New third space opens for youth in Yishun to form friendships and connections

Chen Zhiqian (fourth from left) is a regular at The Chop Community, one of the 12 new “third spaces” introduced for young people.

BNB Diviyadhaarshini

Published Oct 10, 2026, 05:10 PM

Updated Oct 10, 2026, 05:10 PM

A new youth third space, Chop Community, opened in Yishun for people aged 15 to 35. It is part of the SG Youth Plan and can host up to 70 people at a time.

Chop has run since January with trivia, karaoke, board games and art jamming. It is run by Crater Impact and aims to tackle youth social isolation through regular, familiar activities.

Young visitors say the space helps them make friends and feel a sense of belonging. SPS Goh Hanyan said such spaces can help youth build real-world friendships and support networks.

SINGAPORE – Youth in northern Singapore have a new neighbourhood hangout where they can make friends and join activities with their peers.

The Chop Community, a space for those aged between 15 and 35, was officially opened on Oct 10 at the void deck of Block 287 Yishun Ave 6.

The free-to-use space, which can accommodate up to 70 young people at a time, is among the 12 new “third spaces” introduced under the SG Youth Plan earlier in 2026. Third spaces are places where youth can hang out, pursue their hobbies and interests, and take part in activities.

Known as Chop, the space has been in operation since January, hosting activities such as trivia nights, karaoke sessions, board games and art jamming sessions.

It is run by social enterprise Crater Impact, an organisation that aims to promote civic mindedness and future readiness among youth.

Chop is open every Tuesday and Thursdays from 3pm to 6pm, Wednesdays from 6pm to 9pm and Fridays from 6pm to 10pm. Opening hours on Saturday vary depending on programme schedules. The space is manned by Abel Fam, community manager at Crater Impact.

The space was opened by Senior Minister K. Shanmugam and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Sustainability and the Environment Goh Hanyan, both of whom are MPs for Nee Soon GRC.

Fam said Chop was set up amid growing concerns around youth social isolation in Singapore.

He said young people value opportunities to build and sustain connections with others through recurring or regular activities.

“We believe this sense of consistency is important because building meaningful relationships takes time, and having a familiar space where people can keep showing up makes it easier for these connections to grow,” he said.

Young people also want to contribute and have their ideas taken seriously. They have a say in shaping Chop. For instance, a suggestion from a 16-year-old resident led to the introduction of a matcha and coffee corner.

Chong Pang resident Dehn See Toh Wei Jie, 32, said Chop’s appeal lies in the lively atmosphere and the chance to meet people from different walks of life.

The manager at an energy consulting firm, who has been visiting the space since June for activities such as board game nights, trivia nights and pizza parties among others, said: “It has given me a sense of community and an avenue to interact with other youth”.

He said: “As a self-described introvert, I find it quite intimidating and taxing to go out of my way to enter a new space and interact with strangers.”

Having Chop in his neighbourhood means he can drop by whenever, knowing there will always be something going on there or people to hang out with, he added.

National University of Singapore undergraduate Chen Zhiqian, 21, discovered Chop through Instagram. The welcoming community keeps her coming back to the space, which she has visited nearly 10 times since June.

The Chong Pang resident said she first visited the space with her partner, and has since forged new friendships with other youth there through sessions such as board games night, art jamming sessions and trivia night.

Third spaces like these offer a place to hang out, similar to spending time at a friend’s house, and give youth an avenue to find their sense of belonging, she said.

Speaking to the media on Oct 10, Goh said young people are looking for informal spaces to form connections. Through spaces like these, the hope is that they forge friendships that anchor them in the real world, she said.

“Everybody needs a sense of belonging and support, especially when life can pose many challenges,” she added.

