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Starting WellKick-starting the new year well

Best-selling co-author of The Leadership Challenge® James M. Kouzes (interview on page 5).

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Contents

PatronTeo Chee Hean Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security

Board of Directors[Chairman] Michael Palmer Speaker, Parliament of Singapore;MP, Punggol East SMC;Partner, Harry Elias Partnership

Soon Sze-MengDirector of Cross-Border Business, APCEMEAVisa Worldwide Pte Ltd

Raymond McConnell Co-Founder and Managing Director, Sandler Training® Singapore

Bill Padfield Chief Executive Officer, Dimension Data Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Jeffrey Yip Co-Founder, Halogen Foundation Singapore

Martin Tan Co-Founder and Executive Director, Halogen Foundation Singapore

Editorial TeamJael Chng Editor

Faith Luo JinghuiWriter

Lin Xue HuWriter

Peter OhDesigner

ContributorsMartin TanMerrill D’CruzPearl PangShawn Khoong

The Leadership ChallengerJames M. Kouzes

Paying Tribute

Women in LeadershipDr Ann Tan

Book Review: Credibility

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National Young Leaders’ Day Educating for Health Conference 2011

Leading Well

What’s Coming Up?/The Halogen Impact

From the Executive Director’s Laptop

A NEW DAy. A NEW yEAR. A NEW BEgiNNiNg!

if you have blinked recently, chances are that the year just flew by. It definitely flew by for me. 2011 has been a year chock full of excitement, disappointment and elation. if there is one thing 2011 was not, it was not dull at all.

in 2011, we have had the privilege of training over 17,000 students and almost 170 teachers in leadership development. Nationally, we partnered with community organisations like Mendaki, Singapore indian Development Association (SiNDA) and National youth Council to work with their youth leaders in various leadership programmes.

internationally, we co-facilitated the Student Leadership Challenge® Facilitators Certification Programme in Chicago, held a leadership session for young leaders in Kabul, Afghanistan and was involved in the running of Asia 21 young Leaders Summit in New Delhi, india.

All in all it was quite an exciting year.

However, the start of a new year isn’t just about looking back and reminiscing about all the wonderful things that have happened. it is about learning from the mistakes we made as well. For one, we learned that getting the right dates for our events is crucial as many schools were disappointed that we scheduled our National Primary young Leaders’ Day at a time that was still exams for many. it was a oversight on our part and we assure you it will not happen this year!

As we start the new year, these memories and reflections help us better prepare for what is to come. And if the speed of the 2011 is anything to go by, this year will go past quickly yet again. We’ve already locked in dates for our National young Women Leaders’ Day with exciting speakers lined up, and there’s also the return of the Annual Teachers’ Summit.

We are in the process of confirming dates with schools for the new school year for the various leadership programmes as well as launching the Student Leadership Challenge® Facilitator Certification Programme for the first time in Asia-Pacific.

it is an exciting year ahead for all of us. But one thing trumps all these for me — it is the renewed focus by the Ministry on Values Education.

Over the last eight years, we have had the opportunity to inculcate values in the lives of over 65, 000 students. We firmly believe that values creation must be inculcated through a self-discovery process. We firmly believe that everything else we teach on leadership such as leadership styles and competencies must be built on the bedrock of character and values. it is only then that our will learns to make ethical and ennobling choices as leaders in their own right.

in this issue, you will read an exclusive interview with one of our heroes of leadership, Mr James Kouzes, co-author of The Leadership Challenge®, who shares his perspectives and views on leadership; an interview with Dr Ann Tan, President of the Women’s Register on the importance of women in leadership; an update on our Fundraising Dinner and National young Leaders’ Day as well as thoughts for educators to start the year well.

it is going to be a great year don’t you think?

From all of us to all of you, Happy New year!

Martin TanCo-founder and Executive DirectorHalogen Foundation Singapore

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WE SEE SOME THiNgS RigHT BEFORE OuR EyES, and other things, well – they require a leap of faith. When i decided to volunteer for Halogen, it was one of those “leap of faith” things. i was afraid of letting people down, and i was not entirely sure if i would be confident and proficient in carrying out the tasks that might be ahead. However, i wanted to try something new and challenge myself by stepping out of my comfort zone.

