Today’s plus insight features Matt Tatarinow, a Halogen volunteer and mentor with a background in corporate leadership and a strong belief in mentorship. Matt has dedicated the past two years to empowering youths through Halogen’s programmes, and fundraising for initiatives.

In this interview, he shares what drew him to volunteering, the lessons he’s learnt, and why he believes in giving back - both with his time and resources.

What inspired you to start volunteering in the youth sector in 2023, and how has your perspective on youth development evolved since then?

I’ve been in Singapore for about four years, and for half of that time, I’ve been volunteering with Halogen. I was originally looking for ways to connect more with Singapore’s culture when a friend introduced me to Halogen’s programmes. They resonated with me because of my own experiences. Back in high school, I went through some difficult times but was fortunate to have mentors who helped me get to where I am today.

When I learnt about Halogen, it really resonated with me - and volunteering as a mentor felt like an instinctive way to give back. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience.

As you took on more mentoring roles at Halogen, including the NFTE Graduate Mentorship Programme, how did your approach to guiding young people change? Are there specific skills or insights you've gained along the way?

One of the first things I gained was a deeper understanding of Singapore’s unique culture. Although I had been working here for a while, the workplace environment is very different from a school setting. Young people tend to be much more direct, and stepping into local schools gave me fresh insight into how they process and present information.

Within three to six months of volunteering at Halogen, I was promoted within my organisation, and I realised that mentoring young people also improved the way I guided my junior colleagues. The impact was direct and immediate - I wasn’t just developing my mentoring skills for youth but also refining my leadership approach at work.

In addition to volunteering, you also raised funds for Halogen’s Charity Golf in 2024. What moved you to take this extra step, and what impact do you hope these contributions will make?

Halogen never approached me to donate, but when I learnt about Charity Golf, I started looking deeper into their work. I discovered that beyond running programmes in schools, they also provide financial support for underserved youths.

Hearing about some of these students’ situations reminded me of my own high school years. If I had received that kind of support back then, I might have been able to focus even more on my studies and self-development. I saw firsthand how the funding can create real impact - how students can transform from being reserved to becoming confident speakers who can present themselves and their ideas clearly.

Halogen has also contributed to my own growth, so it was an easy decision to re-budget my finances and give back in my own way.

Is there a particular moment or experience with a youth that stands out to you? What about that experience was especially meaningful?

There were many - some even quite challenging! In one session, I worked with a group of boys who were completely disengaged. At first, I struggled to cut through the noise and connect with them. Thankfully, Halogen’s facilitators gave me some guidance - they pointed out that in most friend groups, there’s usually a “chief.” If you engage that person, the rest will follow.

So, I identified the “chief” and started engaging him. Sure enough, within minutes, the entire group followed suit. Suddenly, they all had their books out (they hadn’t really forgotten them at home!), and they were fully participating in the activity. It was a lightbulb moment for me.

Another thing I love is seeing the transformation in students over time. They may start out completely disengaged, but after a few sessions, they become excited and eager to share their business ideas. Witnessing that growth is incredibly meaningful.

Mentoring can come with its challenges. How do you navigate difficult situations or conversations with young people, and what do you think is key to making a positive impact during these moments?

Early on, I made the mistake of assuming secondary school students think very differently from adults. In reality, they process things in highly advanced ways - sometimes even beyond what adults do.

The key is to take an assistive approach rather than a directive one. Once they understand that I’m not there to criticise them or tell them what to do, they become much more open and willing to share. It shifts from a one-way lesson to a real and authentic dialogue.

For those considering volunteering with Halogen but feeling unsure, what words of encouragement or advice would you give to help them take the first step?

It doesn’t hurt to try. Volunteering with Halogen is a great way to fulfil your corporate social responsibility, and there’s no forced commitment. You’re not required to be there every week - it’s flexible.

Attending just one session can offer new insights, not just for the youth but for yourself. Taking a step back from work for a few hours to engage with young people can be refreshing and eye-opening.

"It doesn't hurt to try."

If you could design a dream NFTE programme challenge or theme, what would it be, and why?

