ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Connecting Narratives for Change Festival is a community festival for anyone interested in change-making in Singapore. Each year, we gather at Common Ground Civic Centre to work on the things that matter to us that need to change.

At the festival, we collaborate with socially-oriented organisations from different industries and sectors who are the Resident and Community Partners at Common Ground Civic Centre. Through experiential activities, each of our programme partners will respond to these social concerns through their lenses and expertise, unique to their own domains.

This year, we want to focus on weaving these different narratives together. There are so many perspectives, lived experiences, skillsets, ideas, struggles and stories all around us. What good can come from more of us coming together?

FESTIVAL DETAILS

  • Date: 23 Aug, 20 Sep, 18 Oct (Sat)

  • Time: 9:30am – 6pm

  • Location: Common Ground Civic Centre, 21 Bedok North Street 1, Singapore 469659

Tickets for Theme 1 & 2 on sale now!
Tickets for Theme 3 will be announced on 3 Sep. Stay tuned!

Connecting Narratives for Change Festival 2025

A learning festival

You’ll learn new ways of thinking, feeling and doing more for specific social concerns that matter to you and to Singapore.

A collaborative container

You’ll meet people who share similar social concerns - but come from different parts of the community.

An experimental sandbox

You’ll get to work together throughout the day so that we can mobilise each other to start working on these concerns beyond the festival.

Our Programme Partners

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

What’s happening at Connecting Narratives for Change Festival 2025?

This year, we want to explore: How can we live the Good Life?

All of us are part of a home, a workplace and a community. These are the 3 key components of our lives here in Singapore. At Connecting Narratives for Change Festival 2025, we want to help each other work towards a personal, professional and civic life that we can all enjoy.

Join us for three Saturdays in August, September and October to explore how we can live the Good Life - by building healthier homes, creating kinder workplaces and gathering as whole communities.

THEME 1: 23 AUG (SAT)

By building
healthier homes

What else can care and connection look like with people at home?

THEME 2: 20 SEP (SAT)

By creating
kinder workplaces

What can peer and team support look like so that we can all do Good Work?

THEME 3: 18 OCT 2025 (SAT)

By gathering as
whole communities

What can we learn from each other and what can we do better when we are together?

THEME 1: 23 AUG 2025 (SAT)

How can we
build healthier homes?

This theme explores other ways we can more intentionally care and connect with people at home through conversations, tools and frameworks and broadened perspectives.

LED BY
BRAVE FEATS STUDENT CARE
COMMON GROUND
LEPAK CONVERSATIONS
WERABLE

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Programme Overview

9:30AM — 10:30AM

Citizen Circles:
What are our underrated ingredients for healthier homes?

WITH
COMMON GROUND

From emotional safety and connection to daily rituals and shared responsibilities, what often gets overlooked and underestimated when we talk about healthier homes?

In small and large group conversations, we'll start the day curious about what each of us might need, want or value to feel more at home in our homes so that we can move towards the Good Life we envision.

Together, we’ll share what we each believe are underrated ingredients - emotional or practical, tangible or intangible, small or big - that could actually be the very thing we might need to lay the right foundations for a healthier, more joyful home.

11:30AM — 12:30PM
2PM — 4PM

Parallel Breakout Sessions

Through interactive sessions, workshops and conversations, you will get to hear different takes on ‘How can we build healthier homes?’ from:

  • a student care that focuses on social-emotional learning (Brave Feats Student Care)

  • a cultural-change consultancy that helps people develop thinking + people skills (Common Ground)

  • a research and advocacy group that advocates for Malay-Muslim issues (Lepak Conversations)

  • an inclusive and adaptive fashion brand (Werable)

In these sessions, explore the “how’s” on different levels - self, family, community - which are the chosen ingredients of our programme partners for a healthier home.

Over the day, meet with other fellow participants who share the same interest for this social concern and who bring with them a diversity of perspectives, skillsets, resources and lived experiences that can weave our new and existing narratives of the topic in different ways.

PARALLEL BREAKOUT SESSIONS A:
11:00AM — 12:30PM

“To build healthier homes, we need to consider more perspectives and approaches that allow us to connect better.”

  • Home is where the Habits are:
    Building a Healthier Home Through Different Habits

    • Date: 23 Aug 2025, Sat

    • Time: 11AM - 12:30PM

    • Led by: Common Ground

    • Session Type: Conversation

  • Why are they like that?? Why don’t they get it?? If only they could just understand what I need..

    No household is spared from the occasional (or regular) family tiff. But if you’re keen to work on a relationship with someone at home, let’s explore this topic together in a light and playful way.