Following the wisdom of Nike (a well-suited name, since in greek Mythology, Nike is the goddess of victory), i just did it.

At National young Leaders’ Day, i was tasked to prepare and guide the students who would thank each speaker and present them with a token of appreciation, as well as keep time for each of the four speakers.

That morning, over 330 participants from 11 schools gathered to learn the art of leadership from people who have already begun journeying down that road. This same road is ahead of these students now, and i wanted very much to be part of the process that guided them through it.

Enter Mr yam Ah Mee, our guest-of-Honour. His day job is as Chief Executive Director of People’s Association. But make no mistake about this man who catapulted to fame after techno remixes of his speeches led him to be a youTube sensation. His part-time job is trying to appease his adorning fans from screaming school girls, to National Servicemen, to coffee-shop uncles to bus-stop aunties.

in his classic poise, he shared his pearls of wisdom on what it takes to be a catalyst of change. Catalysts of change are less ego-centric and more community driven. His idea was simple: Take care of your community, and it will take care of you.

Next in line were young leaders who have taken up leadership roles to give back to the community. One was Lee Min Xuan, a former Halogen volunteer who had been inspired to set up the company PlayMoolah which teaches children financial literacy. She shared that discovering what to do holds true when we create a meaningful relationship between our passion, our strengths and what the world needs.

Merrill D’Cruz is a school counselor-to-be with the Ministry of Education. He used to teach psychology at Raffles College of Design and now volunteers with Halogen as he wants to build young leaders.

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National Young Leaders’ Day

discovering what to do holds true when we create a meaningful relationship between our passion, our strengths and what the

world needs.

Lee Min XuanABOVE: Lee Min Xuan, Co-Founder of PlayMoolah, shares that we should try many things in life — it will help us discover how to monetise our passion.

RIGHT: Students thanking and presenting a token of appreciation to Guest-of-

Honour Mr Yam Ah Mee.

ABOVE: Discussions and sharing at workshops. What do we want to see in this world? Whats stops us from doing that?

National Young Leaders’ Day is an event created for secondary and tertiary level students with the aim to inspire mindset transformations and impart leadership lessons from the real world. in 2011, break-out workshops were added to provide an avenue for youths to translate inspiration into immediate actionable steps.

The next question that the audience had to wrestle with was changing our “What-ifs” into “What-is”, as expounded by Kuik Shiao-yin from The Thought Collective. Her questions probed into our personal narratives – the story of our lives – and what it meant to play out this “movie”. At the end, what will drive us is this: Do what you truly love and want to see in this world.

Power 98 DJ, Emily Teng, founded a community project known as Blessings-in-a-Bag which gives to underprivileged, abused and medically-ill children across Asia. When Emily was young and living in Jakarta, she had her first encounter and understanding of seeing children who had everything, and those with barely anything.

Fuelled by this compassion, she began a project asking friends to contribute unused clothings. What began in her humble wardrobe expanded, and today, blesses thousands! She encouraged us to give ourselves the permission to take things which we dislike and turn them around; to “live for what you love”.

Listening to the four speakers share their stories was inspiring; but how do we turn inspiration to action? This year, we introduced workshops to arm our students with a dynamic hands-on experience. Besides learning the basics of team management and overcoming challenges, they also found out what it means to use social media to do social good.

We must be able to turn thoughts to acts, and while dreaming about the future, to also make it happen in a real world. As Shiao-yin said, it was about doing good with practicality in mind; it was about balancing idealism and pragmatism: “The key is to hold that creative tension between those two.”

Our everyday choices can change our lives. i know my decision to find out more about Halogen did; National young Leaders’ Day gave me a much-needed jolt to my own self-drive and self-recognition. We can all give a part of ourselves; and i was glad i did. When you least expect, you might just get back a hundred fold. The universe has its little ways of thanking those who give.

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ABOVE: Kuik Shiao-Yin, Co-Founder and Creative Director of The Thought Collective, sharing that we must believe that what we do matters — everything single little thing.

