Teen Groups

At the Little U Teen Groups, we guide teens in Workplace Readiness. There are 4 core modules in the Teen Groups designed around the facilitative approach of Open Consultations. Each module is pegged to 1 criteria each from the competencies of Communication and Collaboration. Students who finish each module successfully will obtain a minimal of 1, or up to 2 credits for their MTC Learning Record. The modules repeat in cycles of 2 years. Each module will take up 1 term (or 16 weeks).

Because of the Open Consultation approach, students may also decide to do an independent piece of work outside of what is offered here. But the student must design his/her topic of interest with the mentor(s) to obtain rigour and excellence. After the initial design, the student is free to self-study, travel and work, as long as there is a regular check-in with the mentor(s).

Each module has …

1) a required research and reading list co-created with the student.
2) a project cover sheet. The project cover sheet (and appendixed documents) will be the final evidence uploaded to the MTC portal for the MTC Learning Record. Once accepted by the administrator on the portal, the evidence is equivalent to 1 credit obtained for the competency.

Teen Groups is most suitable for highly self-directed learners. It is high energy, and requires discipline and teamwork.

Teen Groups will not be easy for students who require step by step directions from teachers. Instead, we recommend Boutique and L.A.D Studio for those purposes where projects have been broken down into bite sized pieces for students to attain understanding, and with understanding, mastery.

Open Consultations

Facilitated by Dawn Fung
Term 1 Jan-Apr 2024
Criteria : any 1-2
Class size : 1:15

This is an introduction to all the competencies and criteria at Little U. Skills learnt :

Conceptualise a starting project with a mentor.

Replicate a successful template to design future projects on their own.

Self-manage their learning with goals.

Use humanities inquiry to understand Competencies and Criteria using our in-house methods :
3-2-1 | A simple and effective method to help teens research with high-quality information.
P.O.D. | Personalising their definition of a criterion, if not using Little U’s default templates.

View our student’s work : Israel-Palestine Conflict

Open Consultations may happen anywhere with the mentor(s) as long as the student has scheduled a reasonable timeline. If the student is not able to get hold of the mentor outside of Open Consultation, please seek assistance before embarking on any project. This will reduce misunderstandings between the student’s intended project scope and what the mentor may deem as ill-matching skills.

Social Awareness

Facilitated by Dawn Fung
Term 2 Jul-Oct 2024
Class size : 1:15

Students may pick 1-2 criteria below to focus their time on :

Competency : Communication
Criteria : Authenticity

Competency : Collaboration
Criteria : Responsibility

Social Awareness is “the ability to take the perspective of and empathise with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The ability to understand social and ethical norms for behaviour and to recognise family, school, and community resources and supports.” Source

In this module, we will work as a team for a fund-raiser event on youth rights and concerns, especially in education. Each student will be given a team role and responsibility. Presentations, especially of what you have done, and team feedback, will be integral to your learning.

Skills learnt for this module :

Fund-raising Skills

  • beneficiary education (who to give to, and why)
  • scoping the fund-raising to suitable targets (how much to raise, incentivisation)
  • negotiation with partners (who to collaborate with; sponsor and donor relations)
  • design of fund-raising program (including but not limited to : graphics, digital marketing)

Event Management Skills

  • organisation (how you designed the event, how you managed the team)
  • logistics (set up of the event, program sheet, running of the event show)
  • marketing (registration, dissemination of marketing materials)
  • Event activities
Example : The Children’s Craft Fair 2024

Civic Agency

Facilitated by Dawn Fung
Term 1 Jan-Jul 2025
Class size : 1:20

Students may pick 1-2 criteria below to focus their time on :

Competency : Communication
Criteria : Courage

Competency : Collaboration
Criteria : Interconnectedness

Civic Agency is the “participation of young people in activities that address the concerns, interests, and common good of a community” (Brady et al., 2020, p. 2). Many of these activities are driven by youths’ desire to make positive and meaningful changes in society. Some common examples of civic engagement activities include voting in elections, volunteering with non-profit or government-affiliated organisations, writing and signing petitions, and donating to social, political or environmental causes (Smith, 2013). Source

In this module, we will work as a team for a political cause, especially one on education, or children’s rights, or affects the group greatly. Each student will be given a team role and responsibility. Presentations, especially of what you have done, and team feedback, will be integral to your learning.

