Why did you decide to return this year as a Teaching Assistant?

I decided to return to this year’s program because of 2 main reasons. I really enjoyed the program last year and wanted to revisit the material from the previous year to apply to my project, Silver Sayang. I also wanted to give back to this program and enrich the experience of this year’s cohort by sharing my insights from living the program through my project. 

I fondly remember from last year Mr Buttery’s lecture on Vision, Mission and Strategy truly reframed the way I took on projects but also my own life. It gave me a structure to build on for a meaningful project as it focuses the objectives of a project and holds us accountable for it. This remains true even for my life as even with an ever changing mission my overarching vision is my life is a key motivating factor now. Additionally Mr Viswa’s lecture on compassionate speech delivery had a profound impact on me as I see myself continually using his strategies when presenting various projects and school presentations. 

As a whole revisiting this reminded me and my project mates upon how to further accelerate and improve our project. I also found a lot of fulfillment and enjoyment in helping other groups to improve their ideas drawing from my own experience.

How did your perspective shift when you stepped into a leadership and mentorship role?

Coming into this role both my perspective and attitude shifted as I was tasked to help the students but also lead a session.  When in a position of mentorship I had to find balance between critique and growth areas, in many ways I could give the “answer” but I also had to let them know when I was aware of the unforeseen consequences thus, I had to carefully craft my feedback with enough authority and empathy to ensure they want to grow and improve the idea on their own terms. In this role since I was also an outsider I was privileged to be the third person that could have an unbiased opinion which showed my the power of self awareness and willingness to grow as these were factors that acutely set apart those who benefited from the program and those who didn’t. I realise good mentorship leads to success when guided the right way with autonomy. I hope to implement such qualities into my own project to ensure we continue to evolve and grow. 

How did it feel to take the lead in organizing and facilitating the volunteering session at Ren Ci Nursing Home?

It felt incredibly fulfilling to be organising and facilitating the volunteer session at Ren Ci Nursing Home as I felt that I saw the youth and elderly connect. For me this program isn’t really volunteering but a conscious effort to foster a non-transactional relationship between the participants and elderly. I first hand saw this type of interaction with laughter, empathy and deep listening. I also felt quite emotional as it reminded me of when I would interact with my Grandma and her friends in the nursing home back when I was younger. I hope that through these programs the youth realise the importance of cross generational friendships.

What was your approach to planning activities that would be meaningful for the elderly residents?

When planning the session I thought of activities that were inclusive to the aging population such as avoiding fine motor skills and complex activities. I did some research on activities that have worked for similar groups to us and tried some with an Active Aging Centre. However as I reflect now I realise there is a need to modify activities that are not too “childish” yet simple enough to keep the elderly engaged. I hope that I can continue improving the activities carried out with the seniors.

Was there a moment this year that made you feel especially proud or inspired?

I was inspired by one of the groups who showed their curiosity and passion towards philanthropic work. Although not always the best ideas, their teamwork and curiosity showed their intrinsic motivation to help others and change the world. It was interesting to me how each group reacted to my critique varying from annoyance to genuine curiosity. Either way, I am also proud that I was able to inspire this year’s cohort and show them that anything can be possible with the right passion and intention.

How has your involvement with NextGen influenced your views on leadership, service, or your own future?

My involvement with this program has influenced the way I approach leadership as I ensure I practice compassion and active communication as my pillars of leadership. I learned very quickly there must be a balance between being laid back and getting things done. From thinking leadership is dictatorial in nature, I now know that leadership comes in many forms and evolves depending on the group you work with so good leaders actually need to be adaptable, observant and curious. In the future I wish to continue to evolve as a leader in general but also as a leader of services. I hope to one day pursue a caree where I can hone my natural leadership skills with my intrinsic passion to help others and be involved in service.