ABOVE: Emily Teng, Founder of Blessing in a Bag, gives us a tip — nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

You define leadership as something learnable. Would you call yourself a natural leader?As you know, our research clearly shows that leadership is not a gene. Whatever leadership skills i have, or others have, are developed through experience. Leaders don’t become great without engaging in deliberate practice.

i had the good fortune early in my life to be exposed to role models at home—my parents were both leaders in their own domains. My mother loved to give speeches, so she got me involved in public speaking at school. i was in organised sports and in our high school orchestra. i also acted in our school plays. All these experiences nurtured leadership skills in one way or another.

i don’t believe in the “great person”—man or woman—theory of leadership. The notion that leadership is reserved for a few charismatic men and women is just plain wrong. There’s just no evidence to support it. The truth is, leadership is an identifiable set of skills and abilities that are available to anyone. Leadership is broadly distributed in the population, and it’s accessible to all who will dedicate themselves to learning.

What were your ambitions in your teenage years?i was a pretty typical teen. i wasn’t exactly sure what i wanted to be when i grew up. i remember dreaming about being a professional athlete, architect, and probably a fireman. But there was one transformational event in my young life that changed everything: i was selected to serve in the honour guard at the inauguration of President

John F. Kennedy. That came about because i was one of the youngest Eagle Scouts in the u.S. at the time. i vividly remember standing there in the freezing cold while President Kennedy and the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, stood 10 feet or so above me. During his speech, he said: “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what, together, we can do for the freedom of man.”

i can still hear those words ringing in my ears 50 years later, and they influenced a lot of choices I made from that moment on. For example, when i graduated high school and went off to college, i majored in political science with the plan that I would become a Foreign Service Officer. After university, i joined the Peace Corps and served for two years in Turkey.

FROM THE MOMENT HE JOiNED THE BOy SCOuTS, James M. Kouzes (more affectionately known as Jim) had been exposed to the nuts and bolts of being and becoming a great leader. Co-author of the bestselling book The Leadership Challenge®, Jim has since devoted much of his life to helping people turn values into actions and visions into realities.

One of Jim’s many core principles about leadership is, unsurprisingly, practice, practice, practice. Quoting Anders Ericsson, a professor from Florida State university, he comments, “Living in a cave does not make you a geologist”. indeed, he understands that spending years in a job says nothing about how good you are at it.

Recently, I had a chance to have a chat with Jim about how his life has been influenced by the leaders around him, and more importantly, the leader within him.

Martin Tan is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Halogen Foundation Singapore. He has a big heart to build young leaders and is also passionate about the topic of Family.

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The Leadership ChallengerJames M. Kouzes

RIGHT: The Leadership Challenge® co-authors with Halogen staff at

the Student Leadership Challenge® Facilitator’s

Certification Programme in San Diego, July 2010. From left to right, Barry

Z. Posner, Diana Jean Reyes, James M. Kouzes,

Martin Tan and Pearl Pang.

When i returned to the States, i got a job working for the Community Action Programme Training institute, an organisation that provided leadership and management development experiences for the people serving the poorest communities in the country. And while i never did join the Foreign Service, i chose a path that led me serendipitously to where i am today. i have been involved in developing others’ capacities, in one way or another, for my entire adult life, and i couldn’t feel more blessed.

If there was one piece of advice you want to share with our youth, what would it be?i would say: Everything you will ever do as a leader is based on one audacious assumption. it’s the assumption that you matter. Before you can lead others you have to believe that you can have a positive impact on others. you have to believe that what you do counts for something. if you don’t, you won’t even try. Leadership begins with you.

i’d also advise young people that there are seasoned leaders out there who can help them. Every world-class athlete, for example, has a coach. Every world-class business leader should also have a coach who can give them the unvarnished truth about their strengths and weaknesses, and wise advice on what it’ll take to become a truly exceptional leader.

The truth is you can’t do it alone. No leader ever got anything extraordinary done without the talent and support of others. you need others and they need you. you have to be sensitive to the needs of others. you have to listen, ask questions, develop others, provide support, and ask for help.

If there was one thing you don’t ever want to change about the youth today, what would it be?it’s a little presumptuous of me at 66 years old to tell young people how they ought or ought not to change. They know themselves and their environment much better than i do.

The first thing I would say to them is “thank you”. Thank you for your innovativeness and creativity. Thank you forbeing bold and initiating change around the globe. Thank you for reminding us that the legacy we leave is someone else’s future, and that we have to remember every day that our actions have consequences and that we have to take that responsibility seriously.

