Finding Common Ground Podcast
What will it take to build whole communities where more of us feel we belong? How might we grow clearer, braver and kinder as individuals so that we can work on wicked problems together?
Join cultural change strategist Shiao-Yin Kuik on a journey of learning how we might find common ground though we face divides, difficulties and differences. We go deep with change-makers and bridge-builders to find out how any one of us can begin creating the change we long to see in our personal, professional and civic lives.
SEASON 4
FINDING COMMON GROUND PODCAST
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Social impact work requires long persistence and long-term commitment in a singular direction. But that can be hard to do without adequate funding or without someone who wants to do it.
How can funders and practitioners collaborate to co-create a funding process that is equitable, respectful and effective for all parties involved?
We'll talk about:
How can funding be used as a powerful tool to shape behaviour?
What is the relationship between the funder, the practitioner and the community?
How might progressive funder-practitioner relationships built on trust look like?
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For change to happen, we don’t always need permission, funding or institutional backing before action can be taken.
All we need is to spot a gap and then fill it.
Do we, as everyday citizens, really believe that we have that power to start and sustain a movement from the ground up?
We'll talk about:
What really goes into starting a ground up movement?
What are the conditions necessary for a community to grow and thrive?
What do good and bad deaths look like for a community?
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In Singapore, the arts have long been misunderstood and seen as less important. During the pandemic, the arts was most famously dubbed as “non-essential.”
But what if we are underestimating the power and potential of the arts — not just in the final product, but in the process itself — as a key approach to change?
We’ll talk about:
The arts, not just as an output or a form for consumption, but the arts as a process
How the arts is a useful intervention in different fields of work, like healthcare, community building, social sector, etc
What could it look like to approach our own work, lives and practices more artistically?
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There are a lot of misconceptions about activists. They’re seen as angry, anti-establishment, impulsive, divisive. The work is thought of as unpaid, unserious work. And the list goes on.
But what if activists could also be the people creating safe spaces for tough, necessary conversations? The ones engaging with stakeholders on all sides, especially when few dare to? And what if their time and professional skills were recognised and fairly compensated?
We'll talk about:
What does it mean to professionalise a ground up group?
What are the pros and cons of online activism vs offline activism?
What are the unseen complexities and considerations involved in engaging with really tough topics that we wish could be more visible to others?
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The world is in a mess. As practitioners of impact work, we do what we can to make things a little better in our own corners of society.
But what if the good work that we are doing also has unintended consequences that add up to a zero-sum game where everyone loses?
Should we stop trying? Probably not.
We'll talk about:
The deep, dark rabbit hole that is the metacrisis
How that impacts us and our impact work, and frankly, why should we all care about it
And most importantly, what can we really do about all of this
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There are many issues that we advocate for today that have gone mainstream.
But what if we wanted to talk about something more specific? Not just animal welfare, but senior rabbit welfare. Not just mental wellbeing, but mental wellbeing of children. Not just Singapore’s history, but the indigenous history of Singapore’s surrounding islands.
How do we help others understand why our niche cause matters?
We'll talk about:
How can we balance the emotions of love and anger in advocacy?
What can advocacy look like when done creatively?
How can we sustain the work for the long game?
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Data is everywhere!
It’s even a part of us: our conversations, knowledge, stories, opinions, and history. It’s more than just numbers, statistics, and spreadsheets.
How can we, as practitioners, use data for empowerment, not just as a power move?
We'll talk about:
What does feminism and decolonialism have to do with data?
How can we treat data - and people - with dignity and respect?
What data is worthwhile to collect when we want to measure our impact?
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Everyone in the social impact space shares a common goal: to do good and to make an impact.
But sometimes, our strongly-held beliefs, perspectives and values can pull us in many different directions.
How can we help each other move away from an “Either/Or” mindset and embrace a more collaborative “Both/And” approach instead?
We'll talk about:
What are the common polarities that exist in the social impact scene?
How can we tell when we’re leaning a little bit too much in one direction?
Why polarity thinking is a helpful tool for self- and other-awareness, team management, organisational development?
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SEASON 3.5
FINDING COMMON GROUND PODCAST
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We're kicking off Season 3.5 with a team conversation and a quick introduction to the 3 different intelligence centres, which are really just 3 different ways we take in and process information around us.
