AiSP: Cyber Wellness for Youths, by Youths

When you think about scam victims, you probably imagine an elderly person living alone, getting scammed of their life savings through a single phone call. But youths, being active on social media and online shopping platforms, are just as susceptible to falling for scams — according to the Singapore Police Force, young adults made up 50.8 per cent of scam victims in Singapore in 2023, with the most common scam they fell for being job scams.

With the rise in cyber threats, more sophisticated online scams, and phishing activities, the elderly and less digital savvy, and even the unsuspecting youth become increasingly vulnerable.

The Association of Information Security Professionals (AiSP) Cyber Wellness Programme thus aimed to educate citizens, particularly youths, about the importance of cybersecurity and how to stay safe online. The programme reached out to various community groups to raise awareness about cyber wellness and online safety. Across 13 sessions, participants received the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge for a safer online experience through interactive learning. The initiative also gave AiSP members and student volunteers the opportunity to support and educate vulnerable communities.

Interactive Learning for Cyber Wellness

The programme was carefully designed to meet the needs of both youth and elderly groups. For the elderly, AiSP offered educational materials in four local languages, along with interactive learning content aimed at engaging both youth and seniors.

Through the Student Volunteer Recognition Program, AiSP also collaborated closely with Institutes of Higher Learning, including the Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics, and universities, to encourage youth participation in community outreach efforts. These youth volunteers worked to educate citizens, including other youths, how to thrive in Singapore’s growing digital landscape while staying safe online.

Youths volunteered to raise public awareness of cyber wellness at various events.

Dennis Chan, AiSP EXCO Lead for Cyber Wellness, noted that most participants — elderly, adults, and youth — were concerned about how to identify a scam or phishing message, how to respond if they encountered a scam, and whom they may contact if they had doubts. To address the concerns of all age groups in an engaging manner, interactive learning was integrated in AiSP’s Cyber Wellness Programme — both a quiz and game were created to engage with the public and offer them good cyber hygiene tips.

As participants responded positively to what they had learnt, AiSP encouraged them to save helpful links and videos to refer to, as well as share them with their families and friends.

A Meaningful Initiative

Volunteers spoke highly of AiSP’s programmes. Kenrick Yeo, a student from the Singapore Institute of Technology, shared: "Volunteering in this programme gave me a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the elderly. It also allowed me to better relate to my own family members on how to guide and share important knowledge on staying safe online and being aware of scams."

AiSP Associate Director and Cyber Wellness Programme trainer, Vincent Toh, was heartened by the enthusiasm of the elderly participants: "They asked questions, and stayed back to learn more about AI and different scams they encountered. It proved that it's never too late to pick up something new, regardless of age."

AiSP Youth Symposium: Empowering Tomorrow’s Cyber Defenders

The AiSP Youth Symposium, held on 30 June 2024, was also an important event in raising awareness among youths about cybersecurity and technology.

The AiSP Youth Symposium begun as a small meeting of 50 participants, and reached 200 attendees in 2024.

A key highlight of the symposium was a dialogue session titled “Guardians of the Digital Realm: Empowering Tomorrow’s Cyber Defenders”. The session explored the indispensable role of youth in shaping the future of the cyber and technology sectors, aiming to inspire young minds to take an active role in driving innovation and build a secure digital future.

Dennis shared, "In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, the role of youth in driving innovation, cybersecurity, and technological advancements cannot be overstated. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, it is essential to recognise the unique perspectives, skills, and contributions that young individuals bring to the table."

The youth attendees attained newfound knowledge about the various initiatives and programmes that support youth involvement in cybersecurity and technology, and walked away with a sense of excitement about the role they could play to deepen their engagement in those fields.

Youth Symposium attendees discovered new technologies and learnt about initiatives that they could be involved in.

Looking Forward with AiSP

AiSP is set to continue expanding its efforts in supporting the Digital for Life (DfL) movement. Its future projects will work to improve digital resilience for all citizens, regardless of their background. In particular, they hope to expand Singaporeans’ access to and understanding of AI, which is increasingly integrated into many aspects of daily living.

Dennis said: “Our goal is to ensure that all Singaporeans, particularly vulnerable groups like seniors, lower-income families, and individuals with limited digital literacy, can master digital and AI skills to navigate this new landscape."

Seniors are already benefiting greatly from AI technology, which helps them to stay in touch with and maintain relationships with loved ones.

AiSP thus hopes to empower seniors, lower-income families and other vulnerable communities with critical digital and AI skills by reaching out to a variety of organisations through its "Future-Ready: Mastering AI & Digital Skills for Every Generation" campaign. The initiative will ensure a safer, smarter digital future for everyone by teaching participants how to use generative AI tools, encouraging responsible online behaviour, and promoting internet safety.

“AiSP is glad to play a role in making Singapore more resilient in cybersecurity by raising public awareness through roadshows and talks and workshops, ensuring no one is left behind in Singapore’s digital journey,” Dennis said. “We believe that DfL will enable the citizens to overcome challenges in using smart technologies, and at the same time make them feel confident in using the digital services at ease.”