Female & Fearless 2024: Confidence Workshop

What does it mean to be unapologetically yourself? To fully embrace your strengths, quirks, and individuality without fear of judgment? These were the guiding ideas behind this year’s Female and Fearless (F&F) programme, as YWLC’s Social Impact team created a confidence workshop designed to inspire young women to own their unique identities and step boldly into their futures.

With the theme “Unapologetically Me: Embracing Your Unique Self,” the workshop encouraged students to reflect on who they are, celebrate their personal growth, and build the skills to lead with authenticity. The F&F programme, held annually, focuses on equipping female students with leadership, confidence and digital skills. This year’s sessions spanned two weekends in November 2024, with a STEM-focused digital workshop in collaboration with Goldman Sachs on 9 November. (Find out more about it here)

On 2 November 2024, the spotlight was on building confidence. 50 students from Broadrick Secondary School, Edgefield Secondary School, Queensway Secondary School, Sengkang Secondary School and Woodgrove Secondary School gathered at C-Suites@ Paya Lebar Quarter, sponsored by Lendlease, for a day of self-discovery. Through interactive sessions, they explored self-identity, body positivity and leadership styles, guided by a thoughtfully designed workbook that tied all three segments together.

The workshop kicked off with a segment on body positivity, where students participated in a fun activity to differentiate between photoshopped and real images. The room buzzed with lively discussions as small groups shared their thoughts on self-care and the empowering truth that beauty exists in many forms. Next, the students delved into self-identity, reflecting on their personal strengths and weaknesses. They were encouraged to embrace their uniqueness and celebrate what makes them who they are.

The final segment highlighted self-leadership through an engaging panel discussion featuring speakers from diverse backgrounds, including those who pursued unconventional career paths. Titled "Create and Live Your Best Life," the discussion showcased four inspiring individuals: Kong Man Jing, Co-Founder of Just Keep Thinking; Lumin Hew, Founder of The Fashion Parade; Keerthana Janmugan, Project Business Analyst at ANZ; and Valery Tan, Founder of Surety. During the session, students explored various leadership styles and identified qualities that aligned with their personal aspirations.

Adding to the impact of the day, Vanessa Teo, Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources at ST Engineering, opened the workshop with a heartfelt sharing about her journey of growth, from her teenage years to her professional success. 

The closing address by Hazlina Abdul Halim, Chief Fairy Godmother at Make-A-Wish Foundation and YWLC Mentor, left the audience with a memorable takeaway: discovering self-identity is a process and understanding what drives us is key to finding purpose in life.

We hope the discussions and memories from this workshop inspire these students to step boldly into their futures, ready to take charge of the exciting journeys ahead.