Peer Mentorship Program 2024/2025 Closing Ceremony - Building a Supportive Tribe

As the second iteration of YWLC Peer Mentorship (PMP) drew to a close, participants came together on 23 May 2025 to celebrate this milestone with a cozy dinner at WeWork. Reflecting on the past 9 months, the theme “Building a Supportive Tribe” perfectly captured the essence of PMP.

The evening began with an opening remark by Cindy Song from WeWork, who shared why having a tribe has been essential in her own personal journey. Our Director of Member Engagement, Urmila Baskaran, then gave a recap of the PMP 24/25 journey - from the top 5 themes indicated in the application form, to key takeaways and highlights, and finally, heartwarming photos from the various Learning Pods (LPs).

With that, we moved to our main segment and final LP session of our program - the Big Sisters Learning Pod. A total of 4 speakers, a wide range of topics were covered across to ensure that participants could gather diverse insights from their discussions:

Jacqueline Tan from JLL - Thriving with confidence as a first-time people manager
Laura Peterson from HSBC - From Comfort to Courage: Embracing overseas opportunities & meaningful connections
Marie Soh from 27A and Kex Society - Taking the plunge: Living a purpose-led life professionally & personally
Phillane Cheng from Med Kärlek Inc. (and Hunter and Match) - Between brands & Bedtime and the Cost of Doing it All

Opening Remarks by Cindy Song to commence the PMP Closing Ceremony

Here are some key points discussed:

Career Transitions & Taking the Leap

Embrace uncertainty and take bold moves, while being mindful of the importance of timing, courage and intuition
Leverage transferable skills and be adaptable when taking on new roles

Networking, Mentorship & Relationships

Prioritise quality over quantity - build intentional and authentic relationships over volume
Lean into organic mentorships (e.g. through managers or volunteering) and participate in global networking organisations
Nurture relationships - be intentional at catch-ups and generous with connections

Leadership, Power Dynamics & Influence

Lead with vulnerability, empathy and intentionality
Navigate meetings and senior stakeholders with the help of trusted allies
Build credibility through feedback and consistency

Personal Growth, Resilience and Adaptability

Adjusting to new cultures and/or company environment requires observation, accountability and thoughtful communication
Motivation gets you started but discipline keeps you going
Focus your energy only on where it is within your control
Practice/ Fail repeatedly and learn to improve - there’s no magic formula

Participants were deeply engaged in their conversations, and the segment concluded with shared reflections, learnings and takeaways - a warm and intentional close to this journey. As we bid au revoir to PMP 24/25, may we always remember to build and cherish supportive tribes around us as we navigate different chapters in life. With that, stay tuned for the next cycle of PMP later this year!

Acknowledgements

Venue: WeWork for hosting us at 21 Collyer Quay

Speakers: Jacqueline Tan, Laura Peterson, Marie Soh and Phillane Cheng

Organising Team: Urmila Baskaran, Rachel Lee, Philline Cheng, Lynette Lee, Debbie Ooi, Audrey Kum, Rachel Goh, Yeoh Wan Qing, Andrea Yiap, Claire Tang