SELANGOR Youth Community (SAY) under the patronage of Raja Muda of Selangor, in partnership with Prince’s Trust International, a global organisation founded by King Charles III, has embarked on an initiative to support struggling youths through a 9-week personal and professional development journey with various activities involved.
Hairul Mafahir Abdullah, a participant in the programme was selected as the 2022 Prince’s Trust Sustainability Award receiver for Asia, an award that recognises outstanding young people on a Prince’s Trust programme across the world.
Prince’s Trust International works with local partners to deliver employability, education and enterprise programmes that help young people to succeed. The organisation now works in 18 countries and, since 2015, has supported over 70,000 young people.
To celebrate Hairul’s achievement, a reception was held with young people, supporters and all stakeholders involved. The event, which took place at Sunway Putra Hotel was graced by Selangor Raja Muda Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. The story of Hairul’s difficulty in seeking employment upon graduating and how he bounced back through Team Programme opened the eyes of many on the importance of such programmes.
Despite losing his job during the pandemic like millions of other young people, Hairul was able to turn that setback into a new opportunity with the help of the Team Programme. Previously an engineering technician, Hairul was determined to find a new job and signed up for the programme, where he particularly enjoyed his two-week work experience placement with the Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (TRCRC). Impressed by his performance, the centre offered him a job as an assistant researcher after he completed the programme.
Now, as a Biodiversity & Restoration Coordinator, Hairul spends his days working in the forest, caring for native saplings and monitoring wildlife. He has found a greater sense of purpose and connection in his work, which focuses on not just himself but also the surrounding community, nature, and the environment.
In his speech, Hairul mentioned that the values he gained from Team Programme has helped him in setting his career path and goals as well as to kickstart his career. “I believe that this is only the beginning for me towards achieving greater heights from this day onwards. I hope that Team Programme can prosper long into the future in order to provide opportunities for more youths moving forward.”
Wasim Malik, head of delivery for Asia at Prince's Trust International, commented: "It has been fantastic to hear from so many young people today who have benefitted from our programmes and are now making a difference in their communities. At Prince's Trust International, in collaboration with our valued partners like Selangor Youth Community, we empower young people to realise their dreams by providing transformative opportunities to develop skills and cultivate the confidence needed for sustainable careers. We are committed to providing invaluable opportunities for young people in Malaysia and I look forward to seeing many more young people supported in future”.
The Raja Muda of Selangor said “I am very proud of Hairul and his achievement. His journey is an inspiration to many who are struggling out there. I am also enormously proud of all our young people from the programme. I hope we can help more young people out there and inspire their growth." – The Vibes, June 1, 2023
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