The idea of “adulting” and independence is often on the minds of youths, past and present. However, while young people used to wait until they marry before applying for a flat, more young Singaporeans are moving out of their parents' homes and renting a place on their own as a rite of passage to adulthood, a topic explored in the fourth episode of "IPS On Diversity" Season 4.

In conjunction with IPS’ annual flagship conference, Singapore Perspectives 2024, themed around the topic of youths, host Liang Kaixin, Associate Director at the Institute of Policy Studies, engages with Dr Chew Han Ei, IPS adjunct senior research fellow, and Klinsen Soh, a 32-year-old working adult who has chosen to move out before getting married. The episode delves into the motivations and implications of this trend, revealing insights into the challenges and experiences of young adults navigating their journey towards independence.

In this episode, Dr Chew Han Ei discusses findings from the Youth STEPS study, highlighting factors such as the desire for personal space, the impact of the pandemic on work-from-home dynamics, and financial considerations. Klinsen, on the other hand, shares his personal journey, emphasising the importance of creating one's own living space for personal growth and independence.

Find out more about adulting and housing in Singapore:

• Straits Times (11 September 2022): Rental, shared housing more appealing to young S'poreans, though most still want to own homes: Study
• Channel News Asia (8 May 2023): 'Way over budget': Why some young adults have given up on renting as prices rise
• Today (11 September 2021): The Big Read in short: Young, single and living away from parents

 About our guests:

 Chew Han Ei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies  

Chew Han Ei is Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). He is concurrently an international expert at the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab and a board member of SG Her Empowerment. During his adjunctship, he is spearheading a new research initiative on digital trust. Dr Chew is a quantitative research specialist and has a keen interest in pursuing research work on social issues, especially on technology adoption in societies.

Some of his key international projects for UNESCO include “Reading in the Mobile Era” and “I’d Blush If I Could — Closing Gender Divides in Digital Skills through Education”. At the IPS, Dr Chew is Principal Investigator of the Youth Study on Transitions and Evolving Pathways in Singapore (Youth STEPS), the first national-level longitudinal study of youths in Singapore funded by the National Youth Council. 

Klinsen Soh, 32-year-old working adult

Klinsen Soh is a public servant at the Ministry of Communications and Information as of January 2023. Aside from his current roles in strategy and foresight, he has experience as an analyst in the fields of AI, transportation and logistics, and geopolitics. His interests include social policy, internet culture, and consumer behaviour. He produces his own podcast and is a freelance stunt actor.

More from On Diversity

• Season 4 Episode 3: Hustle Culture and Quiet Quitting with Laurel Teo, Senior Research Fellow at IPS and He Ruiming, Founder of The Woke Salaryman
• Season 4 Episode 2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS with Rayner Tan, Assistant Professor of NUS and Terry Lim, Associate Director of Action for AIDS
• Season 4 Episode 1: The Dual Challenges of Poverty and Single Motherhood with Carrie Tan, MP, Founder of Daughters of Tomorrow and Elizabeth Quek, Programme Manager at AWARE
• Season 3 Episode 9: Being Biracial in Singapore with Shane Pereira, Research Associate at IPS and Dave Parkash, Co-Founder at Fook Kin Restaurant
• Season 3 Episode 8: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination with Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work and Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at IPS
• Season 3 Episode 7: Palliative Care for the Young and Old with Dr Chong Poh Heng, Medical Director at HCA Hospice Limited and Tay Jia Ying, an end-of-life doula and Founder of Happy Ever After
• Season 3 Episode 6: Social Worker Burnout with Louis Ng, MP for Nee Soon GRC and Cindy Ng-Tay, Director of Home at Children’s Aid Society
• Season 3 Episode 5: Leaving the Law Profession with Andrew Chan, Partner at Allen & Gledhill LLP and Michelle Yeo, Of Counsel at LVM Law Chambers LLC