The think-first, feel-first and do-first lands are worlds apart as you will come to discover in this mini series. But using Enneagram as a tool has given our team a common language to talk about our different needs, wants and habits in a practical, objective and most importantly, truthful way.
In this conversation:
Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram Type 5 (think-first)
Nurul, Enneagram Type 9 (do-first)
LISTEN →
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We're kicking off Season 3.5 with a team conversation and a quick introduction to the 3 different intelligence centres, which are really just 3 different ways we take in and process information around us.
The think-first, feel-first and do-first lands are worlds apart as you will come to discover in this mini series. But using Enneagram as a tool has given our team a common language to talk about our different needs, wants and habits in a practical, objective and most importantly, truthful way.
In this conversation:
Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram Type 5 (think-first)
Nurul, Enneagram Type 9 (do-first)
LISTEN →
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Meet the heart-triad, otherwise known as the feel-first triad - the Enneagram 2, 3, 4. This group relates to the world by connecting with their emotions, themselves and the world around them.
A strong theme that kept coming back in our conversation with the feel-first triad is the sense of otherness. But a notable difference between our Enneagram 2, 3, 4 lies with their stances - the dependent, the advancing and the withdrawing, which guides how each of them choose to move in the world.
In this conversation:
Samantha, Enneagram 2 (feel-first, depending stance)
Aliff, Enneagram 3 (feel-first, advancing stance)
Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram Type 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
LISTEN →
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Meet the heart-triad, otherwise known as the feel-first triad - the Enneagram 2, 3, 4. This group relates to the world by connecting with their emotions, themselves and the world around them.
A strong theme that kept coming back in our conversation with the feel-first triad is the sense of otherness. But a notable difference between our Enneagram 2, 3, 4 lies with their stances - the dependent, the advancing and the withdrawing, which guides how each of them choose to move in the world.
In this conversation:
Samantha, Enneagram 2 (feel-first, depending stance)
Aliff, Enneagram 3 (feel-first, advancing stance)
Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram Type 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
LISTEN →
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Meet the head-triad, otherwise known as the think-first triad - the Enneagram 5, 6, 7 - or the 'thinkies' as Azrin likes to call them. This group engages with the world through their thoughts.
As a young team consisting of young middles, we’re all figuring out what it means to lead, work together, express our needs and to show ourselves and each other a little more grace. Sometimes, it can be hard when our think-first teammates get stuck in their own thinking spirals and the people around them are ready to move.
In this conversation:
Shiao-yin, Enneagram 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
Dawn, Enneagram 6 (think-first, depending stance)
Camilia, Enneagram Type 7 (think-first, advancing stance)
Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
LISTEN →
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Meet the head-triad, otherwise known as the think-first triad - the Enneagram 5, 6, 7 - or the 'thinkies' as Azrin likes to call them. This group engages with the world through their thoughts.
As a young team consisting of young middles, we’re all figuring out what it means to lead, work together, express our needs and to show ourselves and each other a little more grace. Sometimes, it can be hard when our think-first teammates get stuck in their own thinking spirals and the people around them are ready to move.
In this conversation:
Shiao-yin, Enneagram 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
Dawn, Enneagram 6 (think-first, depending stance)
Camilia, Enneagram Type 7 (think-first, advancing stance)
Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
LISTEN →
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In this episode, we gathered the do-first folks, also know as the gut triad - the Enneagram 8, 9 and 1. The most seasoned middles this round, we talk to Pei Ying, Head and Co-Founder of Kontinentalist, our Enneagram 8 (do-first, advancing stance), Nurul, Common Ground’s Head of People and Process Development, our Enneagram 9 (do-first, withdrawing stance), and Yan Bing, Manager at Ministry of Social and Family Development, our Enneagram 1 (do-first, depending stance).