If there was one person you could invite to dinner, who would it be and why?Only one! Can’t i have a dinner party? There are so many folks i’d like to invite.

if you told me there was only one person i could invite for dinner, i’d have to say it would be my father. He died too soon, at 62 years old. He never got the chance to see my work and the honours i’ve gotten for it. i would love a chance to have a deep and intimate conversation with him about my life… and our life together. And, i would dearly like to hear his advice on what he thinks about the current crisis in government and business. He was a man of great integrity, and i know that he’d have something very sensible to say to today’s executives. it would be a very enriching conversation.

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Everything you will ever do as a leader is based on one audacious

assumption. It’s the assumption that you matter. Before you can lead others you have to believe that you can have a positive impact on others. You have to believe that what you do counts for

something. If you don’t, you won’t even try. Leadership begins with you.

James M. Kouzes

• good things in life are free.• it’s never too early to start moisturising!• Career progression isn’t linear. Follow

your passions early.

While hindsight can be useful, sometimes what we could do with is a little foresight or at least, insight.

Paying Tribute

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ABOVE: Halogen VIPs at the dinner. From left to right: Mrs Cathy Palmer, Mr Michael Palmer (Chairman), Mr Bill Padfield (Board member), Mr Teo Chee Hean (Patron), Mr Martin Tan, Mr Chan Heng Wing, Mrs Daphne Tan and Mrs Chan.

Lin Xue Hu is interning with Halogen, on extended “loan” from the National university of Singapore. An avid geography student, he dreams of writing for National geographic one day.

SOME HAVE PLANTED TREES. SOME have come and watered the seeds within us. Someone along our leadership journey, through the hard knocks, rocky paths or turbulent skies was there for us. They gave us a word of encouragement, a reality check, a burst of inspiration and pushed us beyond what we thought was possible.

We are not who we are, without them.

We do not always remember to thank them. However, there are moments when we stop to reflect, remembering those who have made a difference in our lives.

On 11 October 2011 at Halogen’s Tribute Fundraising Dinner held at Conrad Centennial Singapore, we took time to remember family, friends, teachers, mentors and leaders who, in their own way, made a mark in our formative years.

Amidst the food, laughter, performances and videos, everyone took time to dispense advice when asked, “What are the 10 things you wished you knew in your 20s that would be crucial for you in your 30s?” The replies* varied, with some funny, and others, practical:

• That being 30+ was even more exciting that being in my 20s.

• The satisfaction of giving.• i wish i had a mentor, someone to

confide in, learn from and be guided and inspired by.

• i can!

*View other responses at http://halogen102030.tumblr.com/

Leadership is, ultimately, a long-term enterprise. While the fruit might not be immediately apparent, we have seen stories from our labour.

There is the story of Stencil for the Better, consisting of four students from Ngee Ann Secondary School, who were inspired to start a project to help Autism Association Singapore after a workshop with Halogen. Veerappan Swaminathan who used to be a volunteer, is now a social entrepreneur. He credits Halogen for planting the seed in him to take action.

Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone

planted a tree a long time ago.

Warren Buffett

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ABOVE: Guests enjoying the dinner which included a performance by Singapore Management University’s Dance Group, DreamWerkz.

These stories encourage us, and show us the need to continue building young people. As guest-of-Honour Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said, “(Halogen’s) partnership is even more valuable in the next phase of Singapore’s education journey: one that is student-centric and focused on values”.

Anita Fam, Chairman of Marriage Central, goes on to emphasise, “i realise leadership grooming is something that not many appreciate the value of. But i have seen through the years the impact it has made on young people’s lives… and i hope more people will learn to appreciate that value as the years go on.”

We believe in the value of developing young leaders. That is why many of us – staff, former staff, volunteers and board members – are doing our bit at Halogen. We want to give forward the efforts of the previous generation by serving the next. By serving these young leaders, we are, in very practical ways, also paying tribute to those who sowed into our lives.

Besides us all paying tribute to those who have made a difference in our lives, Halogen wants to pay tribute to all of you who have breathed life to our cause, be it by giving time, resources or simply yourselves.

Every charity can only fulfill its mission if it is supported by those who have confidence in the work it does. Thank you – each and every one of you – for believing in us.

