YWLC Mentorship Graduation: Engage, Grow, and Contribute
- Young Women's Leadership Connection
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
On 16 May 2026, 36 mentors and 53 mentees gathered to celebrate and mark the close of an incredible nine-month journey of transformation at the 2025/2026 YWLC Mentorship Graduation. This year’s graduation event served as a profound reflection of the programme's mission: to ensure that every mentee embarks on a meaningful mentorship journey, grows into a well-rounded leader, and contributes to the betterment of society.
The graduation event celebrated this legacy of knowledge and growth through fun-filled activities, including custom gratitude cards and a photo booth to capture special memories between mentors and mentees. The shared stories created space for both mentors and mentees alike to honour what they had built together, and to recognise how transformative this programme had been in the past nine months.
The Gift of Unexpected Perspective.
It is common for new mentees to feel nervous or uncertain about how they will be matched. Mentee Althea candidly shared her initial hesitation upon being paired with her mentor who hails from a completely different industry and career stage.
However, Althea quickly realised that this difference in background became the greatest benefit of all. By bringing her entrepreneurial ideas and workplace challenges to their monthly meetings, she gained an invaluable external perspective.
"When you’re inside your own problem, you can only see it from where you’re standing. The walls feel high. The path feels narrow. She helped me step back and see it from somewhere else entirely — and suddenly the same problem looked smaller, or different, or solvable in a way I hadn’t imagined."
— Althea, Mentee from the 2025/2026 Mentorship Cycle
Althea’s experience highlights an important lesson for anyone considering the programme: sometimes, a mentor who sees your world from the outside is exactly the person who can help you understand it better.
Finding Meaningful Connections and "Full Circle" Moments.
Beyond professional advice, the YWLC Mentorship Programme is about forging deep and genuine connections. Mentee She-Ler shared a touching reflection on her journey with her mentor, Janet Ang, whom she had previously met at a work event in 2022. Being paired together years later in the program felt like a "full circle moment" that blossomed into a deeply rewarding relationship.
Despite being at different life stages, the pair bonded over shared curiosity about the future of work and agentic AI. Janet encouraged She-Ler to view emerging technologies as opportunities for impact rather than threats. Beyond technology, the mentorship extended into heartfelt, personal conversations. Janet generously shared insights on building relationships, navigating the corporate world with confidence, and even welcomed She-Ler into her personal life by inviting her to family dinners.
"Having a mentor like Janet reminded me how important it is to have people who not only inspire you professionally, but who also encourage you to grow into a more confident, thoughtful, and open-minded version of yourself."
— She-Ler, Mentee 2025/2026
A Journey Shaped by Community.
The mentorship experience is also bolstered by a vibrant community. Throughout the nine months, the organising sub-committee crafted a broader experience with thoughtfully curated events.
From the inaugural People with Purpose Day, where mentors and mentees bonded while learning about accessibility and inclusion best practices for persons with disabilities, to a hands-on community day crafting leather pieces with Bynd Artisan, there were plenty of opportunities to laugh, learn, and grow together as a mentorship community.
Insightful masterclasses on growth and resilience in the age of AI and anchoring oneself in purpose to build lasting personal brand, rounded out to a holistic growth experience for the mentees.
Take the Leap!
Join Our Next 2026/2027 Mentorship Cycle! Before joining the program, many believed mentorship is primarily about expanding networks or gathering career advice. However, as our recent graduates have shown, the real gift of mentorship is much quieter and far more lasting.
Are you looking to expand your perspective, navigate your career with confidence, and build genuine relationships that will uplift you? We invite you to join our next cohort.
Sign up for the upcoming YWLC Mentorship cycle today, and take your first step toward engaging, growing, and contributing to a brighter future!