As the most instinctive numbers in the Enneagram, Pei Ying, Nurul and Yan Bing share how they’ve used the wisdom of the body to guide them to where they are today. But that, of course, comes with learning to trust their guts and learning to articulate what they really mean when doing vibe checks, especially in the workplace setting.In this conversation:
Pei Ying, Enneagram 8 (do-first, advancing stance)
Nurul, Enneagram Type 9 (do-first, withdrawing stance)
Yan Bing, Enneagram 1 (do-first, depending stance)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
LISTEN →
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In this episode, we gathered the do-first folks, also know as the gut triad - the Enneagram 8, 9 and 1. The most seasoned middles this round, we talk to Pei Ying, Head and Co-Founder of Kontinentalist, our Enneagram 8 (do-first, advancing stance), Nurul, Common Ground’s Head of People and Process Development, our Enneagram 9 (do-first, withdrawing stance), and Yan Bing, Manager at Ministry of Social and Family Development, our Enneagram 1 (do-first, depending stance).
As the most instinctive numbers in the Enneagram, Pei Ying, Nurul and Yan Bing share how they’ve used the wisdom of the body to guide them to where they are today. But that, of course, comes with learning to trust their guts and learning to articulate what they really mean when doing vibe checks, especially in the workplace setting.In this conversation:
Pei Ying, Enneagram 8 (do-first, advancing stance)
Nurul, Enneagram Type 9 (do-first, withdrawing stance)
Yan Bing, Enneagram 1 (do-first, depending stance)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
LISTEN →
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In this episode, we’re bringing together old friends who have seen each other through different levels of health through their different seasons of friendship to reflect back and celebrate their personal and professional development over the years.
We’ll always be moving up and down the different levels of health but a really key indicator that we’re actually doing far better than we think, is the self-awareness of where we’re at at any given point in time. That is what helps us show up more intentionally for ourselves and the people around us.
In this conversation:Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
Gena, Enneagram 7 (think-first, advancing stance)
LISTEN →
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In this episode, we’re bringing together old friends who have seen each other through different levels of health through their different seasons of friendship to reflect back and celebrate their personal and professional development over the years.
We’ll always be moving up and down the different levels of health but a really key indicator that we’re actually doing far better than we think, is the self-awareness of where we’re at at any given point in time. That is what helps us show up more intentionally for ourselves and the people around us.
In this conversation:Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
Gena, Enneagram 7 (think-first, advancing stance)
LISTEN →
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We’re closing off Season 3.5 with a conversation on how each of us can grow into our leadership, regardless of where we are in the “hierarchy”, what our roles and titles are, and how many years of experiences we may have.
We share our take on leading and managing as a new middle manager, a seasoned middle manager / top, and as a top Executive Director. We get into how our own levels of personal and professional development influence the systems we set up and are part of.
In this conversation:Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
Nurul, Enneagram 9 (do-first, withdrawing stance)
LISTEN →
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We’re closing off Season 3.5 with a conversation on how each of us can grow into our leadership, regardless of where we are in the “hierarchy”, what our roles and titles are, and how many years of experiences we may have.
We share our take on leading and managing as a new middle manager, a seasoned middle manager / top, and as a top Executive Director. We get into how our own levels of personal and professional development influence the systems we set up and are part of.
In this conversation:Azrin, Enneagram Type 4 (feel-first, withdrawing stance)
Shiao-yin, Enneagram 5 (think-first, withdrawing stance)
Nurul, Enneagram 9 (do-first, withdrawing stance)
LISTEN →
SEASON 3
FINDING COMMON GROUND PODCAST
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It’s the Season 3 opening! We put out another call for an Ask Me Anything and answer your burning questions around play and rest; thinking and feeling; and being a leader.
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Here in Singapore, we “pledge ourselves as one united people regard-less of race, language or religion”. But can unity truly exist without us acknowledging the many differences that set us apart?
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In a neurotypical dominated society, the way attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traditionally presents itself is often deemed as lazy, inefficient, naughty, unmotivated. But what can we do more of in our communities, schools, workplaces, families and friendships that can help bring out the many superpowers of an ADHD-er?
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In Oct 2023, CNA published an article citing disturbing statistics about the state of men’s well-being in Singapore. ⅓ of male respondents found it difficult to express their emotions. 64% agreed it was acceptable to ask someone to “man up “ or “be a man”. Men made up ⅔ of all suicide deaths in Singapore in 2022. So, how can we work as a community to better support men’s well-being?
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One of the best news post-pandemic is the world is much more keen to talk about mental health.