Thank you for coming alongside us to build young leaders whom we hope will grow to be competent and compassionate leaders. it is your friendship and partnership that enables us to pay it forward and create a more compelling future for us and our future generations.

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Women in Leadership

Dr Ann Tan

Faith Luo Jinghui chose Halogen as her first job after attaining her degree from down under. She now lives her dream in training and engaging with young leaders.

POP Quiz: WHAT PERCENTAgE OF THEiR iNCOME do women reinvest in their communities and family?

90 percent.

yes, that’s right – 90 percent – compared to the less than 40 percent reinvested by men. That is why when women are included, economies thrive*. As u.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated, “When we liberate the economic potential of women, we elevate the economic performance of communications, nations, and the world... Greater political stability. Fewer military conflicts. More food. More educational opportunity for children. By harnessing the economic potential of all women, we boost opportunity for all people.”

iceland is the best place to be a woman. it has a female president and a government agency to keep tabs on women’s rights. The worst is Chad where women have almost no legal rights and many marriages are arranged when girls are just 11 or 12*. Where does Singapore rank on the list?

Here, women have achieved much progress, but still, there are few in leadership positions in the private sector. The average salary of women is only 75 percent that of men (an improvement from 68 percent ten years ago). There are no female ministers in our government, although the number of Members of Parliament have risen**.

Every March, women’s issues are highlighted on international Women’ Day. This year, Halogen Foundation Singapore and Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations are partnering to celebrate and cultivate women in leadership through National young Women Leader’s Day. We will take time to learn from Singaporean women who have risen up and are doing well.

One of such women is Dr Ann Tan, former President of SCWO and current President of the Women’s Register (WR)***. An advocate of public education and women,

By harnessing the economic potential of all women, we boost

opportunity for all people.

Hilary Clinton

Dr Ann Tan, also a consultant Obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Women & Fetal Center at Mount Elizabeth and mother of three, shares with us how she successfully balances her many tasks, and insights on women in leadership.

You’re a doctor with her own practice, President of Women’s Register (WR), mother of three and a wife – wow, there’s so much on your plate! How do you stay focussed on your priorities?As a woman, i have learnt to multitask all the time to survive through the daily tasks. The tasks of previously being President of SCWO was indeed a great experience and now i have a smaller task of looking at mentoring young women through WR***, a new initiative of SCWO. As a mother, i have realised that there are some things i am not so good at doing for my children and hence have to delegate tasks often. I maintain a finger on the home pulse at all times though and keep in touch with my children by talking with them on a daily basis – even the one that is away in the u.K. (united Kingdom)! Just a few bbms (Blackberry Messages) will do!

What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organisation(s)?As the Obstetricians and gynaecologists (O&g) representative on the Medical Advisory Board for Mount Elizabeth Hospital, i try to ensure that the O&g service is well run in the hospital and that both hospital staff and medical doctors are kept up to date. As Chairperson of Women’s Register (WR), i try to think of how to ensure WR is relevant and that our topics are “hot”, as well as how to enthuse new mentors to take on the challenge to answer questions from our mentees!

Could you share some of your thoughts on women in leadership?Women can lead and women should be given leadership roles alongside men in as many spheres as possible. Women form half the populace and our views and thoughts should be heard for a more harmonious society. i believe in working together for good and not in an adversarial setting.

What advice do you have for young female leaders?Believe in yourself . get a mentor to bounce things off. Don’t let “mistakes” or “failures” bog you down for long... they are there for a purpose and you will learn to be better leader for it!

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The new and revised version of Credibility: How leaders gain and lose it; why people demand it can be ordered from Halogen at S$42.75. Contact Shawn at 6884 5680 or shawn@halogenfoundation.org for enquiries. Delivery charges may apply.

National Young Women Leaders’ Day is an extension of National young Leaders’ Day, specially created for secondary school level female students with the aim to inspire mindset transformations and impart leadership lessons from the real world. Previous role models and speakers include Channel News Asia Anchor Cheryl Fox, Center for Creative Leadership group Director (uSA) Dr Karen Dyer, Team Singapore Para-Athlete Ms yip Pin Xiu and President of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics Ms Bridget Tan.

Shawn Khoong is the friendly face you see at school trainings, him being the Executive for Halogen Academy. He has two other loves — hip hop dance and cats.