    In this session, we will be role-playing common scenes from home to explore our habitual reactions and alternative habits we can try instead. These habits could either be a pathway or a roadblock to better connections.

    P.S. We are not experts, just members of a household committed to learning and figuring things out together.

  • COMMON GROUND is a cultural-change consultancy that leads a Civic Centre with a mission to create whole communities.

    As a consultancy, we help your organisation close the gap between your current & preferred culture so that both your people and strategies can come alive.

    As a Civic Centre, we support practitioners who gather citizens together to gain new awareness, develop new skills and find new opportunities so that more of us can collaborate on societal concerns and work on social change together.

    • Anyone who wants to connect with someone in their lives better or in a different way

KOO HUI YING

“To build healthier homes, we need to be able to dress ourselves with agency and dignity.”

  • Dressing with Ease: Adaptive Fashion for Accessibility

    • Date: 23 Aug 2025, Sat

    • Time: 11AM - 12:30PM

    • Led by: Werable

    • Session Type: Workshop

  • This session is a hands-on workshop that invites you to rethink how everyday clothing can work better for your body. By using thrifted garments, you’ll learn the basic modifications to wear a shirt with one hand.

    This introductory workshop will expose you to bodystorming – the way of studying our habits and understanding our bodies through role-play.

    Within the session, you’ll create paper prototypes and ideate a healthier way of dressing.

    Here, you’ll explore how small changes can create a big impact in your very own home and wardrobe.

  • WERABLE makes fashion easy to wear for every body. From adaptive occasion wear to inclusive bags, we’re committed to fashioning a kinder, more inclusive tomorrow. Werable is an award winning brand, proudly recognised as the winner of the Vogue Innovation Prize and Shenzhen’s Global Design Award, leading inclusive fashion in Asia.

    • Caregivers

    • Occupational therapists

    • Persons with lived experience of disability

    • Anyone interested in accessible fashion beyond aesthetics

CLAUDIA POH

PARALLEL BREAKOUT SESSIONS B:
2:00PM — 4:00PM

“To build healthier homes, we need to develop new lenses for raising children.”

  • Love and Limits: Polarities of Raising Children

    • Date: 23 Aug 2025, Sat

    • Time: 2PM - 4PM

    • Led by: Brave Feats Student Care

    • Session Type: Workshop

  • Raising children is full of paradoxes: Should we be firm or gentle? Should we give freedom or provide structure? The truth is—it's not either/or, but both/and.

    This 2-hour interactive workshop helps parents and caregivers recognize and navigate the natural polarities in raising children, such as love and limits, control and autonomy, protection and release.

    Explore how to identify when you might be swinging too much to one side of the tension and how you might find a healthy rhythm that supports your child’s growth and your own wellbeing.

  • BRAVE FEATS STUDENT CARE is an after-school care centre which places emphasis on children’s well-being and building social-emotional skills, while providing a balanced holistic education for all-round development of the children. Brave Feats is founded upon the belief that every child deserves to be joyful and that the seeds of joy planted today will help our next generation live a purposeful and fulfilling life.

    • Parents

    • Caregivers of young children and youths

    • Early childhood educators

    • Professionals that work with young children and youths

CHUEN-YIN NG

“To build healthier homes, we need to shift the focus of housing as a financial asset to a place for connection and neighbourliness.”

  • More Than Mortgage: Moving From Home as Asset to Home as Place for Connection

    • Date: 23 Aug 2025, Sat

    • Time: 2PM - 4PM

    • Led by: Lepak Conversations

    • Session Type: Interactive Activity

  • Home ownership becomes a stressful endeavour when one struggles to find the perfect equation of physical and financial factors like size, location, and resale power. How can existing and aspiring homeowners get a good quality of life at home within their means and needs?


    Lepak Conversations introduces neighbourliness as a key part of a healthy home, shifting the focus from housing as a financial asset to housing as a space for relationships.

    A good home offers a sense of safety and belonging - to family within our four walls, and to the community beyond those walls.  Think of neighbours who water your plants when you’re on holiday, who check in on your family while waiting for the lift, or who initiate group buys to make your monthly grocery shopping easier. These small acts of neighbourliness play a bigger role than you think in improving your social and emotional needs at home.


    Whether you’re planning to move after the 5-year MOP (Minimum Occupation Period) or stay for decades, what does it mean to practise good neighbourliness? Unpack these questions in this interactive session with Lepak Conversations.

  • LEPAK CONVERSATIONS is a research and advocacy non-profit that aims to nurture a society where Malay/Muslims are understood, accepted and respected, while fostering racial harmony in Singapore.​ We are driven by our key values: accessibility and allyship. Through online content and offline events, we view Malay/Muslim social issues from a communal or societal lens, where the focus is on you and I, together, instead of you vs me.