National Youth Council

陈志谦（左起第四位）是 The Chop Community 的常客，The Chop Community 是为年轻人推出的 12 个新的“第三空间”之一。

BNB Diviyadhaarshini

发布于2026年10月10日下午5:10

更新于2026年10月10日下午5:10

位于义顺的全新青年第三空间“Chop Community”正式开放，面向15至35岁的年轻人。它是新加坡青年计划的一部分，一次最多可容纳70人。

Chop 自一月份以来一直举办，内容包括问答游戏、卡拉OK、桌游和艺术创作。它由 Crater Impact 组织，旨在通过定期举办的、人们熟悉的活动来解决青少年社交孤立的问题。

年轻的访客们表示，这个空间帮助他们结交朋友，并找到归属感。SPS Goh Hanyan表示，这样的空间可以帮助青少年建立现实生活中的友谊和支持网络。

新加坡——新加坡北部地区的青少年有了一个全新的社区聚会场所，他们可以在这里结交朋友，并与同龄人一起参加各种活动。

面向 15 至 35 岁人群的 Chop Community 于 10 月 10 日在义顺 6 道第 287 座组屋的底层正式开放。

这个可容纳多达 70 名年轻人的免费空间，是新加坡青年计划于 2026 年初推出的 12 个新的“第三空间”之一。第三空间是年轻人可以聚会、追求爱好和兴趣以及参加活动的场所。

这个名为 Chop 的空间自 1 月份开始运营以来，举办过各种活动，例如知识问答之夜、卡拉 OK 会、棋盘游戏和艺术创作会。

它由社会企业 Crater Impact 运营，该组织旨在提高青年的公民意识和未来适应能力。

Chop每周二和周四下午3点至6点开放，周三下午6点至9点开放，周五下午6点至10点开放。周六的开放时间根据活动安排而定。该场地由Crater Impact的社区经理Abel Fam负责管理。

该空间由高级部长尚穆根和文化、社区及青年部兼可持续发展及环境部高级政务次长吴汉彦共同揭幕，他们二人均为义顺集选区议员。

Fam表示，Chop的成立正值人们日益关注新加坡青年社会孤立问题之际。

他表示，年轻人重视通过定期或持续的活动来建立和维持与他人的联系的机会。

他说：“我们认为这种一致性很重要，因为建立有意义的关系需要时间，而拥有一个人们可以不断出现的熟悉空间，会让这些关系更容易发展。”

年轻人也希望贡献力量，并希望自己的想法得到认真对待。他们有权参与塑造Chop的形象。例如，一位16岁居民的建议促成了抹茶和咖啡角的设立。

崇邦居民 Dehn See Toh Wei Jie（32 岁）表示，Chop 的吸引力在于其热闹的氛围和结识来自不同生活背景的人的机会。

一位能源咨询公司的经理表示，他从六月份开始就经常来这里参加各种活动，例如棋牌游戏之夜、知识问答之夜和披萨派对等等。他说：“这里让我感受到了一种社区氛围，也让我有机会与其他年轻人互动。”

他说：“我自认为是个内向的人，所以我觉得主动去到一个新地方与陌生人互动是一件相当令人畏惧和疲惫的事情。”

他补充说，Chop就在他家附近，这意味着他可以随时去那里，因为他知道那里总会有事发生，或者有人可以一起玩。

新加坡国立大学本科生陈志倩（音译）今年21岁，她通过Instagram发现了Chop这家店。这里友好的氛围让她流连忘返，自六月以来，她已经光顾了近十次。

这位来自崇邦的居民表示，她第一次和伴侣一起来到这里，之后通过棋牌游戏之夜、艺术创作之夜和知识问答之夜等活动，与其他年轻人建立了新的友谊。

她说，像这样的第三空间提供了一个可以闲逛的地方，类似于在朋友家消磨时光，并为年轻人提供了一个寻找归属感的途径。

吴女士10月10日接受媒体采访时表示，年轻人正在寻找非正式的社交空间来建立联系。她表示，希望通过这样的空间，年轻人能够建立起能够让他们在现实世界中站稳脚跟的友谊。

她补充说：“每个人都需要归属感和支持，尤其是在生活充满挑战的时候。”

全国青年理事会