Navigating the "Winds of Change" at SJI's Youth Leaders’ Dialogue
1 March 2023
Two hundred students from 21 schools joined our Youth Leaders' Dialogue on 'Winds of Change'.
SJI hosted the annual Youth Leaders’ Dialogue (YLD) organised by the SJI Student Council for 200 students from 21 secondary schools and Junior Colleges on 25 March. The theme for this year's YLD, “Winds of Change” is especially relevant in the context of our fast-paced, ever-changing world and to mark the re-opening of countries and borders since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three distinguished guest speakers from various fields were invited to share their views on leadership and their perspectives on how they had led their respective organisations during the challenging times:
Mr Walter Fernandez, Editor-in-Chief for CNA (Channel NewsAsia) and Chief Sustainability Officer at Mediacorp
Dr Chin Pak Lin, Orthopaedic Surgeon and Co-founder of the Orthopaedic Centre and CEO as well as Co-founder of Asian Healthcare Specialists (AHS)
Mr Barathan Pasupathi, CEO of Jetstar Asia
The speakers shared candidly on their leadership journeys and the key principles and values that influenced their decision-making. The participants were engaged by the anecdotes and experiences shared, evident through the lively question and answer session after the sharing.
Interspersed with the panel discussion were activities planned for participants to interact with their peers from other schools. They were given problem scenarios to work on which required creative and critical thinking and effective communication skills that allowed them to express themselves effectively. At the end of each session, participants were led through a reflection session to help them consolidate and identify areas they could work on to further develop their leadership skills.
It is the hope of the organising committee that the 2023 YLD participants would gain insights into how they can be nimble and adapt to changes in the way they communicate, work and study, and that these would equip them with the skills to navigate the ever-evolving world and how they can ultimately serve the wider community.