National Mentoring Summit 2025

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam,

Partners,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Good morning. It’s wonderful to see so many of you here joining us at *SCAPE today.

2. Let me start with a question for all of you. Think back to that moment in your life when you felt completely lost. Maybe you were facing a big decision. Maybe you were just simply unsure of which path to take.

3. Now, who was that person who helped you find your way? Was it a teacher? A friend? Or perhaps even a stranger who believed in you even though you didn’t believe in yourself? What did they do to make such a difference in your life? Chances are, they didn’t just give you the answers.

4. They listened. They shared their experiences. They helped you see possibilities beyond what you could see for yourself in that moment. They became your anchor in the moment when you really needed it. And that person in your mind right now is your mentor, whether or not you call him or her a mentor.

5. This is our hope: that every young person has access to a mentor when they need one, so that they can navigate turns in life with confidence.

The Mentoring SG movement three years on

6. Today, we are all gathered here for the National Mentoring Summit, a signature platform of the Mentoring SG movement.

7. The Mentoring SG movement started in 2021 when a group of passionate individuals came together because they truly believed in the power of mentoring. They formed what we called the Mentoring Alliance for Action (AfA) as part of Forward Singapore. The AfA brought together youth organisations, employers and schools, sharing one goal: to make mentoring accessible to all.

8. We saw the incredible work that the AfA did and how mentoring could really make a difference. This led us to then officially launch the Mentoring SG movement at our National Mentoring Summit 2022. Then-Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong was there to officiate the launch.

9. Since then, in a short three years, we have created more than 20,000 mentoring opportunities for young people. Now, that is 20,000 chances for someone to get the guidance that they need. The National Youth Council (NYC) supported youth mentoring organisations that offer 11,000 of these opportunities. Over 200 companies have joined us too. They have built mentoring into their programmes and matched their employees with students.

10. I’m also glad that many are stepping forward to be mentors. Around 4,000 mentors have joined our training sessions at the Mentoring SG Academy since the movement’s launch in 2022. Furthermore, some young mentees have gone on to become mentors themselves. That’s the beautiful cycle of what we call the “We First” spirit in action. At this point, I want to thank Minister of State Alvin Tan for leading this movement since 2022.

Mentoring enables youths to be more confident to navigate through life

11. As we celebrate SG60 this year, we have been engaging our young people on the SG Youth Plan. It’s a five-year roadmap made for youth, by youth, with youth. Young people from different backgrounds have come forward to share their hopes and dreams with us. They’ve told us what it’s like, really, to be a young person today. Here is what we learned.

12. Being young has never been easy. All of us who are grown up know that. But today’s challenges are unique. Young people face major life changes in a time when the whole world is changing rapidly and in ways that are uncertain. There’s economic uncertainty. Geopolitical tensions are rising. Technology is disrupting many facets of our lives. And in the middle of all this, our young people must figure out their careers. They are trying to figure out how to learn and grow.

13. And so our young people are also telling us that they need help navigating transitions. Our younger youth worry about the transition from school to work: finding careers, finding jobs that align with their values. The older youth have other worries too. They are trying to figure out what they should do to settle down: career development, financial planning, buying a flat, becoming parents, becoming caregivers – the list goes on.

14. Making confident decisions amongst all these variables is not easy. It takes time to understand your own values, your own abilities, what matters to you. So, after saying all of that, it’s no wonder that our young people do feel anxious sometimes about the future. We want to help them find steady anchors in these choppy waters.

15. One of the most important anchors for youth is having trusted people journeying alongside them – people who can support them through life’s big changes and next steps. According to NYC’s poll, 4 out of 5 young people are looking for guidance on their life purpose and career paths. About 2 in 3 of them turn to family and friends first, which is really nice. But we also know that at the same time, our family sizes are shrinking. Our social circles are also decreasing in size.

16. This is why we believe so strongly in mentorship – to expand the types of anchors our youth can turn to for advice and support. And it’s not just me saying that. The impact of mentoring is real. We did a study through the Mentoring SG Office. About 9 out of 10 young mentees found mentoring helpful and really appreciated the relationship they formed with their mentors. 8 out of 10 felt that mentoring gave them the knowledge to navigate life’s transitions.

17. As for me, I also benefitted greatly from mentorship in my life. I used to believe in two very common myths about mentorship. First, that we must look for someone who is at the top of their game – experts in their field – to be our mentors. Second, that mentorship is a one-way street where a mentor gives and a mentee receives. And if you take this together, this makes accessing mentorship seem like such a high bar. And that’s the reason why most of us would be hesitant to make the first move.

18. But I learnt through my time and my experience that real mentoring is far more open and mutual than that. In my previous organisation, I worked with someone a few years younger than me. She often came to me for advice. And I think in a sense, I was a mentor to her. We then built a genuine relationship over time. And what was beautiful was that as much as she was learning from me, I found that I too was learning from her. In many ways, she became my mentor as well. I was inspired by her courage to speak truth to power, her confidence in asserting her views, her sharp mind. Furthermore, when she sought advice from me, it also forced me to look within myself to investigate my own values and discover my blind spots.

19. The experience reminded me that mentorship can take different forms. It can be found in different places. And when we approach mentoring with an open heart and an open mind, we can both grow together as mentors and mentees.

Coming together to expand mentoring opportunities for youth

20. The Government is committed to growing mentorship and the mentoring SG movement. We want to come together to support our young people. We want them to confidently pursue their dreams and become the best versions of themselves. But we also all know that the Government can’t do this alone.

21. A real movement happens only when all of us are part of it. Mentoring organisations, companies, community groups, and most importantly, our youth. Partners across sectors have joined us on this journey. From today’s Corporate Excellence Award nominees to Self-Help Groups, everyone is playing their part.

22. And we’re working hard to expand these partnerships. Given the desire for our youth to be better supported in school-to-life transitions, NYC is partnering with our Institutes of Higher Learning, such as our ITE colleges and polytechnics to create more mentorship opportunities for our students. Earlier today, Singapore Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, and Nanyang Polytechnic announced their commitment to partner with NYC to extend mentoring resources to more students. They will be supported by partners such as Access Singapore and KPMG.

23. I’m thrilled that so many partners have stepped forward, and I invite even more of you to join us.

Closing

24. Before I close, I want to thank everyone here, everyone present in this room today, for supporting the Mentoring SG movement. There’s still much more work to do, and I look forward to continuing this partnership with you.

25. I also want to thank President Tharman for being here with us today. From escalators to trampolines, your ideas have inspired us. Your support for our movement means so much to us.

26. Last but not least, a message to our youth. We know the world looks messy right now. It looks uncertain. But here’s our promise to you: we are here to support you as you navigate life’s journeys. We want to help you find anchors that will get you through life with confidence.

27. I encourage you to find the time and the courage to take that first step. Give mentoring a try. You can start by visiting any of the booths here, connecting with the organisations that are present today. Or simply check out the Mentoring SG Connect platform online.

28. I wish everyone here today a wonderful day at the Summit. Thank you so much!