It could be interesting to introduce an opportunity for top NFTE graduates to return the following year as facilitators or even join the judging panel for business plan competitions.

By mentoring their peers, they’d not only reinforce what they’ve learnt but also gain valuable leadership experience. It could boost engagement while offering them a stepping stone into mentorship.

But honestly, Halogen’s programmes are already so well-designed - I wouldn’t change anything!

What’s your “hidden talent” that you think would surprise the people you volunteer with?

I think it’s my positive outlook. I always try to find the good in difficult situations - and that mindset has helped me throughout life.

Any challenge becomes much easier when I reframe it as a learning opportunity. I share this perspective with my mentees, and I think it’s contagious! It’s not really a hidden talent, but over time, people around me start to notice it.

Feeling inspired by Matt’s story?
If you’re looking for a meaningful way to give back or share your expertise, consider joining our community of volunteers. Whether it's mentoring, coaching, or lending your skills behind the scenes – every role makes a difference.

Find out how you can get involved here.

Today’s plus insight features Vera Lynn, Halogen volunteer, mentor, and business coach. As the founder of a consulting firm (COO Centre), a mother, business coach, and a certified yoga instructor - she is a powerhouse, and yet still carves out time to give back.

In this interview, she shares what inspired her to volunteer, the impact of mentorship at Halogen, her strategies for effective mentoring, and why equipping every young person with the right tools matter.

What drew you to start volunteering, and what has kept you committed to supporting Halogen over the years?

I was looking for meaningful organisations to volunteer at. Halogen Singapore’s mission and vision really resonated with me. I think it’s important for young people nowadays to have role models to share their experiences and challenges with - and for all of them to receive the same opportunities, exposure, and toolkits they need to face the working world one day. There are a lot of things that school won’t teach you - like how it will feel transitioning between the school world and the working world. 

The way Halogen designs and runs their programmes really impresses me. They are very well-structured, thoughtfully planned, and the framework is amazingly designed.

It’s also a great way for me to keep a pulse on the young people of today. I run a business myself, and understanding the future workforce is very helpful. We need to know our leaders of tomorrow - they are the future. What makes them tick, what motivates them, what drives them?

“We need to know our leaders of tomorrow - they are the future.”

As a mentor in the ELEMENTS Mentoring programme, you guide young people throughout a period of over six months. Can you share some of the personal growth or transformations you’ve witnessed in the youth you've mentored?

For us volunteers - we’re only asking for an hour of your time (mentees) to share. If you have the heart to do it - anyone can make that time. During that one to two hours, there is a growth that happens. It’s always nice to see their thinking being challenged when I pose questions - and to see them arrive at their own conclusion.

For example, some of my mentees think that only certain options exist for them. They didn’t think they had what it took to apply for certain jobs. They box themselves in thinking, “My goal is A, but I'm stuck at B - so A is out of reach.”

I give them additional perspectives and sometimes suggest that they take up courses or online lessons to upgrade their skills, and suddenly - new doors open up for them. They realise they don’t have to fit into a specific mould, and they see the stepping stones that could help them reach their goal. 

It’s not easy to spot that - because you don’t know what you don’t know. It sometimes is clearer for me, because I’ve been through certain experiences that they haven’t, but I want them to discover that journey themselves. It’s amazing to see them do things that they didn’t know they could achieve. At the end of the day, it’s not one size fits all. It’s important to know what you want but also important to know what does or doesn’t fit you. The growth mindset lens is - you have to try it.

Looking back, is there a specific experience or interaction with a youth that’s left a lasting impact on you? What made that moment special or memorable?

I had a mentee from 2-3 years ago who was navigating a difficult job environment. What school doesn’t teach you, and social media doesn’t teach you, is the day-to-day human communications. I had to provide a lot of encouragement in helping her deal with that situation. She had a difficult manager whom she was trying to get a fair assessment from, and at the same time, she was looking for open positions in another department she was interested in. We had some interview roleplaying to help calm her nerves, where she also learned how to establish presence and confidence. 