Book Review: Credibility

Hear from more of these role models on 2 March 2012. Among them are Sim Yi Hui from the Singapore Women’s Everest Team Member and Lyn Lee, Co-owner of Awfully Chocolate. Bring along your young women leaders for this expedition so they too can be inspired to be action-takers and world changers.

*The 2011 global Women’s Progress Report (Newsweek)

** Women’s Rights Situation in Singapore from

http://www.onlinewomeninpolitics.org

*** Women’s Register offers young women 18 years and above the

ability to converse with a mentor online in a safe and anonymous

way. WR also runs career clinics for one on one chats and dialogue

sessions for open debates on issues with mentees.

Find out more at http://www.womensregister.org

iN A TiME WHERE THE QuALiTy OF OuR POLiTiCAL leadership has been challenged by the eurozone crisis, the question of “Who can we trust now?” remains relevant globally and locally alike.

in this revised edition of Credibility: How leaders gain and lose it; why people demand it, authors James M. Kouzes and Barry z. Posner sets credibility as a cornerstone of leadership and answers why “Do What you Say you Will Do” is essential for leaders to maintain credibility. With case studies collected over 30 years, at the heart of the book, they state six key disciplines that are instrumental to becoming a credible leader:

1) Discover yourself2) Appreciate Constituents3) Affirm Shared Values4) Develop Capacity5) Serve a Purpose6) Sustain Hope

These techniques are immediately relevant to me and to the young leaders i inspire through Halogen’s programmes. Credibility cannot survive on lip service alone. Only teachings that have been integrated into the core of the teacher’s character will hold meaning to the student.

in the words of Kouzes and Posner, “Credibility earns commitment; dictation earns compliance and compliance produces adequacy – not greatness.” indeed, all the great advice i have been inspired by have all originated from great people who had lived credibly. it is hardly a coincidence, and it sets me thinking about what can i do to make credibility a habit.

Credibility is a straightforward book that is real, both in concept and application. it delivered a revelatory reality check for me, and I am confident it will for you too. From the words of the authors, “Success in initiating or responding to change is inextricably linked to the credibility of those leading the efforts.”

As we enter our classrooms, board rooms, offices and homes, perhaps we can consider how we want to start the new year well with credibility.

WHAT HAS HALOgEN gOT TO DO WiTH Health?

Much! Halogens in nature – bromine, chlorine, fluorine, iodine and astatine – are highly reactive elements. Whether in their pure form or as a salt (when combined with metals), they can be detrimental or extremely useful to human health.

Alike this chemical relation, we see the work of Halogen as a youth leadership development organisation having direct relevance to the mental health and development of our young people. Thus, we were glad when we were invited to partner with the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Community Development, youth and Sports (MCyS), as well as various other government agencies in organising the Educating for Health (EFH) Conference 2011, as part of the Healthy youth Committee (Hy-COM).

This year’s conference, the third since 2007, was themed “MiND your Health”. Some 750 educators and parents came together on 17 & 18 November 2011 at Republic Polytechnic to hear experts share. Topics covered mental resilience in children and youth, and creating and sustaining a positive shared environment for children and youth with mental health issues.

Together, the Hy-COM organised the conference with a difference, immersing the 99 secondary two participants from various schools in learning about mental health and resilience through the use of applied drama.

Through the day, students from the imaginary “HapPeople Secondary School” (all the youth participants) had to interview four possible “suspects” to determine the owner of a mysterious diary found in the school compound. They also had to listen and give advice to help each of the student suspects in their issues of either stress, excessive use of the internet, problems with transitioning into a new environment and bullying.

Halogen staff – Darlene, Faith and Shawn – together with HPB staff and youth volunteers helped facilitate the discussions which saw active sharing and exchange amongst the students rather than passive listening. There were many “HapPeople” (Happy People) at the end of the conference when they received prizes for correctly guessing the owner of the diary! More than that, we trust they all went home with a better grasp of how to recognise and manage common issues faced by youth and can apply that in their schools.

For the adult component, our very own Head of Communications, Jael Chng, spoke at one of the concurrent sessions on “How do you Facebook your Emo Kid: When Pokes are Passe and Likes are in?”. She shared with the 82 participants that it was not about the technology, it was not even about Facebook. Rather, it was about understanding why technology and social

Educating for Health Conference 2011

Pearl Pang is Halogen’s Chief of Staff – or “Stuff” as she puts it – and Head of Academy. She is passionate about young people and is actively involved in The girls’ Brigade Singapore.

