Who We Are
Beautiful People is a volunteer movement whose vision is to create a community in which we are “One loving family: every dream a possibility.” Guided by our core values; Learning, Empathetic, Committed, we build deep and lasting relationships that transform lives for both mentors and mentees.
As a community-based organisation, Beautiful People is uniquely positioned to bridge the transitional gap when our mentees are discharged from the prison or residential rehabilitation homes, a time when our mentees typically need the most support.
Our Beginnings
Beautiful People started as a programme under Beyond Social Services in 2006 with a focus on teenage girls. By 2007, we expanded our volunteer network and befriending relationships into residential homes of AG Home and Pertapis Centre for Women and Girls, and Girls Club.
We launched our flagship programme ‘My Beautiful Life’ (MBL) in 2009. MBL is a structured mentoring programme which aims to empower our mentees with life-skills and purposeful relationships. MBL sessions consist of facilitated discussions on topics such as self-awareness, building social networks, setting goals as well as conflict and stress management.
The Beautiful People Family
In 2011, the Beautiful People Family was formed with the purpose of nurturing life-long relationships that support our mentees through key transitions, especially after their discharge from the residential homes and into the community. We expanded our network of partner homes with The Tent and Gracehaven in 2012.
With that, Beautiful People received the President Award for Volunteerism (Informal Group Category) from NVPC in 2013.
Our mentoring model was adapted to new areas such as the workplace (Good Work!), prisons (Free for Good), homes (Families for Families) and overseas (GLOW). We also wanted to continue to empower our mentees who completed MBL, with the Young Leaders (YL) programme. Through Young Leaders, our mentees are empowered by becoming change agents of their own lives and those around them. Beautiful People’s Dream Fund was launched in 2014 with the aim of supporting our mentees’ educational pursuits.
Adapting the Beautiful People Mentoring Model
Beautiful People as a Registered Charity
In 2015, Beautiful People became its own legal entity. In our 10th year of 2016, Beautiful People launched our first boys’ programme, ‘Heroes’ Journey’. 2016 also saw our mentorship programme into Dayspring Residential Treatment Centre.
Expanding the Beautiful People Family
In 2017, Beautiful People started visits to Singapore Girls’ Home to continue our mentoring journey with girls from partner homes sentenced there by juvenile court. We also launched the Graduate Mentoring Programme for discharged youth to inspire personal growth and career development.
Little Giant Steps started in 2017, as a programme for children aged between 6 to 12 in a residential home. With this, Beautiful People provides social and emotional support for the young who have experienced trauma in their lives.
In 2019, Beautiful People had the honour of receiving the MSF Community Cares Award, in recognition of Beautiful People’s dedication, time and effort in building a caring society.
Charting Our Path Ahead
With our progress thus far, we have seen many Beautiful People family members develop resilience in the face of life’s challenges and share the ups and downs as they happen. While we celebrate the fact that the relationships we have built with one another over the years have witnessed generational change, we will continue to blaze a trail that will enable others to begin their journey
‘Because Our Dreams Matter’!
Our Promise
to Stakeholders
1. We believe in the possibilities of all whom we have chosen and who have chosen us, to serve and support, on our Beautiful People journey.
2. We operate on the principles of meritocracy, we do not discriminate nor impose our personal values and beliefs nor make judgements on an individual’s life choices, whoever is the constituent, be it volunteers or mentees.
3. We treat all stakeholders with equal respect and will strive to be consistent in our dealings and will not practice double standards.
4. We respect the values, concerns and restrictions imposed by our partner organisations and will seek to align practices, keeping the interests of our mentees as our priority.
In the spirit of the above, we commit to:
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Behave responsibly and professionally, and as we serve vulnerable persons, some conditions may be necessary to limit the degree and extent of interactions.
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We are cognizant that our association, as an organisation or personally, with any political, religious, social or individual life/lifestyle choices & causes may have implications on Beautiful People. Such affiliations are to be kept strictly separate.
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Individuals associated with and representing Beautiful People (including our staff and volunteers) must also take responsibility to safeguard Beautiful People’s good name and reputation. This will serve to alleviate potential misunderstanding, misconceptions and misperceptions with the communities we are engaged and involved with.
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We will foster an open and transparent culture, an inclusive environment, premised on mutual respect for both institution and individual differences. This allows for respectful dialogue and honest discussions that will help us navigate the Way Forward, achieving alignment and congruence, and harmonisation of conflicting stance and situations.
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All/any of the Board Directors will be available to offer guidance and direction with respect to above, should clarifications be required.