Unlike the module on Social Awareness, fundraising and event management is not a requirement. The skills learnt in the previous module, however, will come in handy for this one.

Skills learnt for this module :

Fallacies, Policies and Statutes
(learning to read carefully, discriminating between what is law, action and criticism in the context of the political cause e.g. climate change)
Political Activism (campaigning in public or working for an organization in order to bring about political or social change e.g working with Climate Action SG Alliance)
Awareness Methods (using music, art, writing, petitioning etc. and the power of mass media)

The teens of this module may choose to volunteer at government affiliated organisations, NPOs, or political affiliations of their choice; within reasonable limits, not breaking law and order in Singapore, and with written permission by parents.

Examples :

The Refugee Project is a project by Little U x Habibi International. The teens designed a 12 week curriculum for a proposed Refugee Awareness Day.

Habibi International journeys with forcibly displaced communities in the Middle East towards holistic health.

Confidence in the Marketplace

Facilitated by Dawn Fung
Term 2 Jul-Oct 2025
Class size : 1:20

Students may pick 1-2 criteria below to focus their time on :

Competency : Communication
Criteria : Clarity

Competency : Collaboration
Criteria : Open-Mindedness

“A few examples of self-confidence in the workplace might include the following: Always doing the right thing, despite what others might think of you. Having the confidence to leave behind what makes you comfortable to try new challenges. Identifying your own weaknesses and implementing ways to overcome them.” Source

In this module, we will work as a team for a contract. Each student will be given a team role and responsibility. Presentations and feedback are key to this module.

Unlike the module on Social Awareness, fundraising and event management is not a requirement, unless stated. Unlike the module on Civic Agency, effecting change in society is not a requirement, unless stated. The skills learnt in the previous modules, however, will be handy for this module.

Skills learnt for this module :

Management Skills
self-direct goals efficiently and effectively
trouble shooting goals

Presentation Skills
Storytelling
Effective Visual Aids

The teens of this module may choose to work or intern at an organisation or business under clear, contractual obligation, to gain confidence in the workplace.

Examples :

The teens at Little U worked on a contract to redesign the website for HomeschoolAlumni.sg
be inspired by youth entrepreneurs of your generation

Portfolio Creation

Facilitated by Dawn Fung
Term 1 Jan-Apr 2026
Class size : 1:25

Students may pick 1-2 criteria below to focus their time on :

Competency : Communication
Criteria : Consideration

Competency : Collaboration
Criteria : Long-Term View

“A portfolio is a printed or digital document that showcases your best work. Used predominantly when applying for a job or internship, your portfolio is considered to be just as important as your CV and cover letter. Portfolios can vary across different disciplines. For example, those working in film and animation might opt for an online showreel, whereas photographers might prefer a large-scale, printed portfolio that shows off their images. While your work should speak for itself, when done well, your portfolio could also be considered a project in itself, or even an extension of your practice.” Source

In this module, we will work as a team for showcase of individual portfolios. In addition to doing his/her own portfolio, each student will be given a team role and responsibility to ensure everyone contributes to a high quality open house at the end of the module. Presentations and feedback are key to this module.

Unlike the module on Social Awareness, fundraising and event management is not a requirement, unless stated. Unlike the module on Civic Agency, effecting change in society is not a requirement, unless stated. Unlike the module on Confidence in the Workplace, there is no business contract to secure. The skills learnt in all 3 modules, however, will be handy for this module. Graduating students of Little U will use this portfolio alongside their MTC Learning Record for higher education admissions and/or employment prospects.

Skills learnt for this module :

Website Design (wireframing, navigation, colour theory, copy for web, personal branding)
Exhibition Design (structure of presentation, storytelling in spatial arrangement, cultivation of interest to visitors)
Feedback Design (evaluation strategy using QR codes, forms, and other tools relevant to obtaining quality feedback for your portfolio)

Examples :

Teens let public view their works and how they worked at their Open House showcase
Learn web design yourself from this useful series