    • First-time home owners

    • Future home owners currently in your 20s and 30s

    • Current home owners who are thinking of moving

DAHLIA
MOHD

FEZHAH
MAZNAN

YULIANNA
FREDERIKA

4:30PM — 6PM

Un-Panel:
What might Singapore look like if more homes could experience the Good Life?

WITH
BRAVE FEATS STUDENT CARE
COMMON GROUND
LEPAK CONVERSATIONS
WERABLE

In this Closing Un-panel, we’ll be bringing it home!

Together with our programme partners from the Parallel Breakout Sessions, we’re coming back as a large group to weave together common threads, surprising takeaways and how all these underrated ingredients come together to build homes for ourselves that can be healthier and more joyful, with its ripple effects enjoyed by more of us beyond the home.

This Unpanel is a self-moderated, participant-driven conversation where both speakers and participants can choose to shift where and how the conversation moves based on what’s working and not working for you. You have the power to put your voice in the room to share your observations; ask questions; move conversations; and make offers and requests to one another.

Tickets on sale now for
Theme 1: How can we build healthier homes?

Save 20% off full-day tickets!
Early-bird Period: 23 Jul - 13 Aug

THEME 2: 20 SEP 2025 (SAT)

How can we create kinder workplaces?

This theme explores ways we can support our peers and teams more effectively and more kindly so that we can all do Good Work together more sustainably.

WITH
COMMON GROUND
KONTINENTALIST
MYLES & MORE

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Programme Overview

9:30AM — 10:30AM

Citizen Circles:
If kindness was a KPI at the workplace, what would we track?

WITH
COMMON GROUND

Kindness at the workplace is often an organic byproduct of good people doing good work. But what if we see kindness as essential, intentional and structural? From daily interactions, team rituals, feedback loops and people management styles, how would we track kindness as a key performance indicator (KPI) at the workplace?

In small and large group conversations, we'll start the day curious about what each of us might hope to see more of in our workplaces so that we can move towards the Good Life we envision.

Together, we’ll share what we each believe could be key indicators that we measure and track as an intentional part of creating a workplace that is kinder, more sustainable and grounded in trust.

11:30AM — 12:30PM
2PM — 4PM

Parallel Breakout Sessions

Through interactive sessions, workshops and conversations, you will get to hear different takes on ‘How can we create kinder workplaces?’ from:

  • A cultural-change strategist who helps people develop thinking + people skills – Common Ground (Shiao-yin Kuik)

  • Two middle managers of a cultural-change consultancy stepping into their power and leadership – Common Ground (Dawn Tan + Koo Hui Ying)

  • A data-storytelling studio powered by a diverse team with a diversity of needs and working styles – Kontinentalist

  • A founder of a media production studio who was recently diagnosed with adhd as an adult – Myles & More (Brandon Myles)

In these sessions, explore the “what’s” and the “how’s” on different levels - self, peer and teams - which are the key elements of a kinder workplace for our programme partners.

Over the day, meet with other fellow participants who share the same interest for this social concern and who bring with them a diversity of perspectives, skillsets, resources and lived experiences that can weave our new and existing narratives of the topic in different ways.

PARALLEL BREAKOUT SESSIONS A:
11:00AM — 12:30PM

“To create kinder workplaces, we need to normalise feedback giving and receiving.”

  • Don’t Be Nice:
    The Practice of Clear and Kind Feedback

    • Date: 20 Sep 2025, Sat

    • Time: 11AM - 12:30PM

    • Led by: Common Ground

    • Session Type: Interactive Session

  • Feedback has a bad rep. When we think of feedback, we are more likely to think of it as a medium to deliver criticism, like highlight mistakes, point out areas of improvement or correct a behaviour. We hardly associate feedback with something positive like recognition, appreciation or encouragement. Because of that, no one likes giving feedback and no one likes receiving it. It can be uncomfortable for the giver and anxiety-ridden for the receiver.

    In this session, we want to explore how to normalise giving kinder and more effective feedback for both negative and positive situations so that we can:

    • be more aligned as a team,

    • more aware of what’s working and what’s not working,

    • deepen our trust with each other

    This is a session meant for peers, by peers!
    We’re not experts in the room - just team members who want to learn and practice together.

  • COMMON GROUND is a cultural-change consultancy that leads a Civic Centre with a mission to create whole communities.

    As a consultancy, we help your organisation close the gap between your current & preferred culture so that both your people and strategies can come alive.

