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GoBeyond to be launched to help young professionals

GoBeyond, a Goducate programme to help young professionals in all walks of their lives, will be officially launched in November.

From the start of their career to the daily grinds of life, young professionals face numerous challenges, regardless of their background or social status. Some of the issues include, but are not limited to, niche discovery, career advancement, and skills development. As a result of a variety of factors, many young professionals believe that their skills are no longer relevant or up to date, and that they have a gap that needs to be filled. They want to thrive and succeed, but they do not have the resources or training to do so, and there are no groups or peers who share the same interests for them to connect with. Such issues impact not only the individuals but also the nation’s progress.

That is why GoBeyond aspires to establish a movement that supports all young professionals, across the globe, by providing an avenue for them to create, connect, collaborate, and be part of a community in which they may all start their journey of discovering, learning, growing, and building healthy relationships. 

With that goal in mind, we will implement various activities and programs, such as talks, seminars, training, and forums, to engage, equip, and empower young professionals. One of these is the Asia Forum for Leaders, which will host a series of talks by representatives ofpartnering organizations that are tailored to the specific needs and interests of our target market. Examples of these talks would be topics on the Marketplace, Leadership, Relationships, Passion, and Personal Development. Individual and group mentorship in various fields for guidance, counselling, and consultancy would also be available. 

We hope that by doing so, people will discover their unique abilities, maximize them, and find that being a part of a global movement is enjoyable, fulfilling, and purposeful. These abilities should help them to develop leadership qualities and eventually become mentors to future generations of young professionals. 

Planning session on GoBeyond

*Our guest writer is Aga Abarte, the Coordinator of GoBeyond.

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Goducate volunteers Go by Bikes to serve communities

What started off as a literacy and feeding program for children of workers in a sugarcane plantation has evolved into what is now Go Bikes Philippines, which serves in several villages in the Province of Negros.

The Go Bikes Ministry started in March 2021 to serve teenagers who were depressed and families who were struggling because of the Covid-19 pandemic. School closures because of the pandemic meant that school children were losing out on their education. Many parents had lost their jobs, and a survey had found that quite a number of children had committed suicide or were having mental problems.

Our team goes out every Wednesday to one village (Talisay), and on Saturdays we break up into three groups to serve three different villages (Napilas Dos, Caridad, and Yolanda). I visit the areas 2-3 days before our team goes out, to get somebody in the community to cook the food for the day of our visit. I give this person the funds required for the food.

The literacy classes are conducted for children aged 4-13 years. Classes also include songs and games.

Our volunteers are youth leaders and adults willing to share their skills.

We have also recruited youths in the areas we serve to help as volunteers. These youth have much potential. They are strong, teachable, and creative, and they also have leadership potential.

Providing education online would be much more efficient than going out physically to different areas, but wifi connection remains poor in many parts of the Philippines.

*Our guest writer is Goducate volunteer Andrian Pagsuguiron.

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Goducate scholars continue to help and serve

The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that all teaching in the Philippines had to be done online. This change has caused some students to be stressed, some to be depressed, and some to miss the fellowship that they used to have in school.

To cheer the students up, an end-of-term retreat was organized for Goducate scholars at a resort in Barangay Cawili, Calamba, Laguna, on July 19-20. The retreat gave the Scholars a chance to enjoy fellowship with fellow-scholars through eating, swimming, singing, and sharing together. It also showed the scholars that everybody needs rest breaks. We are grateful to the sponsor for making this end-of-term retreat possible.

Two of our 44 Goducate scholars have graduated from college. Kinerey Perez Baya graduated with Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation at St. Therese MTC- College, and Queenzel Lopecillo Ibabao with Bachelor of Science in Education at Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa.

Two Goducate scholars were not able to complete their college courses because of family problems, and one withdrew from the scholarship because she is able, through taking on a job, to sustain her own needs as a student.

Goducate scholars have done some Goducate-linked volunteer work. Ten of them have been helping with a leadership program for the police run by My Brother’s Keeper. These scholars have used their technological skills to help as administrators and facilitators for the zoom meetings for different regions. Scholars have also helped with other online programs, the feeding program, the music program, etc. 

*Our guest writer is Gemma Abrenilla, a staff member of Goducate Laguna.