BRIGHTENING LIVES THROUGH MENTORING l SMILING THROUGH CHANGE WITH PADMA

Meet Beautiful People’s resident ray of sunshine and Winnie the Pooh fan, Padma.

A little about her — she is a hobby journaler and a regular patron of Gardens by the Bay, where she enjoys respite from the heat and tranquility to recharge and reflect. Professionally, she is a strategic planner with AIA Singapore, where she outlines organisational goals and devises strategies to attain them by coordinating with stakeholders.

Within Beautiful People, Padma is active as a mentor with the Young Leaders initiative, and serves on the Executive Community (EXCO) as the Volunteer Care and Engagement co-Lead. She is also a member of the Wellbeing Taskforce overseeing the safety and welfare of mentors and mentees. Additionally, as part of the Strategy and Coordination Working Committee, she contributes her planning and organisational talents to charting Beautiful People’s vision forward. Her abilities are similarly valuable in her corporate role, with a minor difference.

“In the corporate world, profitability and financial goals are the focus, while in Beautiful People, the emphasis is on people-centered growth, nurturing the wellbeing of our mentors and mentees, and ensuring the sustainability of their relationships, ” Padma explains.

Reigniting a Dormant Passion

Padma first joined Beautiful People in 2021 as a mentor for our flagship initiative My Beautiful Life (MBL), with Singapore Girls’ Home (SGH), after she started working full-time and wanted to get back into volunteering. 

Eventually, she was appointed as the EXCO Lead for Volunteer Care and Engagement during the organisational restructure. For Padma, being part of the first generation of EXCO members was no cakewalk as it was a tumultuous transitional period involving a lot of trial and error, on top of managing her full-time job and finishing her Master’s Degree.

Staying Resilient Through Challenges With Support

Regardless, Padma’s tenacity and dedication shone through. Backed by the outpour of support from her fellow EXCO members who encouraged her to rest until she was ready and the guidance provided by other mentors, she was able to keep going and overcome her challenges.

Between the warm and close-knit environment of the Beautiful People family and the meaningful relationships she has nurtured with the EXCO members, mentors and mentees, are her reasons and drive to stand with Beautiful People.

Some fond moments of Padma’s journey with Beautiful People include planning for her first ever Family Day event — seeing and savouring the fruits of her labour in the smiling, painted faces of mentors and mentees. “Knowing that I was able to contribute to their happiness and enjoyment is deeply fulfilling, ” she recalls. She also dearly remembers her first ever EXCO retreat, where she worked tirelessly alongside the other EXCO members, inspired by their ideas to drive the movement.

A Refreshed Perspective on Volunteering

Since joining Beautiful People, Padma has reframed her perspective on volunteering and the work she does. In volunteering, every bit of effort matters; regardless of how small, and it is important to acknowledge the value of each contribution. It is easy to get lost in work, especially when the outcome is not visible, and Padma advises, “Come to meetings with a purpose, and just do the best you can.”

Speaking from the heart to others on a similar journey, Padma has a nugget of wisdom to share. “Make sure you find a good support network to remind you that you’re doing your best,” she says. “As the saying goes, if you want to go far – go together. ”