In the end, she didn’t get the job in that department, but she managed to get a similar role in a new company. She was thrilled - before she left, she also managed to get a fair assessment from the challenging manager. It was great that I could use my experience to help her work through that, and when she told me she was comfortable enough to present herself for the interview, I was so happy. That was a moment where I felt like I really contributed in a meaningful way. 

Have you ever faced a moment where connecting with a student felt difficult? How did you overcome that?

There was an incident where when I read my mentee’s profile, and on paper, she’s very technically-well versed in what she does. So I was really looking forward to working with her. When I met her, she turned out to be very shy and also seemed to have a sense of low self-esteem. So instead of jumping right into mentoring right away, it took some time to pry her out of her shell and dig into the driving cause of why she felt that way. It turned out there was some bullying going on in school and she didn’t feel like she was good enough. So my sessions with her were mostly about empowering her and making her feel comfortable. By the end of the six months, thankfully I was able to break that barrier and we built a comfortable enough rapport that she would actually text me if she encountered any challenges. 

There was a lot of pushing from my side, and I prepped her beforehand that I would be doing that, and that it came from a place of good intentions. With every session, slowly I managed to chip away at the ice each time we met. It was worth it - you could really see how much she had grown. 

How has volunteering enriched your own life, and what unexpected rewards have you gained that you think others might also experience?

From a technical standpoint - when some of my mentees are studying in areas like marketing and UI/UX, it’s something I don’t have much experience in. So I’m very curious to know what people are looking out for. I’m learning these technical skills that are outside my core knowledge, so that’s very beneficial. From a soft skills perspective, it’s very humbling for me to always remind myself to listen. And I’m still reminding myself to do that. It’s very easy, especially as a mum, to tell you, “this is exactly what you should do, it’s so clear!” 

But the important thing is actually to listen properly before you pass any comments or feedback. Nobody likes to hear what they should be doing. Everyone is different and they may need to experience it themselves - it’s better for them to try it themselves and then know whether it’s for them or not. As a mentor, my job is not to dictate - it’s to facilitate, inspire, and share experiences. I always have to remind myself of that, and it definitely works better - even at home with my 10 year old! 

“As a mentor, my job is not to dictate - it’s to facilitate, inspire, and share experiences.”

How do you balance commitments in your personal and professional life?

Most of my training came from my time in investment banking. I was working to the point of near burnout - and I decided to take up a yoga licence. So I ended up teaching yoga while still working in investment banking. 

I believe that in every stage of your life, you need a priority list. You’ll have a must-do list, a nice-to-have list, and a “I’ll look at it when I have time” list. I’m not a fan of having it all. So at different stages of your life, you need to review your priority list. It’s about being very honest with yourself. It’s good to do 10 minutes in the morning to set good intentions - and 10 minutes at night to reflect on the day. It will do your body a whole lot of good. It’s one of the things that many successful CEOs do daily as well. 

What would you say to someone who is considering volunteering with Halogen but may feel they don’t have enough time or the right skills to make a difference?

I think for someone with a certain level of experience, if you come into mentoring with active listening, with humility and generally an open mindset - a non-judgemental, open mindset, then I trust that Halogen will be able to match you with a mentee that’s compatible. It’s an hour of your time per month - it’s like having an extra hour of lunch meeting. 

That one hour of your time is an exponential benefit - it doesn’t just equal an hour, your mentee will gain so much more. Just really commit to the process, commit to the person - and you will definitely benefit from it as well. It’s a two-way relationship that’s a win-win situation.

Before we wrap up, we’d love to know - everyone has that one song or playlist that gets them in the right headspace. Do you have a go-to motivational song or playlist before heading into a coaching or mentoring session?

There’s this Korean pop artist called G-dragon, and I feel he really makes the best music to dance to - one of my favourite songs from him right now is called ‘Home Sweet Home’. 

Today’s plus insight is by Lee Sze Zhin, a former Head Consultant at Halogen (Singapore). Drawing from his 7 years in the social sector, Sze Zhin reflects on how a single individual can make a meaningful impact and contribute to a larger purpose in society.

As I wrap up 7 years of journeying with Halogen, I started thinking back to when I started with this organisation, in 2017. As a fresh graduate, I knew that I was pursuing a path of passion, but I did not foresee the special opportunities, growth and amazing experiences I received along the way. Standing at the end of this adventure, I pen down my personal reflections on how we can make the most out of a career of passion.

