The power of showing up: How volunteering and mentorship change lives

Marcus describes his younger self as a “spirited and restless teen” whose life changed course thanks to one steady mentor while in secondary school.

There were no grand speeches or dramatic interventions. Just consistency. Every Saturday, without fail, his mentor showed up, a quiet presence that modelled reliability, patience and care.

The lesson stayed with Marcus. “What I learned from him, I’m applying now,” he reflects. “It’s all about being there consistently. That was the most impactful thing in hindsight.”

Today, Marcus spends every other Saturday with the YMCA, mentoring children with special needs and helping them build confidence and develop social skills through activities like hiking.

He found this volunteering opportunity through KPMG’s “Give Time” programme, one of the firm’s many community-centred initiatives, which offers an array of activities that employees can sign up for.

The programme provides employees with 40 hours of paid leave each year to drive and participate in community projects, enabling KPMG’s staff to contribute their skills, time and efforts to causes they are passionate about. In 2024 alone, KPMG employees clocked volunteer hours valued at more than S$290,000, contributing their time to communities both locally and overseas.

“What I appreciate about KPMG’s Give Time programme is how simple it makes volunteering. You can just get on the online platform, choose how you want to make an impact and sign-up.”

Marcus, who manages various individuals through different audit engagements and within his department, attributes much of his growth as a leader to the compassion and inclusivity he has learned during his volunteering journey.

He prefers empathy over instruction, believing that leadership means walking alongside others and giving them the courage to take their own steps.

One story stays with him: a youth he mentored was terrified of heights and struggled to cross even a small bridge. With steady encouragement and patience, Marcus supported him through the challenge. Step by step, the boy crossed not one but two bridges – a milestone his parents had thought impossible.

“That experience taught me that sometimes, all it takes is quiet support for someone to overcome their fears,” Marcus says.

The patience and empathy he has developed from volunteering at the YMCA also enrich his professional life, sharpening his leadership and people skills at KPMG. “Volunteering is humbling, a journey of self-discovery. Over time, you become more self-aware, more patient and you learn how to be a better leader.”

Marcus sees his leadership role as an opportunity to help propagate the culture of contribution within the firm.

“It’s important to build a community – like what KPMG has done – where everyone is trying to help someone,” he says. “As leaders and mentors, we have the opportunity to spread the culture of giving.”

His advice to first-time volunteers: patience and open-mindedness. Not every experience will feel rewarding right away. “Sometimes the people you’re helping might not be open to your support. That’s okay – don’t let those moments discourage you. Try starting small and each time you keep going, it becomes a little easier and more meaningful.”

For Marcus, this philosophy comes full circle: a life shaped by one mentor’s consistent presence, now amplified into countless hours of guidance for others. A reminder that the ripple effect of volunteering – hour by hour, person by person – can be profound.