Organised by the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF), the fourth run of the Emerging Leaders Programme (ELP) kicked off at the Bintan Island, Indonesia in late March 2026. 19 participants from 11 unique co-operatives (co-ops), including SNCF Executive Council member Ms Mavis Run (Singapore Teachers’ Co-operative Society), joined the programme.
First established in 2023, ELP has played a key role in strengthening the pipeline of future co-op leaders within the Singapore Co-operative Movement (SCM). Including this year’s cohort, ELP has since nurtured 60 emerging leaders.
Pegged under the Talent & Leadership Pillar of the SCM 10-year Transformation Roadmap, the programme is designed for individuals with one to three years of experience in the co-op sector. ELP also aims to build leadership readiness, confidence, and awareness of the wider Movement.
SNCF’s Head of Talent & Leadership Ms Jamie Low, said: “Beyond that, ELP brings participants together, creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and collaboration. These connections prepare them to lead through change while staying aligned with co-op values.”
This year’s camp is centred on the theme of Stewardship, anchoring leadership in purpose, responsibility, and most importantly, shared co-op values.
Grounded in Shared Values
Ms Shamla Ramasamy, Senior Lecturer at Republic Polytechnic (RP), one of the two trainers present, challenged participants to reflect deeply on their co-op’s identities and whether they remain true to their founding purpose, and how they might strengthen their unique value propositions and operating models.
Ms Ren described stewardship as “the living expression of our purpose: to do well and do good, together”. She added: “Every decision we make must be anchored in our shared values.”
Participants were also exposed to the DISC Personality Behaviour Test, which gave them insights into their own behavioural and communication styles.
Play, Reflection and Collaboration
The camp’s experiential approach brought learning to life and injected fun into learning. Using methodologies such as LEGO® Serious Play®, participants explored creativity, problem-solving, and communication in dynamic ways.
From building symbolic “ducks” representing individual perspectives to tackling team-based challenges like constructing the tallest self-supporting tower, participants were encouraged to think differently, collaborate effectively, and embrace diverse viewpoints.
Interactive activities such as Goal Ball further reinforced the importance of trust, active listening, and clear communication.
Ms E Dheveya of AUPE Credit Co-operative said: “Everybody’s attributes and skills are different. Part of being a leader is to bring people together and make sure that the entire team moves together, and that no one should feel left out”.
From Ideas to Everyday Application
Beyond reflection, participants were equipped with practical tools to tackle real-world challenges. The Problem Definition Template guided teams in breaking down complex issues, while the SCAMPER framework encouraged structured creativity and innovation in solutioning. Many emerging leaders found these tools immediately applicable in daily work life. 
“The Problem Definition Template is useful because it provides a step-by-step guide to kickstart our thinking process. Instead of being faced with a problem and having to figure everything out from scratch, we are able to break the issue down into smaller parts, analyse it more deeply, and identify the key factors involved. This gives us a clearer understanding of how to move forward and improve the situation so we can solve the problem effectively,” said Ms Goh Si Hui of Seacare Co-operative.
Similarly, Mr Wesmi Ma Al-Khazal from Love Empowered Co-operative highlighted how these approaches enabled clearer thinking and more focused discussions and targeted solutioning. “People are always drumming ideas. These tools help to structure and break the ideas down to clear, concise forms and cut out the noise,” he said.
Participants were eventually placed into three groups of five to six individuals to work on a stewardship-focused group project. They were tasked to select a co-op and examine its identity, purpose, values as well as how these have been communicated and understood by their stakeholders.
Thereafter, they have to assess gaps in stakeholder clarity around roles and influence within the co-op, identify any misalignments and then propose actionable solutions to strengthen stewardship and close the gaps.
Sustaining the Momentum
In the months ahead, participants will receive ongoing monthly mentorship from the team of four RP lecturers as they develop and refine their group projects. The projects will require them to apply what they have learnt during the three-day camp and identifying co-ops before presenting to a panel in end July.
They will also have opportunities to participate in overseas learning journeys and the events such as the Annual Co-operative Leaders’ Conference and engage with the wider global co-operative movement, further broadening their perspectives and networks.
By Mary Njo, Edited by Sng Ler Jun