    As a Civic Centre, we support practitioners who gather citizens together to gain new awareness, develop new skills and find new opportunities so that more of us can collaborate on societal concerns and work on social change together.

    • Working adults who want to practise giving feedback well with their peers

DAWN TAN

KOO HUI YING

“To create kinder workplaces, we need to understand how we each work best.”

  • Un-focused Group: Leveraging ADHD & Neurotypical Strengths at Work

    • Date: 20 Sep 2025, Sat

    • Time: 11AM - 12:30PM

    • Led by: Myles & More

    • Session Type: Interactive Session

  • This session brings together ADHD and Neurotypical colleagues to openly explore how our brain differences — once clearly understood — can become powerful tools for building kinder, smarter, and more innovative workplaces.

    Through conversations, we will unpack the strengths and struggles of ADHD and Neurotypical team members, and how to integrate that into our workplace practices.

    Join us to turn misunderstandings into meaningful collaboration.

  • MYLES & MORE is a Singapore-based creative agency founded in 2011 to make educational, story-driven content that informs and inspires. The company specializes in documentary-style films, e-learning series, and branded educational content for clients including DBS, Microsoft, and OCBC.

    At the heart of Myles & More is a belief that good content should be useful, beautiful, and deeply human. From concept to final cut, the team works collaboratively with brands, civic organizations, and nonprofits to bring clarity to complex ideas through storytelling.

    Whether filming across Asia or in their in-house studio at Common Ground in Bedok, the company is known for its thoughtful, cinematic approach to production. It's about making content that not only looks great but truly teaches.

    Their mission: to help good people and good ideas reach the audiences who need them most.

    • Working professionals with ADHD

    • Working professionals who are Neurotypicals

BRANDON MYLES

PARALLEL BREAKOUT SESSIONS B:
2:00PM — 4:00PM

“To create kinder workplaces, we need to understand where we go in stress and security.”

  • 9 (Surprisingly) Kinder Ways to Work with Teams: Applying Enneagram for the Workplace

    • Date: 20 Sep 2025, Sat

    • Time: 2PM - 4PM

    • Led by: Common Ground

    • Session Type: Workshop

  • Teamwork is always challenging. 

    What looks like a good, reasonable - even kind - thing for you to do may not work for every person or situation. 

    In this workshop, we introduce you to a new way of using the Enneagram to be more aware of your unique bias and the “Both/And” tensions you will consistently need to balance as you lead teams and projects.

  • COMMON GROUND is a cultural-change consultancy that leads a Civic Centre with a mission to create whole communities.

    As a consultancy, we help your organisation close the gap between your current & preferred culture so that both your people and strategies can come alive.

    As a Civic Centre, we support practitioners who gather citizens together to gain new awareness, develop new skills and find new opportunities so that more of us can collaborate on societal concerns and work on social change together.

    • Managers

    • Leaders

    • Working professionals

SHIAO-YIN KUIK

“To create kinder workplaces, we need to include the team’s voices in strategy, culture-setting, and practices.”

  • What Is and What Can Be:
    Reimagining Workplaces and Well-being through Data Visualisation

    • Date: 20 Sep 2025, Sat

    • Time: 2PM - 4PM

    • Led by: Kontinentalist

    • Session Type: Conversations & Data Visualisation

  • Home ownership becomes a stressful endeavour when one struggles to find the perfect equation of physical and financial factors like size, location, and resale power. How can existing and aspiring homeowners get a good quality of life at home within their means and needs?


    Lepak Conversations introduces neighbourliness as a key part of a healthy home, shifting the focus from housing as a financial asset to housing as a space for relationships.

    A good home offers a sense of safety and belonging - to family within our four walls, and to the community beyond those walls.  Think of neighbours who water your plants when you’re on holiday, who check in on your family while waiting for the lift, or who initiate group buys to make your monthly grocery shopping easier. These small acts of neighbourliness play a bigger role than you think in improving your social and emotional needs at home.


    Whether you’re planning to move after the 5-year MOP (Minimum Occupation Period) or stay for decades, what does it mean to practise good neighbourliness? Unpack these questions in this interactive session with Lepak Conversations.

  • KONTINENTALIST is a studio that advocates for a more equitable world that fosters connections between Asia’s sources of knowledge. We nurture community around data and human experiences.

    • Working people, especially in the Gen Z and millennial age group

    • Ideal for working professionals in small to medium-sized companies

DARRELL LIAN

GRISELDA GABRIELE

SAMIRA HASSAN

4:30PM — 6PM

Un-Panel:
What can we *really* do to encourage our workplaces to support the Good Life?