Throwback to December, 2015 - I was a participant in the Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) Classic Challenge Course, which spanned across 21 days. Somewhere deep in the Pulau Ubin wilderness, I wrote in my journal that one day, I would like to become a trainer myself.

Every single day from 2017 to 2024, I was living out the dreams of my 23 year-old self.

Standing at the end of this current journey, I have only just started to see so clearly the joy and complexities of working on a social mission. We are at our best when we fight hard to advance the cause, taking care of one another at the same time, all while balancing our conviction with the ability to unlearn and relearn.

Passion binds, and can also divide.

In my first few years of being at Halogen, I often found myself sitting in discomfort, as I witnessed multiple heated debates in meetings. I then found myself looking on incredulously as I saw the very same people who were in said heated debates, chatting and laughing over lunch right after.

I have realised that in a desire to do the right things, and to do them in the right way, it often feels like a responsibility to advocate strongly for the best ideas, especially when they differ from others. Unbridled, these tensions can seed doubt in our colleagues’ intentions. In leveraging the best of passions, we must learn to fight the issue, not the person. In the book Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury, effective negotiators go behind the stated positions and probe for underlying assumptions, principles and decision considerations.

For example, offering bespoke programmes is undeniably beneficial for participants, but can also take up time and resources away from other equally important work. As we probed deeper, we agreed that bespoke programmes are good, only if a more realistic lead time exists. Customising the work concurrently between team members also proved to be even better, resulting in better quality programmes and a more balanced staff workload. We might not always agree with each other immediately, but with the right mindset we can strive to find mutual ground, and use that platform to collaborate.

Passion drives the work, and can also drive burnout.

Every year, in the months of October & November, I see teammates and facilitators tirelessly reviewing hundreds of presentation decks - in preparation for the NFTE Business Plan Competitions, which tends to happen back to back. On top of that, before every major event, colleagues work overtime to push out collaterals, pack logistics, and organise venue spaces.

Passion sometimes requires sacrifices, and at Halogen, I see that we have all sacrificed in one way or another, to ensure excellence in the work that goes out to our youths and partners. As we focus outwards in this giving profession, we must simultaneously look inwards, to help one another.

Trust isn’t only built solely by offering help, it is also fostered when people have the courage to ask for it. When colleagues show up unconditionally to see us through the season, it results in the development of mutual trust and respect. It is in the busiest of times that we need these interactions most; a quick 1:1 conversation over coffee or while on commute can serve as great opportunities to help colleagues feel seen and heard. Any one of us can go first - when we model the way we ask for help and support, we give permission for others to do the same.

Passion stems from conviction, and can also form narrow-mindedness.

We are here because we truly believe that the work we do is required, and we form an opinion of how best to tackle some of the issues. We put our heads down each day, chipping away at the problem bit by bit. It is a purposeful pursuit, but we must also remember to fall in love with the problem, not the solution.

It is only in my 7th year, that I started to deeply observe and appreciate the broader system, the complexities around social mobility and access - and its relation to youth development work in Halogen. This both called into question and strengthened my perspectives on how our work actually contributes to realising a generation of future-ready young people.

It became evident to me that we must take a step back from time to time, to consider the developments and trends around us. In the context of our vision, we must proactively gain deep insight and “outsight” through learning and conversing widely, so that we can effectively create well-designed, relevant solutions.

Passion work is meaningful work. Let’s make it worthwhile, together.

Passion is the unfair advantage of a purpose-driven organisation like Halogen, and we must wield it well, lest it becomes our Achilles Heel. Passion must bind us, drive us and keep us intentional in tackling our most important goals. In these 7 years, many things have changed for youths, and the organisation. Yet, there remains a familiar mountain of complexities and issues to conquer. Regardless of the level of passion, the issues are too big for the sector to manage alone.

I was first a volunteer in the youth development space before I took this up full-time. Having come full circle, I now embrace the journey ahead, in finding my own space to continue giving back - this time with a deeper, more seasoned understanding of service and purpose.