His is a life that keeps on lifting.

A decade of volunteering with the National Youth Council (NYC) has seen Mr Yuvan Mohan shape countless young lives.

But the 35-year-old’s journey hasn’t been a one-way street, he says. Mr Yuvan has also reaped the rewards of mentorship, finding guidance from other young leaders who have helped shape his path.

And now, at an age when most of his peers are preoccupied with building a career and raising a family, he wants to pay it forward and continue his relentless pursuit of purposeful social change.

The reason? “I want to empower the next generation of youth leaders in widening their scope of impact,” he says. This chapter of his youth leadership journey is one that Mr Yuvan finds the most meaningful.

“I have identified some leaders that I not only want to mentor, but also partner with as they embark on their own transformative journeys.”

His journey as a volunteer with NYC began in 2013, after graduating from the Singapore Management University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Mr Yuvan now works as a corporate affairs manager for Singapore at a tech logistics company.

Initially, “it was about discovering who I am – not just as an individual but as a leader,” he explains.

“I was also figuring out which issues resonate with me most, and how I can contribute to and impact society.”

Mr Yuvan’s volunteer work led to leadership roles, including chairing the Singapore Indian Development Association Youth Club, serving as a staff and advisory committee member at Youth Corps Singapore, and becoming a NYC Council Member.

For his efforts, Mr Yuvan was awarded the President's Volunteerism and Philanthropy Award (PVPA) in the Leaders of Good (Youth) category by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Organised by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, PVPA recognises individuals, organisations and leaders who have made lasting contributions to their communities.

Expanding horizons

What will the next phase of Mr Yuvan’s social impact journey entail? To find out, he signed up for last year’s Asean Youth Fellowship (AYF). 

Surrounded by other young leaders, Mr Yuvan hoped to find not just inspiration – but also a roadmap for the years ahead, he says.

AYF was an opportunity for Mr Yuvan to take stock of his two-decade journey as an advocate for youth and better understand how he can continue his social impact work even as he sheds the “youth” label.

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth defines Singapore youth as those aged between 15 and 35.

For Mr Yuvan, one of the biggest draws of AYF was the opportunity to learn from thought leaders and industry visits.

The AYF opened doors for Mr Yuvan; he engaged in dialogues with leaders from the public, private and people sectors, and was immersed in learning journeys at key institutions.

One example is Know One Teach One, a hospitality training centre in Hanoi that gives at-risk and disadvantaged youth the opportunity to break the poverty cycle and forge a better future.

The participants also toured ComCrop, a commercial rooftop farming company in Singapore, to learn how the country is leveraging innovative farming methods to safeguard food security and remain resilient in times of supply and price disruptions.

Clarity from diversity

What else was Mr Yuvan hoping to gain?

Fresh approaches, he says. “Having been in this space for so long, you tend to feel that there’s only one way of doing social impact. You meet with the same group of individuals with more or less the same mindset.”

This is why AYF – with its diverse cohort of young leaders from across Asean – was a breath of fresh air. It showed him how other Asean youth leaders are shaping change in their countries.

One example is using social media to amplify the impact of their work and build cross-sector partnerships. “It’s not just about how you play the social media game, but also how you play the long game,” he notes. Driving social change, he emphasises, takes time, discipline and commitment.

“So how can we instil this discipline and resilience among our youth? How can we work on our processes so social impact initiatives don’t die off after one or two years, but can evolve with changing needs?” These are lessons Mr Yuvan is now applying within his own organisations.

He believes there needs to be a greater appetite for regional social impact exposure. “There is a lot of diversity within the Asean region, and in the way social impact work is carried out in each country. This means there is a lot that we can learn from each other.”

It’s not just about bringing other models of social impact work to Singapore, “it’s also important to explore ways in which Singapore-based models can be referenced overseas”.

Mr David Chua, chief executive officer of NYC, says: “As the apex youth leadership programme in the region, the AYF has been instrumental in promoting cross-border collaboration and growth opportunities among youth leaders.

“With growing global uncertainties and tensions, it is critical that our youths understand the importance of and work towards maintaining peace and stability, so that we can grow and thrive as a region.”

Ms Jean Tan, vice-chairman of SIF, agrees. She adds: “In an increasingly fractious world, trust becomes the bridge that connects divided shores and mends the bonds of humanity. Programmes like the AYF are vital because they bring our youths from different nationalities together to connect and share their cultures, ideas and experiences.

“This promotes cross-cultural understanding and appreciation for diversity, strengthening relationships across borders that make it easier for us to collaborate on common challenges.”