The Advisory Mentorship Programme: Online

Problem Statement:

In a National Youth Council-Milieu Poll, 82% of 1,500 youth aged 16 to 34 cited careers-based worries arising from COVID-19. 

Target Group:

Students aged 16 to 25.

Proposed Solution:

A fully virtual industry mentorship that pairs industry mentors 1-1 with students.

Hub Activities:

Global Shapers volunteering as mentors.

Short & Long-Term Goals/Results:

Mentorship for students

Available Metrics:

562 industry mentors

694 mentees aged 16-25)

2,082 hours of mentorship delivered

Collaborators:

Advisory Singapore

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SUMMARY

THE ADVISORY MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME: ONLINE was a fully virtual industry mentorship that paired 562 industry mentors across three waves of mentorship with 1-3 students each (a total of 694 mentees aged 16-25), to provide them with career-related advice and personalised support during this period of COVID-19 uncertainty. Each mentor-mentee pair undertook a structured, three-month journey on a rolling basis between April and September 2020 to help the students gain a better understanding of their strengths and interests, explore potential industries and opportunities of employment, and learn from their mentor's career. By the end of the three waves of mentorship, 2,082 hours of mentorship were delivered. Minister for the Environment and Sustainability Ms Grace Fu graced the closing of the mentorship with a video message, and was the keynote speaker of a separate engagement evening for working professionals who volunteered with Advisory.

BACKGROUND

As all schools in Singapore had moved to "full home-based learning" (school closures), the Ministry of Education and the National Youth Council in Singapore approached Advisory (Singapore), a Singaporean nonprofit, to help support students who had their academic terms, graduations, internships and summer opportunities, as well as job prospects affected. The National Youth Council's Transformation Office in particular found a tremendous amount of career-related anxiety amongst graduating students via surveys conducted nationally - in a National Youth Council-Milieu Poll, 82% of 1,500 youth ged 16 to 34 cited careers-based worries arising from COVID-19. This was the impetus for a virtual mentorship program.

INVOLVEMENT OF GLOBAL SHAPERS AND YGLS

Advisory is co-founded and led by Global Shaper of the Singapore Hub Mock Yi Jun; its Board of Advisors is chaired by Young Global Leader from Singapore Aaron Maniam and includes members like Young Global Leader @Mohamed Faizal; and its community of pro bono working professional volunteers (known as the Advisory Professionals Network) is co-chaired by Curator of the Global Shapers Community Singapore Hub Timothy Low). Numerous current and former Global Shapers (Akshay Maheshwari, Amra Naidoo, Aparajita Rao, David Hoe, Keely Cheong, Nakul Asija, Musarrat Maisha Reza, Leanne Thachil, Leslie Lim, Regine Chan, Timothy Low) from the Singapore Hub stepped forward to volunteer as mentors with the programme, and encourage mentor and mentee signups through their respective networks.

MEDIA COVERAGE

The Advisory Mentorship Programme: Online has been featured in national media, such as:

• https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/unfazed-by-upheaval-more-young-sporeans-are-woke-with-hope


• https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/youth-engagement-mental-health-jobs-sg-youth-action-plan-12779532


• https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/winners-of-youth-action-challenge-summit-get-50000-grant-to-carry-out-initiatives-to -


• https://www.youth.gov.sg/Spotted/Groups/2020/4/Providing-career-guidance-to-graduating-students-affected-by-COVID-19


• https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/yac-winners-devise-ways-equip-young-resources

QUOTES

Quotes in support of The Advisory Mentorship Programme: Online include:

• "Youth have expressed a desire to continue growing, developing and upskilling and I’m glad that Advisory’s series of online Discovery+ industry panels and Mentorship programmes are meeting these needs." - Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment.


• "Getting to mentor and walk alongside my Advisory mentee in 2020 was a highlight of my year. We worked together on her resume and cover letters, and I was so delighted that she managed to secure the internship she was hoping for. Our mentoring journey was just one of the many mentor-mentee pairings, but I'm grateful to have been able to play a small part in helping today's youth find their way." - Mr Brad Verne, Global Executive Recruitment Director, The Coca-Cola Company.


• “In an environment where things are uncertain, the wisdom and experience of a mentor can act as lighthouses helping to navigate the fog, and reach safely to shore. Non-profits like Advisory… have great opportunities and resources for our youth.” - Ms Nadia A. Samdin, Member of Parliament.
  


• "I applaud the team at Advisory for their active effort to support the national COVID-19 response, and for plugging an important gap. The National Youth Council continues to work closely with Advisory to coordinate our efforts to support youth." - Mr David Chua, Chief Executive Officer, National Youth Council & Member, Board of Advisors, Advisory.
  


• "As a Co-Chair of the SG Youth Action Plan, I have seen first-hand the work that Advisory is doing to empower young Singaporeans from all walks of life to make informed career choices. I am also pleased that Advisory recently emerged as the Champion Team of our inaugural Youth Action Challenge." - Mr Edward Chia, Member of Parliament & Co-Chair, SG Youth Action Plan.