Over-The-Rainbow (OTR), a trailblazer in Singapore’s youth mental wellness space, has committed a fresh $1 million to seed the launch of The OTR Academy, an initiative designed to train 10,000 wellbeing practitioners by 2030.

Announced at the Parenting Conference 2.0 held at The Catapult Singapore, this step signals a strategic shift towards scaling mental health support through community empowerment and holistic education.

With the first cohort launching on 17 May, The OTR Academy aims to address one of the most pressing gaps in Singapore’s mental health landscape: accessibility.

The goal is simple yet urgent. That is, to equip everyday individuals, from parents and educators to colleagues and friends, with the knowledge, tools, and hands-on experience to become frontline mental health champions in their own circles.

Intervention grounded in science and empathy

This seven-figure investment is more than a philanthropic gesture; it’s a calculated move to fill a gaping need. Mental health issues among youth are on the rise, with a recent Straits Times report revealing that 1 in 3 young people in Singapore suffer from poor mental wellbeing, with anxiety topping the list.

Against this backdrop, traditional healthcare systems are struggling to keep pace. Community-led care, once considered complementary, is now being reimagined as a first line of defence.

The OTR Academy’s approach taps into this paradigm shift. It offers a structured, two-tier certification model tailored to build both foundational literacy and advanced intervention skills. The Wellbeing Champion programme is the entry point, focusing on mental health awareness and holistic self-care. Graduates can then upskill through the Wellbeing Mentor track, which delves into more intensive capabilities such as counselling, coaching, and mentoring.

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Reimagining care through the ‘Circle-of-Care’

At the heart of the Academy’s philosophy lies the idea that mental wellness is not just a personal journey, but a collective responsibility. “Wellbeing begins with each of us – with the adoption of holistic and transformative self-care habits – being our best self – where it then ripples outwards, expanding and extending into an interconnected ecosystem of community-led model of care involving family, friends, teachers, and peers,” said Yen-Lu Chow, co-founder of OTR.

This interconnected approach is what OTR calls the Circle-of-Care, a web of everyday people trained to notice, listen, and respond with empathy and understanding. In this model, practitioners aren’t just support providers; they are anchors of resilience within their social spheres. It’s a powerful reimagining of mental healthcare – one that doesn’t wait for crises to strike, but works proactively in the spaces we live and work in every day.

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Designed for flexibility, built for impact

With a hybrid learning model, the Academy ensures accessibility without compromising depth. Learners can engage through both digital modules and in-person practicums embedded in OTR’s ongoing initiatives, including OTR Listens (a youth support text line), wellbeing workshops, subsidised youth counselling, and parenting support circles. These real-world opportunities allow participants to hone their skills and put theory into action, whether at home, in schools, or within the workplace.

Through continuous development opportunities, mentorship, and access to OTR’s expanding ecosystem, practitioners are encouraged to deepen their expertise and extend their impact over time.

Pioneering a people-powered movement

The Academy also speaks to a broader national ambition. Singapore’s mental health strategy has increasingly leaned toward preventive care and community-based frameworks – a vision that OTR is helping bring to life. In doing so, it fills a crucial middle ground between clinical intervention and daily lived experience, bridging a gap that many systems overlook.

As Chow put it: “We envision The OTR Academy to be a leading talent hub for community mental health – creating a community of Wellbeing Ambassadors, Champions and Mentors – at home, in the school, out in the community, at the workplace – leading the movement in wellbeing while raising the bar for mental health in Singapore.”

In an era dominated by digital interactions and AI-driven solutions, the Academy is doubling down on what machines can’t replicate: human connection, empathy, and care.

With its first cohort around the corner and momentum building, The OTR Academy could well become the launchpad for a mental health movement led not by institutions, but by individuals who choose to show up for one another, day in and day out.