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networking are so important to the Millenials. Together, they explored how they can maximise the potential and minimise the dangers of social technologies, and learn together how to connect with the youths as educators.

All in all, it was a privilege to come alongside our national agencies for this cause. it was not just being part of a conference, but it is being part of a movement that lasts beyond the few days. it was about building healthy young leaders, together.

ABOVE: Halogen staff Pearl, Jael and Darlene with Dr Angeline Khoo who shared her research on “A Gamers’s Perspective of What Gamers Do In Games”, and Keynote Speaker Dr Douglas A. Gentile who spoke about the effect of gaming content on youths.

ABOVE: Jael Chng sharing with educators about how they can connect with their youths in a world of Social technologies.

ABOVE: The youth segment where secondary two students listened to a “student actor” share their problems. Participants dispensed advice to the troubled student.

This statement by my educator friend has been ringing in my head ever since she spoke it. it was her heart on wanting to nurture, cultivate and raise young leaders, not just impart knowledge.

Over this year, it has been a privilege meeting many passionate educators out there who continuously wade through all the administration, rise above the marking deadlines and press on with this same dream of wanting to make a difference.

i have been very encouraged by many i’ve met through The Leadership Challenge® courses, the Educating for Health conference in November and most recently, at Educamp. i see in you educators, the tireless passion to connect better with the youths to impart values and knowledge. Thank you for spurring me on.

As 2012 draws near, i have been thinking about what i want to be and where i want to head. Two things come to my mind:

1. Leading myself wellTo lead my team here in Halogen and to lead the youths and educators i speak to, i need to lead myself well. i can only give if i have something to give. i can only pour out when I am continually refilled. This 2012, I want to be even more deliberate in investing in myself, in my learning and in what i sow.

Some of the practical goals i am setting for myself include:

1)

2)

3)

Consciously practice the Five leadership practices from The

Leadership Challenge®: Modelling the way, inspiring a shared vision, Challenging the process, Enabling others to Act and Encourage the Heart.

improve the mastery of the content i teach and continue to sharpen my communication skills.

improve my delivery: voice control, storytelling and facilitation skills.

2. Leading the youths wellTo lead the youths well, i want to continue to understand their world better. if what i am communicating is not relevant to them, they “switch off”. i want to pique their interest and impart values and knowledge to them.

To do so, i aim to:1) Read books that distill the trends into nuggets of wisdom to connect with young people. (i highly recommend this book i am reading this year: “Chasing Youth Culture and Getting it Right: How Your Business Can Profit by Tapping Today’s Most Powerful Trendsetters and Tastemakers - Tina Wells” you can get it on www.bookdepository.co.uk for about S$33)

2) Link where they are at to what they are doing or can be doing. For example, incorporating game play mechanics in the classroom (inspired by Dr Ashley Tan, Head of Centre for e-Learning), share more examples of local change-makers and researching on what is current to draw out principles and teach values.

Recently i heard an example of a physics teacher using an Angry Birds game graphic to set an exam question. i also met Murray Bourne, a mathematics e-learning consultant, who encourages students to learn maths by teaching that google Searches and Web Analytics are powered by algorithms, all with the foundation of mathematics. Both are great examples of looking beyond the classroom and helping students see the value of what they are learning.

As Horace Mann says, “A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron”.

Thank you for inspiring me on my journey of building young leaders. i would love to hear your goals and stories in the coming year. Feel free to connect with me at jael@halogenfoundation.org or at www.twitter.com/jaelchng. Tune into #edsg for discussions on education topics in Singapore. Connect soon!

Leading Well

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Jael Chng champions relevant ways of communicating with young people at Halogen. She blogs, tweets, snap photos, videos, posts on Facebook and writes for an online magazine.

ABOVE: Book cover of Chasing Youth Culture and Getting it Right: How Your Business Can Profit by Tapping Today’s Most Powerful Trendsetters and Tastemakers.

ABOVE: Using the popular Angry Birds game for a physics exam question.

