Who We Are

Little U is comprised of leaders who must excel in both practical intelligence for effective operations and emotional intelligence to navigate interactions with sensitivity, as our work emphasises competency training and trauma-informed care.

Operations Team

Dawn Fung | Chief Executive Officer A mother of 3, Dawn founded Little U. She conceptualises with the team how to personalise care to educators and learners, and to bring out each individual’s potential. Her dream is to see every child, parent and educator having full rights and access to great education. Dawn is a consultant, speaker, writer and thought leader. She is well known for her sharp analysis in matters of alternative education in Singapore. Her opinion has been sought by leaders, educators, parents and content creators. She wrote Homeschooling in Singapore: An Education and is an advisor of EveryChild.sg, an advocacy group for children’s wellbeing in Singapore. Prior to motherhood, Dawn taught O Level English, the IB MYP Personal Project, speech and drama. She was the head of English and Professional Development for the faculty at City College. The private college was well known for its social impact under the leadership of Kenny Low, a 2007 Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year awardee. (City College closed in 2023.) Little U is inspired by three things : Kenny’s legacy, her fellow director Vivian Kwek’s dream to create a school that everyone wants to attend, and the potential of the homeschooling community to develop great education in Singapore for all.

Vivian Kwek | Chief Financial Officer A mother of 3, Vivian advocates for parents to build strong connections with their children for the well-being and success of the children. She believes that when parents stay connected with their children, they can speak in their softest voice and their message will still be heard. Prior to motherhood, Vivian was a contract teacher with the Ministry of Education teaching secondary level Mathematics. She later joined the then Institute of Policy Development, Civil Service College, Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office in coordinating, running and facilitating leadership training programs in governance and policy development. Vivian is the author of the parenting book Decoding Your Child and is currently teaching Math to private students. Little U is the expression of Vivian’s dream: “I want to create a school where everyone wants to join.”

Grace Tan | Chief Design Officer A mother to 3 girls, Grace loves books and the Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling. Trained in architecture, she still loves it, and art and design. Her heart is for homeschooling parents to grow and be confident in educating their children. She shares a slice of her homeschool life and reflections over on Instagram@gracedays123

Ivy Wong | Business Development Officer A mother of 3, Ivy founded Right Search. She worked in human resource and thrives on connecting with people from diverse backgrounds, making her an exceptional team player and a natural leader. Ivy’s strength is in networking and creating lasting relationships.

Zoey Tay | Child Welfare Officer A mother of 1, Zoey believes in being kind and respectful in both manner and speech towards children of all ages. Her training is in public health research, where she has contributed and gleaned 10 years of work experience. She has worked in studies from population-based studies to assessment of policies related to food and physical activity environment; her work often requires her to be involved in obtaining ethics approval for the study design from research ethics boards, maintain active communication with participants, as well as interface with stakeholders involved in the projects. In the past 8 years, she was also involved in grant management and was project manager to Physical Activity and Nutrition Determinants in Asia (PANDA) program. In her personal time, she sews.

Advisors

Our advisors are experts in their fields.

Dr Jason Tan is an associate professor in policy and leadership studies at the National Institute of Education in Singapore. He is an international editorial board member of several international journals, including Asia Pacific Journal of Education and Globalisation, Societies and Education.

Kuik Shiao-Yin helps organisations develop a more empathetic, empowering approach to working on the changes they long to see in their systems. She was a two-time Nominated Member of Parliament (2014-2018). She sits on various boards, advising them on talent development, cultural strategy, behavioural shift and identity formation. She is a regular public speaker, sharing her insights on the challenge of leadership, trust-building, strategic narratives and the power of individuals in systems.

Mark Lim is a trauma-informed counsellor and professional trainer with more than 25 years of experience in the education and youth sector. He has a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling, a Certificate of Professional Practice in Special Needs, and a Certificate in the Treatment of Trauma.

Yvonne Tay manages Temasek Shophouse – an iconic social impact hub in downtown Orchard, and uses that as an effective outreach platform to serve the communities in Singapore and beyond. Her commitment to philanthropic work extended to volunteering with the International Justice Mission in UK and serving on the Board of Trustees for WildAid UK.

FAQs

How does Little U select leaders?

Our leaders at Little U play a central role in shaping our programs and guiding our community. Given their authority and close interactions with both parents and children, we take a careful, deliberate approach in selecting leaders :

Personal Relationship and Trust : A potential leader must be someone we know well, both as a parent and an educator. We look for individuals who demonstrate respect, safety and care in raising their own children.

Community Reputation and Problem Solving Skills : Leaders must have a strong reputation in the community, known for their sensitivity and wisdom in resolving challenges.

Teamwork and Growth Mindset : Leaders should be collaborative, open to learning from others, and committed to continuous improvement in their expertise to benefit Little U.

Since our work emphasises competency training and trauma-informed care, leaders at Little U must excel in both practical intelligence for effective operations and emotional intelligence to navigate interactions with sensitivity.

How do you ensure high quality training?

As homeschooling and unschooling parent-educators, our leaders bring a strong foundation in self-direction, emotional regulation, and alternative education. To build on these skills, we dedicate one session each month (during our designated work months) to training focused on trauma-informed care and competency-based education.

Our training materials are thoroughly reviewed by our advisors to maintain standards. Beginning in 2025, we introduced a formal feedback system with an annual survey that gathers insights from Little U’s stakeholders – including leaders, community members, advisors, consultancy clients, and members of the public who participate in our activities.

High-quality training is essential to Little U’s growth as a leading microschool consultancy, and we are committed to continuously enhancing our training methods to ensure success.

How will the leaders of Little U be recognised for their work?

The Learnery is unique to the Singapore Education landscape; the depth of child safety in governance, curriculum design, autonomy, and pedagogy is unparalleled. Leaders who have worked at Little U will have been upskilled in a valuable education for the 21st-century landscape.

All leaders who have completed their training at Little U will be able to work with other professionals in children’s work, social work, mainstream education, alternative education, healthcare, and leadership. They may also springboard to our Consultancy arm to work as Consultants in a variety of contexts.

How can I find out more about becoming a leader at Little U?

At Little U, leaders are selected by invitation. To ensure the highest level of child safety, we only consider individuals who are well-known to us, so we do not accept unsolicited applications or resumes.

Potential leaders are first identified within our own communities. If we cannot find a suitable candidate, we may seek a referral from a trusted source. The process begins with an informal meeting to gauge compatibility and interest. Next, the candidate will lead a short-term project, allowing us to assess their fit with our community. During the project, we observe how the candidate interacts with children and parents, gather family feedback, and provide the candidate with professional insights to support their growth, whether or not they ultimately join Little U.

Occasionally, we offer short-term leadership opportunities to students in our Guest Speaker Series. This provides a unique chance for young people to build their portfolios. All student leader training is developed with full parental and team oversight, and these roles are not always open to new students.