But with so many clinical and non-clinical practitioners offering different modes of help, how can we discern who is a safe person for us to seek help from - especially in a non-regulated industry?
We talk about:
What are the distinctions between commonly used terms in this conversation, such as mental health vs mental well-being, counsellor vs therapist vs psychologist vs psychiatrist?
What are the red and green flags to look out for in mental health practitioners and community self-help groups?
What are the pros and cons of regulating the broad and complex field of mental health?
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Play is not just for kids. It’s about finding the keys to our freedom to be light, to experiment, to shift boundaries and discover our voice.
In a serious city like Singapore, can we make a serious case for being playful - not just for kids but for all of us?
We discuss the power of play by unpacking 3 key insights from Playeum’s annual report:“When we work with children, we're actually working with(in) ourselves.”
“Programme deliverers are vastly different from people developers.”
“Adults are protective of their space - everywhere is an adult space.”
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In this 2-parter, the Common Ground team shares about how we can humanise our workplace - especially in the way we conduct the hiring process and the team integrating process.
I talk to Cam and the oft-mentioned Nurul, Head of People and Process Development at Common Ground.In part 1, we talk about:
the difference between ‘People and Process Development’ and ‘Human Resource’;
the importance of taking care of both the insider and outsider experience in the hiring process
how we designed an intake, selection and interview process that sets all parties up for success
LISTEN →
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In this 2-parter, the Common Ground team shares about how we can humanise our workplace - especially in the way we conduct the hiring process and the team integrating process.
Once more, I talk to Cam and Nurul, Head of People and Process Development at Common Ground.
In part 2, we talk about:
How teams can be communities of care and practice
The specific frameworks, micro-habits and shared language we use to integrate our differences as a team
why we need to catch each others’ bids of connection in a team
LISTEN →
SEASON 2.5
LEADING FROM THE MESSY MIDDLE
Leading from the Messy Middle is a 6-part series unpacking the highly complex world of the middle manager. We'll be talking to a bunch of middles + a top to hear what each of them are learning about stepping into their leadership.
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“I’m either an imposter or a failure.”
In this episode, we talk to our teammate, Camillia, Senior Executive of Consultancy & Community Research here at Common Ground. As Azrin’s fellow middle, they are both learning how to be kinder with themselves and each other as they deal with their imposter syndrome every single day.
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“Am I willing and ready to let go of what I once was?”
In this episode, we talk to Afzal, an Associate at Studio Dojo. He has made a couple transitions before landing at Studio Dojo, in pursuit of figuring out not only what he wants and doesn’t want, but also his own personal values and purpose.
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"I’m in the middle of something flat."
In this episode, we talk to Nabilah, Editorial Lead at Kontinentalist. She’s not only finding her footing in a new role, she's also finding her footing in a new world of data visualisation. Nabilah also shares what she's learning about building a team; putting her worth on the table; and also helping her team put their worth on the table.
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"Recognise that not every single individual is the same. We have different styles and habits."
In this episode, we talk to Li Seng, founder of Green Nudge. Since starting Green Nudge 5 years ago, Li Seng has worked with more than 300 companies, schools and community groups. With all the individuals that he comes across, Li Seng meets with many differences and is continuously learning how to work with these differences within his team, clients and communities.
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"Remove any assumptions, take some calculated risks, and just go with it. you never know what's going to pan out of it.”
In this episode, we chat with Brendan, Manager of the Partnerships and Operations team at Daughters of Tomorrow. Brendan is a community builder who started out with an engineering background. He’s made transitions across different sectors, working with different teams and finding his own version of power. Today, he’s helping his own team step into their power.
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"Continue on with the attitude and mindset that you feel will bring you far. And with lived experiences, you'll then take off."
In this episode, we chat with Kun Liang to hear what he’s learning about finding his thrive so early on in his career. Currently the Lead of Communications, Marketing and Partnerships at Playeum, Kun Liang has been an early childhood education and communication practitioner for about 10 years now, and there is absolutely no questioning his passion for what he does.
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SEASON 2
FINDING COMMON GROUND PODCAST
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The pandemic has made mental well-being part of our public conversation. But we may still underestimate how our modern workplace has a huge impact on our well-being and is therefore a strategic intervention point for more of us to give and receive the support we need to feel more seen, secure - and whole.
