Take On 22: On Youth Mentorship

On November 23rd, we had the opportunity to be a part of “Take On 2022”, an online webinar organized by the National Youth Council and the Mentoring Alliance for Action. We were privileged to hear from singer-songwriter Annette Lee and her mentor Karen Lim-Cheah, Minister of State Alvin Tan and his mentee, founder of Access Singapore Clarence Ching, as well as Impart’s very own youth Veris and her volunteer Shanna Kaur.

Veris and Shanna at Take On 2022!

Attendees heard from the distinguished panelists on mentorship and how it has made an impact on their professional and personal journeys. From being a source of advice to being someone to be accountable to, the panel’s mentees shared heart-warming anecdotes about how their mentors have supported them.

We were especially encouraged by Shanna and Veris’s story. The pair met a few months ago through Impart Education, and Shanna did not enter the relationship thinking that she was a mentor. Rather, she recognised that “mentoring” is a two-way street – a role that only develops with trust, recognised value, and the youth’s buy-in. So Shanna primed herself to enter the relationship on Veris’ terms. This helped them to “click instantly” and they “talked for hours” during their first engagement session! Over time, their relationship has grown beyond academic support into a friendship where both parties learn and grow with each other.

Veris and Shanna speaking at the panel discussion.