My final-year placement was at YMCA Youth Support which reaches out to out-of-school youth and youth-at-risk with the mission to integrate them back into society through meaningful programmes and activities. The main programme is the Vocational and Soft Skills Programme (VaSSP) which I was actively involved in.

I took on client cases and facilitated lessons during the core training. During the clients’ vocational training, I brought clients out to their respective trainings and worked with industry partners and professionals. I attended conferences, workshops and networking sessions held by other agencies as well.

On the second day of my fieldwork placement, I attended the Conversations on Youth conference 2023 organised by the Ministry of Social and Family Development. I was not expecting to be given such an opportunity, as an intern, to attend such a significant conference, so the entire experience was new and exciting, and deeply cherished as I had the chance to learn so much from the exchange of information and resources, as well as the sharings from the professionals.

In addition, my casework skills were also well-honed through first-hand experience as a caseworker. From case conceptualisation to client meetings, case recordings, follow ups and even case closure and termination, I have had the opportunity to experience all stages of casework during my placement.

Besides professional growth and development, I have also learnt to be more open-minded. Through my mentors’ guidance, I realised that I could sometimes be stuck in my own comfort zone and be unwilling to try anything new or unfamiliar. Through them, I've learned to keep an open mind, often discovering that my initial fears and worries were unfounded. I would find myself learning and enjoying more what I was doing when I was receptive to things new and unfamiliar. My internship has thus helped me to grow in both my professional and personal life.