How can more of us colleagues, managers and leaders help create safer and healthier workplaces in the system? What can we do to create more awareness, safety and well-being for each other at work?
LISTEN →
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In this follow up to our episode with Lye Yen Kai, we gathered some of us from the Common Ground team to continue the valuable conversation on creating awareness, safety and well-being at work.
We keep it real with some practical sharings about what are some of our own actual practices in the team. We share insights from our own journey of creating safety, supporting each other’s well-being and respecting differences while we find common ground with each other.
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Ever since the term social enterprise was coined in the 1970s, social entrepreneurship has gone mainstream in Singapore. Is the term still relevant or problematic? How is the Millennial social entrepreneur’s experience different compared to the Gen X experience? How is it getting more challenging or better supported?
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Everyone seems to be talking about data, capturing data and using data - yet so many of us still feel uncertain about what is data. What’s the big deal about data? How can we work with data in a way that brings us together - rather than tear us apart?
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What does it take to raise a child into a joyful, purpose-led adult? And can student care centres partner parents and schools to do that work as a whole community of care for the child?
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Years after #MeToo went viral, what are we still not understanding about sexual harrassment? How can we do better at supporting survivors of sexual violence in Singapore?
This episode will involve references to sexual harassment or abuse. It will be a meaningful listen if you’re going through that or supporting someone going through that. But if you’re not ready now to listen to the episode, do come back another time when you feel more ready. There are agencies and communities who can help, and resources available to support you. We’ll list them in the show notes.
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How might men help other men rediscover healthy masculinity? How can we hold safe and brave spaces for men to get the support they need to journey towards wholeness and integrity?
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It’s the finale of Season 2! We decided to shake things up by putting out an Instagram poll for an Ask Me Anything. So in this episode, Shiao-Yin answers your top questions around thriving in your 20s, impactful reads, transformative experiences and working through anger and disappointment.
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SEASON 1
FINDING COMMON GROUND PODCAST
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What is the Self? How can we help people bring their best selves to work?
Meet Aaron Maniam: civil servant, poet, interfaith facilitator - and leader. We talk about appreciating our multi-hyphenated identity and how to support people’s need to integrate their personal and professional lives.
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What is Grief? How can we hold a safe space for pain and loss?
Meet Joan and Gracie, Grief Recovery Specialists and Directors of Whispering Hope Singapore. We talk about the meaning of grief and simple, kind ways we can support the grieving process - be it our own or others.
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Can we honour the difficult, uncomfortable parts of ourselves? How would that affect the way we honour people who we see as difficult and uncomfortable?
Meet Khee Shihui: a part of Common Ground’s founding team, community facilitator and dear friend. We talk about accepting our wounds, acknowledging our wisdoms and tending kindly to those healing from trauma.
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How do the boundaries and boxes that define our work also confine our work? Why is it worthwhile to question our assumptions?
Meet Lim Jingzhou: Gen Z community worker and co-founder of the Cassia Resettlement Team. We explore the differences between social/community work and what it really means for us to take a loving, empowering approach to community concerns.
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Why must we see ourselves as creative? How does the act of creating help us expand our sense of self and our circles of impact?
Meet Hong Khai Seng: UX designer and founding director of Studio Dojo. We talk about how creativity helps us live, lead, evolve and expand our sense of self and community.
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How does growing up as a digital native impact your comfort with social media, activism and political conversations?
Meet Nur and Anna: Gen Z co-founders of Lepak Conversations. We talk about how they navigate politicised conversations with Boomers, pushback on their use of “Woke Words” and the meaning that can be found in activism.
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Should academics stand apart or stand together with the rest of us? How can political civility and intellectual humility make us more resilient as a people?
Meet Dr. Walid Jumblatt Abdullah: academic and host of the popular Teh Tarik with Walid Instagram TV series. We talk about how everything is political and how our honest disagreement can build more common ground than hollow harmony.
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How can depth and lightness offer people a surprisingly safe space to reveal different parts of themselves?
I close Season 1 by talking with Azrin, producer of this podcast series, Lead of Strategic Communications at Common Ground and a creative in her own right. We share our reflections from Season 1 and our hopes for Season 2 of this podcast series.
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