When Ivy Tse first joined Halogen more than a decade ago, it was supposed to be a temporary detour. She had come from the corporate world, armed with an early-career crash course in teamwork, pressure and problem-solving. “I didn’t grow up thinking I would one day work in a charity, much less lead one,” she says. Yet her deep curiosity about what helps people grow soon anchored her in a space she hadn’t expected to call home.
Her early years at Halogen were decidedly hands-on: planning youth and adult programmes, managing events, meeting donors, and spending long days toggling between logistics, mentorship and problemsolving. Because of its lean structure, she had a front-row seat to the realities facing the young people Halogen serves. What was meant to be a short stint at the charity, eventually evolved into a leadership role after small but impactful stepping stones paved the way.
Halogen’s mission is simple in language, but ambitious in scope: nurturing young leaders and entrepreneurs for good in their communities. In a country that excels at academic scaffolding, Tse believes young people are increasingly grappling with quieter, existential questions. “For many youths, especially those from underserved backgrounds, the challenges are not just about access gaps, they are belief gaps.”
Her conviction in youth development’s power is rooted in the slow burn of everyday transformation. She describes a common arc: a young person who sits at the back of the room, unconvinced they have anything to contribute. Over time, through programmes like NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship), mentoring relationships, or casual check-in conversations, something shifts. Eventually, that young person will return to support their juniors going through similar experiences.
“In my opinion, the power of youth development lies in those long arcs that are catalysed by small, but critical moments.”
Ivy Tse on investing in the journey
Halogen’s leadership, however, has not been without its challenges. Recent years have seen a pandemic, shifting funding landscapes, and transitions within the team.
According to Tse, charity leadership is similar to entrepreneurship, where the challenge is to preserve culture while adapting to change, to deepen skillsets while making room for new ones, and to design systems that keep the organisation strong without losing heart.
Under her guidance, Halogen has prioritised agility and openness—values affirmed in 2024, when it received the Charity Transparency Award.
To stay relevant to a generation growing up with more noise and pressure, Halogen has broadened its horizons. Through its National Young Leaders Fellowship, it has expanded regional leadership communities and entered new spaces such as The Halo podcast, where youths co-host conversations on the “inner and outer leader”. Across all these initiatives is a simple aim: to hold space for young people to build both capability and character.
Looking ahead, Tse is energised by three priorities: strengthening long-term pathways for NFTE alumni, raising the organisation’s impact measurement standards, and widening the village of partners who walk alongside youths.
When it comes to legacy, Halogen’s CEO does not need to be remembered by name. Her hope is that Halogen will remain a trusted, resilient presence in Singapore’s youth landscape and a place where young people feel seen and heard.
Additionally, she hopes that her passion for supporting youth rubs off on the team and community she has journeyed with. “If they can look back and say they’re proud of the seas we’ve sailed, that would be enough.”
Photography Mun Kong
Art direction Ed Harland
Hair Michael Chiew/Hairform Salon using Goldwell and KMS Hair
Makeup Sarah Tan using Chanel Beauty
Photography assistant Melvin Leong
