Hap Seng Group Leadership Program 2025

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The Hap Seng Group Leadership Program 2025, designed and executed by M.A.D Movement, is a year-long youth leadership development initiative that empowered 55 high school students aged 14-16 from Tawau and Semporna, Sabah. Built on experiential learning, community engagement, and values-based leadership, the program demonstrates how structured leadership education can nurture confident, socially responsible young leaders.

The journey began with a 2-day, 1-night SHAPE Academy Boot Camp, where students were immersed in intensive leadership training focused on self-leadership, values, communication, problem-solving, and resilience. Through interactive activities and team-based challenges, students experienced a powerful mindset shift—understanding that leaders are not born, but made, and that everyone has the capacity to lead. During the boot camp, participants were grouped into teams to brainstorm and design community projects they would execute throughout the year, laying the foundation for real-world impact.

Following the boot camp, students participated in six monthly virtual and hybrid learning sessions, complemented by two project catch-up sessions. These sessions covered critical leadership and civic themes, including Environmental Justice, Strategic Thinking and Goal Setting, Social Welfare, Influence and Stakeholder Management, Creativity and Innovation, and Project Management. The consistent engagement ensured leadership learning was sustained, reflective, and applied beyond the classroom.

A key highlight of the program was the execution of two M.A.D Projects, designed to translate leadership learning into community action. The M.A.D Project #1: Environmental Justice, consisted of five student-led initiatives: tree planting, beach clean-up, plastic bottle reuse, environmental awareness talks with local communities, and local park clean-ups. While qualitative in nature, the projects created visible environmental improvements and heightened awareness, documented through before-and-after outcomes.

The M.A.D Project #2: Social Welfare focused on serving vulnerable communities, including elderly homes and orphanages, where students conducted clean-up activities and organised engaging games. These initiatives nurtured empathy, responsibility, and service-oriented leadership among participants.

The program culminated in a year-end camp, themed NEXT LEVEL: Advancing Every Day, which involved 282 students from Tawau and 118 students from Semporna. It was designed as a community-building leadership initiative and focused on equipping participants with the awareness and skills that are needed to get to the “next level” through multiple sessions that combined experiential learning with classroom learning. Participants also had the opportunity to hear from graduated SHAPE Academy students on how they have grown from the programme and from experienced individuals who are leaders in their own industry. 

SHAPE Academy participants reinforced their learning as facilitators by guiding peers, reflecting on their leadership journey, and recognising their role as change-makers within their communities. Immediately after the camp, students took part in the Sabah LEAD Convention, a platform where SHAPE Academy participants showcased their projects to fellow camp participants. This experience strengthened their confidence, public speaking skills, and sense of purpose.

Overall, the Hap Seng Group Leadership Program 2025 achieved measurable leadership growth. Participants demonstrated increased confidence, initiative, and ownership, proving that with the right structure and support, youth leadership can be intentionally built. Through this program, M.A.D Movement continues its mission to develop future-ready leaders who lead with purpose, compassion, and action.

If you would like a custom made program for your organisation, email us at youth@madmovement.asia