EVERYONE needs a morale boost from time to time. Last Saturday, 30 teenagers from charity homes received such a boost through a workshop conducted by Youth Leaders International (YLI).

Entitled Increasing Self-Esteem & Self Confidence, the workshop held at Menara Prudential in Kuala Lumpur, saw teenagers from Good Shepherd, Rumah Charis, Rumah Ozanam and Child Malaysia treated to fun actvities hosted by 10 YLI volunteers.

Director of Creative Personnel Skills Services – the organisation behind YLI – Ong Eng Eng said that the workshop hoped to create a “club-like” environment for the youths.

“Today is all about finding out about themselves, being confident and appreciating themselves,” she added.

The workshop also aimed to nurture the young volunteers to become dynamic leaders.

One such volunteer is Noor Mazliana, 23, who has been with YLI for over a year. The graduate in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), said it was the social ills she encountered while minoring in counselling that spurred her to become involved.

“I feel I have something I can share. I think it’s important that young people volunteer for such training programmes so that they can relate better to others,” shared Liana.

Mazliana is looking for a job as a trainer but at the moment she is working as an assistant trainee to Ong.

Through games and sit-down sessions, the teenagers were encouraged to speak up and share their interests, what makes them happy and their favourite physical feature, all aimed at giving their self-esteem a boost.

Youngest volunteer Tan Zu Dienle or Zu Zu, 15, found that mixing with people of different backgrounds helped her understand them better.

“It’s fun to interact with them and make new friends. The best workshops are the ones where I contribute with my musical skills,” added Zu Zu, who plays the flute.

Reported by Nasa Maria Entaban