WITH
COMMON GROUND
KONTINENTALIST
MYLES & MORE

In this Closing Un-panel, we don’t have big systemic interventions for you. We have everyday working professionals who are committed to making their workplaces a kinder one in their own individual capacities as a peer, as team members, as a top leader, as a founder.

Together with our programme partners from the Parallel Breakout Sessions, we’re coming back as a large group to weave together common threads, surprising takeaways and how small action can lead to big impact at the workplace.

This Unpanel is a self-moderated, participant-driven conversation where both speakers and participants can choose to shift where and how the conversation moves based on what’s working and not working for you. You have the power to put your voice in the room to share your observations; ask questions; move conversations; and make offers and requests to one another.

Tickets on sale now for
Theme 2: How can we create kinder workplaces?

Save 20% off full-day tickets!
Early-bird Period: 3 Aug - 23 Aug

THEME 3: 18 AUG 2025 (SAT)

How can we gather as whole communities?

This theme explores ways we can learn from each other and do things differently when we come together.

WITH
ARTABLY
BRAVE FEATS STUDENT CARE
DAUGHTERS OF TOMORROW
GREEN NUDGE
INSCHOOL
STUDIO DOJO
THE BLACK SAMPAN

Programme lineup and ticket sales for Theme 3 will be released on 3 Sept 2025.

Ticketing Information

Connecting Narratives for Change Festival is designed as a full-day experience so that participants may take the time to explore different narratives and find points of connection between them.

Tickets for the festival are primarily sold as All-day Passes, with limited quantities of Single Session Passes for selected Parallel Breakout Sessions. While a limited number of Single Session Passes will be available, we highly encourage participants to join us for the full day so that you can have a more comprehensive festival experience with us!

Purchase your tickets to the festival:

tickets on sale: 23 jul
early bird ends: 13 aug
tickets on sale: 3 aug
early bird ends: 23 aug
tickets on sale: 3 sep
early bird ends: 23 sep

CATEGORY

PRICE (INCL. GST)

All-day Pass

$90

This ticket gives you full-day access to the programmes for the theme of your choice, which include the Opening Session: Citizen Circles, x2 Parallel Breakout Sessions of your choice and the Closing Session: Un-Panel.

Lunch and light refreshments will be provided!

Early-bird All-day Pass - Save 20%!

$72

Secure your spot early and get 20% off when you purchase tickets during the Early-bird Period!

Early-bird Period:

  • 1: How can we build healthier homes? | 23 Jul - 13 Aug

  • 2: How can we create kinder workplaces? | 3 Aug - 23 Aug

  • 3: How can we gather as whole communities? | 3 Sep - 23 Sep

Please note: Early-bird promotion is only applicable for All-Day Pass.

Single Session Pass

$39

This ticket gives you access to x1 Parallel Breakout Session of your choice.

Lunch and light refreshments will be provided!

Please note:

  • Single Session Pass is only available in limited quantities for selected Parallel Breakout Sessions.

  • Single Session Pass does not grant you access to the Opening Session: Citizen Circles and the Closing Session: Un-Panel.

Pay-It-Forward :)

$☺

We want to ensure that members of different communities are able to access the festival. If you would also like to contribute, the proceeds from the Pay-it-Forward option goes towards a complimentary or discounted ticket to individuals or communities who may not otherwise be able to afford it.

This contribution will help us give others the same meaningful experience that you’ll have at the festival!

ACCESSIBILITY

We believe in the accessibility of the festival and we want more of us to be part of the change-making process. If cost is a concern, please reach out to us at civiccentre@ourcommonground.com.sg and we’ll work with you to find a solution.

Our programme partners

  • Aminur Rasyid

    FOUNDER & ARTIST | ARTABLY

    A self-taught illustrator and artist who is passionate about using his craft to make a difference. He loved drawing cartoons since childhood and his journey lead him to discovering the power of storytelling as he aspires to communicate meaningful messages and inspire others in significant ways. This session is important to him as he hopes to bring the same joyful experience to others through the workshop.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By pulling others along. You shape not just your story but their stories together.”

    3: Whole communities

  • Brandon Myles

    FOUNDER | MYLES & MORE

    From film production to creative visual teaching and education, Brandon Myles is all about making messages hit home. With over 25 years in the game, he’s worked with big names like Microsoft, UMW Toyota, Lexus, Standard Chartered, DBS, and OCBC. Brandon’s specialty? Crafting content that doesn’t just connect – it educates and makes a real impact.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By living in the truth of how we've been uniquely made.”

