for an implementation funding of S$12,000 each, which was used for piloting of prototypes. Teams could also obtain additional funding and work with relevant stakeholders to implement and scale their projects.

D4I2 Pitch Day