The Youth Factor

Content Architecture

The COV-AID content fall under four broad sections designed for high efficiency and enhanced readability. 

Government Grants contains information on the different government grants for which individuals and businesses can apply. 

Navigating COVID-19 Laws, subdivided into areas such as social distancing regulations, contractual relief under the COVID-19 laws, and residential and commercial properties, covers FAQs. 

Academics on Pandemics features unique thought pieces from NUS Law professors as well as those from other universities abroad, on how COVID-19 has affected different areas of law. 

Conversations with Lawyers includes student interviews with leading lawyers on the effects of COVID-19 on the legal practice. This includes Family Law, Employment Law, and Mental Health.

Team Play

COV-AID got off to a running start with friends contributing preliminary research. Subsequently, the members who joined the EXCO were people that Seah and Tang felt that could work well with and cared deeply about the project’s central mission. “We believe that teamwork makes the dream work and COV-AID’s success is testament to that,” Seah says.

Adds Tang, “We were fortunate to receive the aid of students, who contributed to COV-AID’s many arms and limbs. This extends to writing the various articles, conducting interviews with lawyers, and managing our publicity efforts.” 

The sign up process was facilitated by NUS Law’s very handy pro-bono portal, which manages the enrolment of the many pro-bono activities that NUS Law has to offer. “To that end, there is no specific selection criteria that we have employed in selecting students for COV-AID. As long as a particular student has a willing heart to serve, COV-AID’s doors are always open,” Seah says.

Defining Doing Good

Members of COV-AID recapitulate the objectives of their collective work, its intended impact on society, and the correlation between age and social awareness.

Anders Seah Nanjie, 23 

Founder, COV-AID 

Dean’s List, Year 1 and 2, NUS Law School 

Captain, NUS Men’s Varsity Rugby Team 

COV-AID seeks to be a one-stop-shop for information relating to all COVID-19 legislations, the government grants that individuals and businesses can apply for, and the effects that COVID-19 has on various industries – on a single platform. COV-AID’s social slant lies in that it is done entirely pro-bono. COV-AID’s social impact hinges on helping the man on the street and the businesses better understand their rights and liabilities under the many COVID-related legislations. 

The very premise of pro-bono work is legal aid. If COV-AID does not serve the function of aiding the community in one way or another, it defeats the purpose of the project entirely. In addition, it is paramount that we, as law students, harness the gift of a legal education to give back to the community in these precarious times. We cannot rest  especially when our community is suffering from the debilitating effects of the pandemic. Hence, it is crucial for me personally that COV-AID has a net positive effect on our society. 

I do not think there is a necessary correlation between one’s age and social consciousness and commitment. In the sagacious words of Mark Twain, “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind it, it doesn’t matter”. Carpe Diem! The power of youth cannot be underestimated. Teen activists involved in the most pressing social issues are in abundance – Greta Thunberg on climate change – and will continue to grow. 

Mark Tang Yu Zhong, 23 

Co-Founder/Member, COV-AID

Several people have reached out to us through our FB page or email seeking help with some of their legal problems. These people are usually small business owners trying to find a way to keep their business afloat during these trying times. Although as students we cannot provide direct legal advice, we still can direct them to the appropriate government measure that might potentially aid them in their situation, and explain how they might rely on government relief measures. It feels good to do one’s part for society and help others where you can. My family and the various schools I have been in have inculcated in me the importance of doing what you can to benefit others, especially those who are in need. As students we are sometimes too focused on our grades and our future that we become too self-centred. Being able to help others through this project has definitely felt like a breath of fresh air. 

I don’t think my age has anything do with my social consciousness - to be honest. I think this desire to give back to society stems from what my parents have taught me, and the school environment. The NUS pro bono department has ingrained in me that there’s much more to law than just chasing career progression, and that as law students we are in a position to help society in unique ways. The school has been very supportive and encouraging of our pro bono endeavours, and I think that goes a long way in allowing us to sustain our project.

Ashleigh Gan, 22 

Editor, COV-AID

EXCO positions in Law Review and Mooting Club

Youth Corps Leader in community service initiatives and pro-bono work

I think that my work in COV-AID has allowed us to speak to the layman, especially where they contact us on our social media pages with inquiries. While the impact is not necessarily direct at all times, we have received a lot of feedback from colleagues and friends about our social media posts and website articles that are being shared. It gives us a lot of reassurance that what we are doing has indeed made a subtle impact on the layman.

Work can become a chore if we don’t do it with a purpose. Knowing that what I do has a positive impact on society inspires me to trudge forward on days when I’m a little more tired. It also motivates me to improve further rather than rest on my laurels because there will always be much to strive towards in making our society more equitable. 

My heavy engagement in initiatives with a social component began in my junior college, where I helmed Interact Club, a co-curricular activity focused on engaging in and organizing community service initiatives. All too often we lose sight of impacting the lives of others in the midst of the typical Singaporean rat race. I think this becomes the case as we get older. What is more pertinent to me is pursuing things that have a greater purpose through which we can find ways to make a difference in our society.

Ryan Teo Rui An, 24 

Advisor/Editor, COV-AID

Vice President, NUS Law Club 

Playwright & Director of two original musicals

I think that one’s stage of life definitely has a correlation to his or her social consciousness. If social consciousness means to be aware of where one can contribute back to society, it makes sense to me that in order to give one must first receive. In this area, students are still receiving their education, and learning about their place in the world at large. At some point, I think that one would eventually reach a stage in life where he understands enough to know how he can play an effective role in the community for the benefit of the society. I believe that this process should not be rushed, but nurtured in the right direction. No matter what age you are in, you should be able to give back freely and at your own pace without judgement or fear. Just make sure that your time is right.