    2: KINDER WORKPLACES

  • Chuen-yin Ng

    CO-FOUNDER | BRAVE FEATS STUDENT CARE

    Chuen-Yin started her career in education as a Mathematics and Music teacher in secondary school. She is an experienced educator who has held positions as Vice-Principal, Principal and Cluster Superintendent. She was most recently the Principal of Nanyang Girls' High School up till Dec 2022.

    She has since left the Ministry of Education and co-founded Brave Feats Student Care to pursue her ideals of education; offering a positive space to empower children. She believes that every child deserves to be joyful and confident.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By showing up with presence, staying curious in the face of complexity, and choosing to act from care, even when it’s hard.”

    1: Healthier Homes

  • Claudia Poh

    FOUNDER | WERABLE

    Claudia is the founder of Werable, a design studio at the forefront of inclusive fashion. A Parsons School of Design graduate, her venture into adaptive fashion began when she crafted a coat for a friend with ALS. From hands-free dressing systems to innovative designs that can be worn single-handedly by stroke survivors, Claudia is designer with a deep focus on social innovation.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By designing a world where getting dressed doesn’t get in the way of living, so everyone can participate fully at home, at work, and in society.”


    1: Healthier Homes

  • Dahlia Mohd

    RESEARCH LEAD | LEPAK CONVERSATIONS

    Dahlia Mohd is the Research Lead at Lepak Conversations. With her professional expertise in research, she oversees the qualitative and quantitative research on Malay/Muslim issues, filling in an important gap as the Malay/Muslim community is often underrepresented in research studies. Dahlia is also the co-founder of En Pointe & Co., a contemporary multi-label boutique that focuses on Southeast Asian designers, where she also organises and hosts events. Aside from fashion, she is also passionate about refugee work and has been involved with NGOs and schools since 2014.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By showing up with courage and imagination.”

    1: healthier homes

  • Darrell Lian

    BUSINESS MANAGER, CO-LEAD (COMMUNITY & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT) | KONTINENTALIST

    Darrell leads business and client strategy at Kontinentalist— managing projects, training workshops, and other product offerings. He previously worked on strategic manpower planning and analytics in Singapore’s public sector.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By reflecting.”

    2: kinder workplaces

  • Dawn Tan

    LEAD, TRAINING, CONSULTANCY & RESEARCH | COMMON GROUND

    Dawn works in Common Ground to support organizations across public, private, and non-profit sectors to drive culture change through training, leadership development, and facilitation.

    She also actively volunteers in community causes, particularly mental health support for underprivileged youth and women.

    Coming from a professional background in HR, she has researched policies and strategies in people development, employee engagement, wellbeing, and inclusion.

    Dawn is passionate about addressing burnout, stemming from early experiences in the workforce and witnessing peers, especially in the helping professions, struggle with sustaining the good work they do due to demanding job realities and unhealthy leadership cultures.

    Dawn believes in clear, empathetic communication and collaborative action to tackle systemic problems like burnout. She hopes to encourage conversations and commitment on creating supportive environments where people can be whole, well and work together meaningfully.

    2: Healthier homes

  • Edward Zeng

    DIRECTOR & CENTRE MANAGER | INSCHOOL

    Edward has been part of the disability inclusion and inclusive hiring work for 6 years with Inclus since 2018, working with people with disabilities (PWDs) from the age group of 18+ onwards and helping them to achieve gainful employment and independent living. He eventually expanded the work into InSchool in 2024 to help children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) from the age group of 7-12 by curating individualized personal growth plans for each of them.

    Today, he is creating much-needed opportunities for both neurotypical and neurodivergent children and adults to be aware of the SEN landscape and develop understanding, empathy and kindness among the future generations.

    3: WHOLE COMMUNITIES

  • Fezhah Maznan

    STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP LEAD, LEPAK CONVERSATIONS

    Fezhah Maznan serves as Strategy & Partnership Lead with Lepak Conversations. She actively finds opportunities for the group to remain self-sustaining in their mission. Professionally, she is a creative producer and performance dramaturg who is interested in democratising access to resources and opportunities for artists who are in the margins, and finding solutions to issues that get in the way of sustaining and growing a creative practice. Fezhah received her pedagogical training during her time as Lecturer and Assistant Programme Chair for Diploma in Arts and Theatre Management, Republic Polytechnic. She also has a certificate in Critical Facilitation from Drama Box (Singapore).

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By living in the truth of how we've been uniquely made.”

    1: Healthier Homes

  • Firdaus Sani

    FOUNDER | THE BLACK SAMPAN

    Firdaus Sani is the founder of The Black Sampan, a social enterprise that supports local non-profits in fundraising, community programming, and social impact storytelling.

