Singapore, 30 September 2025 (Tuesday) – Singapore Management University (SMU) and Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support Ltd (Babes) today announced a strategic collaboration to co-develop a wellness platform focused on youth well-being. Titled Level Up: #Adulting, the platform will be Singapore’s first gamified wellness platform designed to equip youth and young adults with essential life skills, such as mental wellness, family planning, setting personal boundaries, and self-care. Built on Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure, the platform aims to engage and empower young people through an interactive and experiential approach.
Level Up: #Adulting will be co-created through an SMU-X course titled ‘Transformative Leadership’, to be offered from January 2026 (Please see Annex 1 for course details). SMU-X is the University’s award-winning experiential learning pedagogy that blends academic coursework with real-world projects. It enables students to work on complex, multi-disciplinary challenges under the mentorship of SMU faculty and industry practitioners.
This initiative brings together the complementary strengths of SMU, Babes, and AWS to deliver a meaningful digital platform for the youth. Under the academic guidance and project mentorship of an SMU faculty, SMU undergraduates will undertake the content and technical development of the platform. Babes, with its deep experience in supporting youth-at-risk, will offer real-world insights to ensure the content is relevant and authentic, and addresses the needs and challenges faced by young people today. AWS will contribute cutting-edge cloud infrastructure and technical expertise, enabling students to build a digital solution that would be scalable and secure.
The project will also be supported by Project Patron, Member of Parliament David Hoe, who will mentor and guide the student teams, and help to expand its outreach and impact through national networks.
Set to launch in early 2026, Level Up: #Adulting is intended to be an engaging, accessible, and youth-friendly digital journey to help participants make informed choices, build resilience, and thrive in adulthood. The initiative aims to engage youths and young adults in its first year, with the vision of expanding its impact through partnerships with community organisations, public agencies, and corporate sponsors.
SMU Provost, Professor Alan Chan, said, “SMU is committed to bringing together academia, industry, and the social sector to tackle the real-world challenges young people face today. This initiative bridges education with social innovation and reflects our collective broader goals of strengthening youth wellbeing, promoting lifelong learning, and fostering a resilient, future-ready society.”
“Our SMU-X pedagogy sharpens students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills, equipping them to thrive in the workforce and beyond. Collaborating with likeminded partners like Babes and AWS strengthens our focus on impactful education and community engagement, giving students the knowledge and confidence to navigate life’s complexities,” he added.
Melisa Wong, Executive Director of Babes, said, “At Babes, we believe in walking alongside young people as they navigate life’s challenges. This collaboration reflects the power of partnership — where academia, industry, and the social sector come together for a common purpose. By bringing Babes’ experience in youth support into Level Up: #Adulting, we hope to co-create a safe, engaging and non-judgemental space that empowers youth to deepen their knowledge, strengthen life skills and set healthy boundaries. We believe that to thrive, youths need to be well equipped to make informed decisions for their future.”
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Enclosure:
- Annex 1 - About SMU-X Course: Transformative Leadership
