2025-2026 Mentorship Programme Commencement Ceremony
- Young Women's Leadership Connection
- Sep 26, 2025
- 3 min read
On 30 August 2025, the YWLC Mentorship Programme officially launched its 2025/2026 cycle at the Singapore Sustainability Academy, welcoming 70 mentees and 59 mentors for a 9-month journey of learning, reflection, and impact. The event brought together leaders, professionals, and aspiring changemakers to mark the start of an exciting 9-month cycle ahead.
Fireside Chat: Lessons from Mentorship
The commencement ceremony began with a fireside chat featuring Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer at CDL, and Dr Jade Kua, Founder of Jade Life & Wellness. Both mentors drew from their personal experiences to share some advice on building meaningful mentor-mentee relationships.
Getting Started: Both speakers encouraged mentees to take the first step - introducing themselves, setting expectations, and refining the relationship as it evolves.
Sustaining Relationships: Being authentic and clear about one’s goals fosters long-term connections.
Navigating Differences: The chemistry between mentors and mentees may not always be perfect, but honest conversations and mutual respect can unlock rich learning experiences.
Importantly, they highlighted that mentorship is a two-way street, where mentors themselves do gain from the journey with renewed curiosity, fresh perspectives, and inspiration drawn from their mentees.
The fireside chat also struck a chord with mentees, offering reassurance and perspective as they prepared to embark on their own mentorship journeys.
“For me, the fireside chat was a relief as it gave me a glimpse into how a mentor–mentee relationship can unfold in this program. Keeping an open mind helped ease my nerves and allowed me to feel less stressed as I prepare for my first meeting with my mentor.”
- Farah, mentee from the 2025/2026 Mentorship Cycle
Goal Setting and Reflection
After the fireside chat, participants took part in a goal-setting workshop designed to anchor their mentorship journey. Mentees reflected on their personal aspirations and identified areas of focus for the months ahead. Mentees were encouraged to set personally meaningful goals (not ones imposed by external pressure)and commit to regular reflection and documentation of progress.
This prompted mentees to think deeply about their aspirations and what truly drives them, where one mentee shared:
“The JADE framework (Judgement, Alignment, Diversity, Empowerment) helped me to realise that I truly enjoy learning and want to leverage that passion as I work towards the goal of financial freedom. It’s not just about reaching financial stability but about growing continuously through the process.”
– Aini, mentee from the 2025/2026 Mentorship Cycle
Social Impact at the Core
A recurring theme throughout the commencement was the role of social impact in personal and professional growth. Both speakers strongly encouraged mentees to integrate purpose in their career growth with community contribution.
Esther shared the triple bottom line perspective—planet, people, and prosperity—urging mentees to identify causes close to their hearts.
Dr Jade highlighted the power of small, deliberate actions, from gratitude notes to mentorship journals, in making giving back a sustained practice.
This emphasises the impact that sets the tone on the programme - leadership is not just about advancement but about paying it forward to the wider community.
Looking Ahead
As the 2025/2026 Mentorship programme unfolds, mentees and mentors will continue to explore, grow, and contribute; creating ripple effects in the circles they operate in. With a guidebook in hand and a strong support community, the cohort is set to make this journey both transformative and impactful.
Here’s to nine months of building connections, fostering leadership, and paying it forward!