    Drawing from his lived experience as a fourth-generation Orang Laut/Pulau descendant and years of work with marginalised communities, Firdaus is passionate about ethical research and engagement, championing approaches that are respectful, community-led, and mutually beneficial.

    His earlier work led him to start Orang Laut SG in 2020 to preserve and share the heritage of Pulau Semakau, and he continues to advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous voices in education and public discourse.

    Firdaus has shared his perspectives at platforms such as TEDxYouth, the Singapore Writers Festival, and Esplanade Theatre. He was named one of Honeycombers’ Local Legends and featured in Prestige magazine’s 40 under 40. His professional experience also includes time at WWF-Singapore and other non-profit organisations.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By gathering as whole communities with care, consent, and cultural sensitivity -- honouring histories, listening deeply, and building meaningful relationships that support each other’s goals.”

    3: whole communities

  • Griselda Gabriele

    SENIOR MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER & TEAM LEAD (COMMUNITY & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT) | KONTINENTALIST

    Griselda is a multimedia designer who is passionate about data literacy and community-led research projects. At Kontinentalist, she works on illustrations, data visualisations, and education initiatives.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By staying curious!”

    2: KINDER WORKPLACES

  • Heng Li Seng

    FOUNDER | GREEN NUDGE

    Li Seng is the founder of Green Nudge, a social enterprise that supports businesses and communities to achieve positive environmental impact through activities such as coastal cleanups, workshops, outreach talks and sustainability consulting.

    Li Seng’s experience in the public, community and social enterprise sector since 2013 has reinforced his belief that effective public policies need to be supported by ground-up actions and engagement. In order to create long-lasting change, Li Seng seeks to create change organically and collectively.

    Playing an interfacing role within the tri-sector, Li Seng is able to provide sectoral knowledge through a system thinking lens to make informed decisions and strategies. On both a personal and professional front, he is happy to discuss disposables, sustainability of events, public education, and is familiar with corporate social responsibility and community / youth engagement.

    3: whole communities

  • Hong Khai Seng

    FOUNDER & DIRECTOR | STUDIO DOJO

    Khai Seng started out in the design field in 2004. Before starting Studio Dojo, he was formerly Head of Singapore for Foolproof, an experience design agency. Throughout his career, he has designed large-scale digital systems and facilitated training programmes for C-suite executives and professionals to drive design-oriented organisational changes.

    He believes great design is only part of the equation. It is also key to bring sustained impact and cultural changes in how people live and work. Thus, being a certified New Ventures West Integral coach was a turning point – it introduced him to effective ways to help designers be better leaders.


    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By living good questions.”

    3: whole communities

  • Kaylee Kua

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | DAUGHTERS OF TOMORROW

    A trained engineer, Kaylee is pioneer of Daughters Of Tomorrow, having spent eight years in various capacities including Program & Operations, Employment Bridging, Home-based Childminding and even IT System deployment and support.

    Kaylee is committed to DOT’s vision of empowering women through financial independence and improving the socioeconomic mobility of the lower 20th percentile of women population in Singapore. DOT creates opportunities and promotes a more inclusive workplace for women by working with an ecosystem of partners so that low income families can be enabled with mobility.

    3: Whole Communities

  • Koo Hui Ying

    COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LEAD | COMMON GROUND

    Hui Ying is a Human Connector. She enjoys being in acts of service and connecting with people over walks and tea. With her experiences in the field of hospitality, nature education and community building since 2010, she grew to appreciate and love Singapore. She is also the Lead of Community Development at Common Ground, a pilot civic centre that aims to grow a collaborative environment for people & organisations to explore possibilities of working on social challenges together.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By balancing solitude time and community time.”

    1: HEALTHIER HOMES

  • Samira Hassan

    COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER | KONTINENTALIST

    Samira is the Community Engagement Manager at Kontinentalist where she oversees audience strategy, partnerships, and community platforms. A feminist researcher and facilitator, Samira has over seven years of experience co-creating spaces with queer, migrant, and activist communities across Asia. Her work spans journalism, exhibitions, and workshops that explore migration, mental health, gender justice, and collective memory.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By learning how to show up as our full selves while tending to our relationships with others, and with the land, sea and more-than-human world around us. The good life means taking care of one another, ourselves, and the ecologies we’re part of.”

    2: kinder workplaces

  • Shiao-yin Kuik

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | COMMON GROUND

    Shiao-Yin works as a cultural change strategist. She helps leaders and their organisations close their culture gaps so that their strategies - and people - come alive.

    She designs cultural change processes, trains people in strategic change skills, facilitates crucial conversations, coaches change managers and leaders, and develops curriculum to help cascade change.