Cambridge-Halogen Youth Leadership ProgrammeThe second run of the programme was launched with a day camp (28 - 29 Oct) with eight mentors from Cambridge joining us to train 54 students from Ang Mo Kio Secondary School. The project will continue when the new school term starts in January where students will plan and carry out community projects.

National Young Women Leaders’ DayHeld annually since 2009, this event seeks to inspire young women to embrace their roles as women and make a change. Find out more about what’s happening this year on the back cover of this newsletter.

Train the Trainers Level 1All Halogen volunteers go through Train the Trainers in which they get to know Halogen’s DNA and philosophy, as well as be equipped to train and work with young people.

The Leadership Challenge® WorkshopA leadership programme by bestselling authors James M. Kouzes and Barry z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge® is for educators who want to hone and develop their leadership skills, foster a greater understanding of leadership and become effective and impactful leaders. it is based on the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®. Find out more at http://www.leadershipchallenge.com.

Student Leadership Challenge® Facilitator’s Certification ProgrammeBe equipped to train students in the student’s version of The Leadership Challenge®. Halogen Foundation Singapore, partnering John Wiley & Sons, is the exclusive certification partner in Asia-Pacific.

Jan - May 2012

2 Mar 2012

14 Jan 2012,23 Mar 2012

22 - 23 Mar 2012

29 - 30 Mar 2012

if you’d like to receive a copy of our catalogue of programmes, book an appointment or have queries, please contact us at 6884 5680 or singapore@halogenfoundation.org.

What’s Coming Up?

The Halogen Impact

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1,844

2,077

16,000

17,151

Student ImpactFacebook Fans

SEP 2011

No. of students targeted to be impacted in 2011No. of students impacted to date

(Target exceeded by 1,151)

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We exist to build young leaders who will become significant contributors to our society. if you’ll like to invest in this cause, you can:

1. Write a cheque to Halogen Foundation SingaporeMail it to us at: Halogen Foundation Singapore, 11A Mount Sophia, #02-05, Old School, Singapore 228465

2. Bank transfer to our DBS accountAccount name: Halogen Foundation (Singapore)Account number: 033-900802-8

3. Donate online through SGgivesLog on to www.sggives.org/halogensg and donate through credit card of eNets internet banking.

Please let us know your name, NRiC, address, email and contact number. if you’re investing as a company, include your company’s name and ROC number. This will enable us to issue tax deduction receipts to you/your company.

As a registered institute of Public Character (iPC), all donations to Halogen Foundation Singapore will enjoy a 2.5 times tax deduction. Help us build this foundation for the future, together.

in the past eight years, over a hundred volunteers have joined us at Halogen. Our volunteers range from all ages and professions, including students. if you would like to join us in building young leaders and take your leadership skills further, you can volunteer for:

AcademyTrainers and Assistant Trainers for school workshops, curriculum and lesson planning.

EventsEvent conceptualisation, technical managers, sound managers, producers, registration, ushering, photography, videography and more.

Social CommunitiesWriters, editors, designers, developers, community managers and content strategists for developing our communication content and channels.

ProjectsSocial good enthusiasts and innovators, project managers and mentors.

Research and DevelopmentResearchers and research assistants.

if you have other specialised skills that are not mentioned in the above but would like to contribute, get in touch with us.

it is a great opportunity to give back and strengthen our communities. if you are interested and want to find out more, contact Stephanie at singapore@halogenfoundation.org.

in the past eight years, over a hundred volunteers have joined us at Halogen. Our volunteers range from all ages and professions, including students. if you would like to join us in building young leaders and take your leadership skills further, join us!

Who can be a leader? you! yes, you. Whether you are a teacher or a student, we believe you can be a leader. At Halogen, we define leadership not as positional, but personal influence. in line with that, Halogen has a range of programmes suited for both students and educators.

These include:• The Leadership Challenge®

Workshop for teachers and The Student Leadership Challenge®

Workshop for students• Everyday Leadership workshops for

individual classes and motivational mass talks

• inspirational large-scale events, such as the National young Leaders’ Day and National young Women Leaders’ Day

Our programmes are customisable and affordable to meet each school’s needs. Find out more about our youth leadership programmes by contacting Darlene at darlene@halogenfoundation.org or at 6884 5680.

Get Involved!

DonateEducate Volunteer

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(Target exceeded by 1,151)