“Family is not only by blood – it’s about who’s willing to hold your hand when you need it the most.”
Being a firm believer of ‘nurtured’ families and how families are not just confined to what you're born into, Ying shared how mentorship at Beautiful People is a testament to furthering the agency of good through this belief.
Ying started her Beautiful People journey over a decade ago. It began with the thought to give back to society. Her experience as a mentor at the Tent was one of the most vivid memories during her time volunteering with Beautiful People. The traditions celebrated at The Tent such as the annual camps and mooncakes and lantern walkabouts every Mid-Autumn Festival helps in the bonding process between mentors and mentees. What has been even more memorable of her decade-long experience would be the moments she was able to be present at key milestones of her mentees – graduations, O-level results day, 21st birthdays, and even seeing her mentees having kids and starting to nurture the next generation.
Through all the different experiences, Ying summarised her personal journey as a volunteer to be like a Half-Brown Rose – of being in a constant state of becoming and to never give up. She shared the importance of being open without judgement and to be big-hearted because more often than not, mentors learn and gain so much more from the mentees. Realising and understanding this has allowed her to look at things from different perspectives and to know that things are never always as it seems on the surface. “It is important to embrace and make a mental note to self to go deeper in every relationship to discover what is at the core.”