    She is a public communicator. She shares her field notes on leading organisational change as the host of the “Finding Common Ground” podcast and producer of “The Good, Bad & Ugly” newsletter. 

    Shiao-Yin was also a two-time Nominated Member of Parliament in Singapore (2014-2018) and Philip Yeo Initiative Fellow.

    Her 2018 parliamentary speech, "The Power of a People," was published in Epigram's Rational Conversations series of speeches by prominent Singaporeans.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By choosing to work on things that matter - and choosing to work from a place of deep Rest.”

    2: KINDER WORKPLACES

  • Yulianna Frederika

    FOUNDER & DIRECTOR | LEPAK CONVERSATIONS

    Yulianna Frederika is the Founder and Director of Lepak Conversations, a research and advocacy non-profit that facilitates accessible dialogue on Malay/Muslim issues through educational content on Instagram and offline community events. It tackles pertinent social issues like Muslim women's issues, rental flat residence, and most recently, Malay men's mental health. She also facilitates conversations on race, religion, local-foreigner integration and design thinking with Bold at Work.

    How can we live the Good Life?
    “By having honest and genuine relationships with one another.”

    1: healthier homes

Our commitment of care at the festival

Our collaborators for the festival are 11 socially-oriented organisations who care deeply about different values, causes and communities of people.

Based on their inputs on what matters to them, here are some things we would like to commit to at the festival so that this can be a joyful, safe and empowering space for more of us.

There’s so much for us to learn! But for now, we welcome you and all our guests to share the following commitments with us.

INCLUSIVITY

We want to welcome
more of us at the civic centre

We have amenities and facilities at the civic centre that you may use so that your time at the civic centre is a comfortable, safe and conducive one.

  • Separate microwaves and refrigerators for Halal and non-Halal food

  • Privacy rooms for prayer, nursing, calls/meetings or quiet time

  • Wheelchair-friendly facilities, such as ramps, lifts and accessible toilets

Community

Pay-it-Forward if you can!

We want to ensure that members of different communities are able to access the festival.

As such, a proportion of the earnings from ticket sales will go towards complimentary tickets to individuals from groups or communities who may otherwise not be able to attend due to financial barriers.

If you would also like to contribute, you may purchase an additional ticket via the Pay-it-Forward ticket category. This contribution will help us give others the same meaningful experience that you’ll have at the festival!

SUSTAINABILITY

We are going GREEN-ER

With the help of Green Boss, Heng Li Seng and Green Nudge, we are greenifying the Festival! The intention this year is not to eliminate, but to reduce and minimise.

That could look like reducing individually wrapped snacks, printing responsibly, reusing items such as lanyards, etc.

You are also strongly encouraged to Bring-Your-Own reusable cups, cutlery and containers for your coffee and snacks!

Privacy

Photography at the festival

To help us capture the festivities, there will be event photography during the festival.

If you would not like your photos taken, you may approach Front-of-House to receive a coloured lanyard that will indicate your preferences to our photographers, festival team and fellow participants.

WELL-BEING

Taking care of yourself and each other

As you get into conversations with fellow participants, you’ll get to hear stories, insights and perspectives that may resonate with you.

Do be mindful not to share identifiers or personal information without consent.

We ask that we respect everyone’s privacy and to check in with each other on what’s OK and not OK to be shared beyond the festival.

How can we live the Good Life?

Let’s explore at Connecting Narratives for Change Festival 2025.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Lunch and light refreshments will be provided throughout the day for both ticket types (i.e. All-day Pass and Single Session Pass). This will be partially catered by the local businesses in Bedok Central!

  • The festival is designed as a full-day experience so that participants will have the time to explore different responses to the theme's central question.

    Tickets are primarily sold as full-day passes. With that said, a limited quantity of Single Session Passes are available for selected Parallel Breakout Sessions.

  • Sessions are selected on a first-come-first-serve basis when you register for tickets. If you'd like to change themes or sessions, you may write in to civiccentre@ourcommonground.com.sg to check if there are still spots available.

  • You can purchase tickets: here!

    Please take note of the following ticketing information:

    Early-bird Period

    • How can we build healthier homes? | 23 Jul - 13 Aug

    • How can we create kinder workplaces? | 3 Aug - 23 Aug

    • How can we gather as whole communities? | 3 Sep - 23 Sep

  • With support from our Resident Partner, Green Nudge, we are finding small, practical and feasible ways to go green. The goal is to minimise, not eliminate and we'll need your help to do so by bringing your own reusable containers.

  • If you have any additional questions not listed here, feel free to get in touch with us at civiccentre@ourcommonground.com.sg.