In 2024, we submitted our proposal to the DBS Foundation Grant, carrying with us a question that has shaped our learning journey over the past decade:

What would it take to truly unlock the potential of young people often left behind by the system?

Our focus was on Vocational High School (VHS) students — a group of young talents in Indonesia who are full of potential, yet often excluded from mainstream innovation efforts. Despite having practical technical skills, many of them still lack the confidence, communication abilities, and career-readiness tools to fully enter the workforce.

They are not broken. They are simply underserved.

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Why We Applied

Over the years, through lingkaran and LAB Foundation, we’ve worked with tens of thousands of learners from all walks of life. But one pattern kept surfacing: students from vocational schools — many of whom come from low-income families — were disproportionately vulnerable to unemployment after graduation.

And yet, we saw sparks of potential everywhere:

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• In students building their first portfolios
• In a quiet learner who became a peer mentor
• In school communities that embraced co-learning and real-world practice
  

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We knew that the right kind of intervention could make a real difference. So we designed a program to equip VHS students with the soft skills, confidence, and career preparation they need to become industry-ready professionals.

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Our Proposal

The core of our program was simple:

A 12-week Essential Soft Skills & Job Preparation Bootcamp tailored to the unique needs of VHS students — delivered through our ecosystem platform, enriched with mentors, and amplified through partnerships.

Our targets:

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• 5,000+ total registrants
• 2,000+ learners completing the program
• 1,000+ working portfolios created
• 30% employability and economic improvement
• 75% skill improvement among participants
  

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We also envisioned growing the program through scalable tech infrastructure and resource optimization — with support from the DBS Foundation grant.

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What Happened Next

We didn’t get the grant. But we were proud to be selected as one of the Top Finalists. While it’s easy to measure success by whether you secure the funding, this journey gave us something equally valuable: validation, clarity, and a deeper sense of urgency.

The problem is real. The community is ready. And the work must go on.

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What We Took Away

Being a finalist meant our idea resonated. It meant that VHS students — often overlooked — finally had a chance to be seen. It meant that co-creating with underserved learners isn’t just an ethical imperative — it’s a strategic one. But more than that, it reminded us of why we exist.

LAB Foundation was never just about grants or recognition. We were built to grow change from within — and that means showing up, even when there’s no spotlight. So we’ll keep iterating. Keep building. Keep bridging.

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What’s Next

We’re continuing to refine this bootcamp model, looking for collaborators who share our belief in empowering overlooked youth. We believe this program still holds the potential to shift the trajectory of thousands of lives. And if you’re reading this — whether as an educator, a policymaker, a funder, or a fellow believer in regenerative learning — we invite you to connect, collaborate, or simply follow along. Because stories like this one aren’t over. They’re just beginning.