A Benchmark for the Kind of Culture I Hope For

In our next season, Bold is looking for youths who are budding seekers and creators.
Curious individuals who share our beliefs and are keen to commit to adding on to our BOLD culture.
If you are keen, hit us up or drop us a note here!
But before that, do us a favour and read on Jowelyn’s personal reflections to know what you are in for.

If I could sum up my entire internship experience in one word, it would be… spontaneous. Even the way I was recruited was on the spot! “Hey Jowelyn! Would you be keen to work as a part time intern here? Very fun one!” With that, I accepted the invitation hook, line and sinker and I would willingly do it all over again.

I took up the role of a part time intern due to my school commitments and despite having to readjust to the school life, I could not bring myself to let go of the working life. After working for 2 years during my gap stint, I have a strong itch to be connected to the real world, one that could not be relieved in school. I just had to keep both my hands and feet on the ground and be aware of what is actually happening in the world, out of the academic bubble. 

Never Not Trying is Part of Our DNA

 While my official responsibility at Bold is a Copywriter (and food recommender), we do not just stick to one duty but rather, we do most things together. I especially loved the ideation processes behind every launch because it is where I can get my creative juices flowing and always being inspired of the various perspectives. One of the first major projects that I was tasked with was to launch Bold’s first ever Pazaar where partners were invited to conduct workshops for the community accompanied with their personal narratives of why they do what they do. I always feel uneasy when I have to liaise with partners because I experience much difficulties in crafting emails with the appropriate tone and language. Nonetheless, my family at Bold were always so supportive and helped me to step out of my comfort zone. They do not breathe down my neck but gave me words of encouragement and teased me, providing the most comfortable space to be the best version of myself. Despite Pazaar being one day before a major presentation in school, I felt immensely accomplished being able to witness the community coming together and experiencing something new. I was never alone in the journey. 

While everything sounds fine and dandy, not all our projects have been the most successful. We are all still learning, and trying every new opportunity that comes our way. The Bold experience is certainly not a cruise ride, river rafting would be more appropriate. Initially, we had a plan for our website content but as new ideas appeared, we scrapped whatever we had before and threw ourselves in a completely new direction. We had Pazaars with so few sign ups and campaigns that could not attract the desired crowd. None of those stopped us from moving forward, Bold certainly is incredibly optimistic and because of that, more doors opened for us and we improved, coming up with new projects such as a game that we adapted and designed.I realised now that I carry that optimistic energy to school, where even if things got overwhelming, I look towards change and possibilities. 

Prototype Your Future Self

During my summer break in June, I was invited to launch another Pazaar but one that is completely mine to create. I have always wanted to provide a maker’s space for children without prescribing to them what they should create and therefore, Kids for Kids was born. It was heart warming to see the children overcoming various challenges and it was an honour being able to share their sense of accomplishment. The creative space that Bold has allowed me to actually work on a passion project that I thought I could only envision in my head.  Most of us at Bold tend to have much action in our brains but less with our hands. We are working on that! 

On Biggest Regret

If I could express my biggest regret from interning at Bold, it would be that I never managed to connect my laptop to the printer (it has been 10 months!) Everything else has been whimsical and borderline crazy. We take on too many roles for ourselves but never complaining. I got to be close with the children staying at YuHua, and parents requesting us to create another event for children. Looking back, I cannot recall a single moment that I felt alone at work. If anything at all, Bold is a family to me that I can always go back to. The culture in Bold is judgemental free, optimistic, overly excited and most importantly, supportive. Since I am a person who will completely crumble in a place with unsupportive people, I felt that I was thriving. I may not be able to cut straight lines or create nice posters, the people at Bold look at the strengths of every individual who enters and brings out the best version of themselves. My internship may have come to an end (my results did suffer a little but no regrets!) as all good things do but I will always want to be a part of Bold. 

PS: Bold has now set a benchmark for the kind of culture I hope to experience in my future work life, I think they spoilt me.