As students, we tend to be insulated within the four walls of the school. The daily studies, exams and CCAs are mostly impactful but only to our peers in the institution. However, this project is different in its ability to bridge the gap between students and the public at large. I believe that the spirit of giving back is a fundamental trait that everyone should eventually embody. With the education I have been humbly blessed, I strive towards using the skills and knowledge gained in school to benefit the Singaporean community as soon as possible—not letting my youth or status as a student get in the way of being a useful member of society.

Alex Chia, 24 

Executive Committee Member, COV-AID 

Committee Member, NUS Men’s Rugby Executive 

Sports Director, NUS Law Club 

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all of us. By providing Singaporeans access to the many rules and regulations passed in lieu of this pandemic, we hope to have eased the impact of the pandemic on the community. Certainly, it is my hope that those who have visited our website are better armed with the know-how and knowledge to protect themselves and at the same time take advantage of the many schemes enacted to help all of us through these troubled times.  

We have a duty to do what we can in any capacity; we should all endeavor to offer what we can to help our fellow Singaporeans. Down the road, when I am inevitably in need of help myself, I am certain the same courtesy will be offered to me.

Social consciousness and commitment have nothing to do with age. What matters is the attitude – which can be taught or learned at any age.

Thomas Toh Tze Yang, 22 

Editing Team Head, COV-AID

Gained confidence from collective experiences obtained from the National Service 

Obtained a place in NUS Law largely through encouragement from his parents

I was drawn to COV-AID by the fact that it had an outward goal of making COVID-19 regulations more accessible. Notwithstanding the open-ended—and perhaps lofty—nature of such a goal, I believed that it had a real and substantial impact on how we crafted the elements of our project. I think, inasmuch as the social components of such projects seem to have a high order, unreachable and intangible character, the way each member genuinely believed that the project had a social component translated into a real difference in the things we did.

All work, from social to pro bono, is time away from studies, and school is sometimes an unforgiving environment. Personally speaking, the practical effect of knowing or simply believing that a difference is being made, makes such sacrifices worthwhile. I think in a practical sense, it legitimizes also our contributions. As part of our university education, we have a requirement to fulfil 20 hours of mandatory pro bono work; I believe that a positive effect on society makes any fulfilment of the requirement meaningful and justified, and not just a checkmark on a list of requirements to be completed before graduation.

Social consciousness is common. The difference with one that comes with age is merely the willingness or ability to put such consciousness to the betterment of society. My age has simply given me greater exposure to the plights of the ordinary people and empowered me with a willingness to do something within the scope of my abilities.

Bryan Foo Shi Sheng, 22

Publicity and Social Media Head, COV-AID

Director of Publicity, NUS Law Club

Volunteer Coach, Oldham Rugby League

Although the work we do differs from more traditional community involvement programs that allow interfacing with intended beneficiaries, it has been really heartening to receive words of affirmation and appreciation from members of the public. At the end of the day, if even just a single individual has been positively impacted by our project, then it would have been worth it. 

I can assuredly say that my publicity team has gone above and beyond in their dedication to this project. This is not only evident in the number of hours they put in (well beyond the 20-hour minimum for fulfilling pro bono requirements), but also in the quality of the infographics, videos, and captions they produce. It has been a pleasure and an honor to helm this team.

I believe this period of my life has afforded me opportunities and time to try to explore my interests outside the university. In my role managing the COV-AID social media accounts, I have had to consider the primary sectors of society we were targeting with our outreach on each respective platform and what content would be most beneficial to them. This was where I feel that my youth and social consciousness came at an advantage.

Cheyenne Lim Yi-Ting, 20 

Web Designer, COV-AID 

Recently took up running and finished her first 10km run 

Taught herself how to use a professional camera gear and edit using Adobe Premiere Pro 

The very reason COV-AID exists is social – to help laymen dissect the many laws and regulations. As for its social impact, I hope that people have benefitted from our project. There is no value to one’s effort or accomplishments if it does not benefit society as a whole. Working in a self-serving way is something I find to be quite sad. 

As a young person (Lim is the youngest member of the team), I personally feel like I have gleaned awareness about issues that I might otherwise not be exposed to at such a level. I have come to know about issues (such as LGBTQ+ rights in Singapore) more deeply through social media. Engaging in productive discussion with others is also much more convenient through these channels. 

On the other hand, I feel like my social consciousness and commitment is very much informed by my own personal experience, not my age. I grew up in a mixture of ‘neighborhood’ and ‘elite’ schools, and in a family that was originally not very well-to-do. I feel like this background has exposed me to issues across different socio-economic groups, and given me a greater understanding of the challenges that different groups of Singaporeans face.

Cheung Chun Man, 22

Outreach Head, COV-AID

Lead, community volunteer project, Toa Payoh 

Converted plans for physical orientation camp to full online camp for COVID-19 period 

Although we are unable to accurately quantify (COV-AID’s) impact, we hope that it has brought a positive effect to the people who have been exposed to it, and has contributed to the movement of promoting accurate, simplified information on the Internet.

I find meaning in service; it can come in many forms. Having volunteered actively on the ground, the opportunity to contribute in a different capacity was valuable. Outreach work can be draining and sometimes disappointing, given that we face rejection all the time. Nevertheless, seeing its meaning gives the drive to continue working towards a more positive society with a greater access to simplified information.

As we grow and get lost in the sea of possibilities, finding meaning in the things that we actively pursue and fight for matters more. Our social consciousness comes with experience, with conversations with people, and with the understanding of what people are going through in their everyday lives.