NextGen
PHILANTHROPISTS
Philanthropy – it’s not about wealth, sacrifice or being rich in your 50s. It’s when you know the more you give the more you receive. It’s about planning your career or business success with others in mind – others who have a lot less.
I am reminded of Mahatma Gandhi’s quote: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.”
Philanthropy is where attitude meets empathy and discipline. It’s sustainable success where contentment is the thermostat. The problem with our education system is that attitude and values are not a part of the assessment. If we don’t etch this in the mind when young “the all or nothing” attitude will reign supreme. Our only hope for the diseased world is to nurture evangelists who are young and willing to take charge.
This is what the Next Generation Philanthropy Leadership Programme is about, in essence. I met the founder of the programme, Faye Lo, 4 years ago and was instantly taken by her quiet conviction. Faye lends credibility to the programme because she walks the talk. Not only does she fund it fully (through the Good Soil Foundation), Faye drives the initiative with passion and imagination.
So, when she asked me if I could design and facilitate a “revolutionary”, “practicable” and “thought-provoking” session for the programme, I had to say yes. The lure was that the participants were bright, questioning youths in their teens and twenties. I simply love the challenge of ‘waking them up’, inspiring them, and getting them to question themselves, not just others. The ultimate reward was in seeing each one of them transform at the end of 5 days.
So, it is my great pleasure to recommend the Next Generation Philanthropy Leadership Programme to youths who would love to meet their peers from other parts of Asia.
I have been with the programme as a facilitator/guest faculty for 3 consecutive years and am proud to confess I am addicted to it. It beats being a strategy consultant, a senior commander in the armed forces, being a podcaster or a Member of Parliament.
There is an exceptional lineup of top professors who are paired with expert trainers and those who have been there and done it. There are visits to prominent and fascinating philanthropic foundations and organizations. We’re bent on making the learning experiential and FUN! Technology exposure is a constant feature.
Participants have access to the resources of top universities such as the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the University of Hong Kong (HKU). They serve as co-branding partners who support and amplify the impact of this summer programme.
The aim is to demystify philanthropy in our young. We want the participants to design and pursue their life goals with philanthropy in mind.
When you sign up for the programme, you’re taking the first step towards a lifetime of doing good, better.
As a parent and not just an educator, of course I believe profoundly in the potential of young people. They are quite literally the future. So, whether we have children or not, we should all care about the values that young people develop and espouse and – commensurately – how these collectively influence society.
Philanthropy might not be the first thing you think of in association with young people. The popular image of a philanthropist is someone who has been extremely successful in life, and who chooses to give back a proportion of their considerable wealth, appreciating that investing in the betterment of society can be more profound than any conventional asset. However, young people are frequently generous-minded by default. Whilst they may lack significant financial means, they have a nascent sense of fairness and justice – and a willingness that can be nurtured in a way that brings about other highly beneficial leadership qualities, which in turn are appreciated by elite universities, employers and the world at large.
NextGen works precisely in this space, and I am proud to have been a part. The participants are chosen carefully based on their academic performance, extracurricular contributions and, perhaps most importantly, their drive to do good. From diverse backgrounds, each and every student I have worked with has been a joy. As Program Director, I have sought to take them on a journey with next-generation philanthropy as the backdrop to the development of empathy, situational awareness and strategic intent. Each year, I am surprised and delighted by how much more the participants can achieve when encouraged but also appropriately challenged. The qualities of resilience, perseverance and determination that emerge and strengthen are precisely the same as those I seek when I hire employees myself.
As the network of Next Gen alumni grows and more real-world projects thrive, I am certain that the multiplicative effects will become disproportionate. If you are wondering about applying or are a parent of a young person who might, do not hesitate. Next Gen is a movement, not just an ephemeral experience.
