Joel Wong: Empowering Youth, Creating Impactful Content, and Challenging the Status Quo

The best leaders don’t chase authority but naturally fall into roles of guidance. For Joel Wong, mentoring the youth has been a recurring theme in his life, not necessarily by design, but from some invisible pull guiding him towards it. 

The psychology graduate wears many hats: youth leader, teacher, and project lead at Generasi Gemilang, an NGO dedicated to educational equity in Malaysia. Beyond job titles, Joel has learned in his many years of guiding the youth that young people need a role model who understands them, a position he’s more than willing to take on. 

Another passion has also shaped his journey: content creation. What started as a fun hobby has grown into a powerful tool for connection and influence; in 2024 alone, his videos across YouTube and Instagram amassed hundreds and thousands of views, extending his reach beyond physical boundaries.

But how did Joel turn mentorship and content creation into a force for change? His journey is one of purpose, passion, and the power of genuine connection.

The best leaders don’t chase authority but naturally fall into roles of guidance. For Joel Wong, mentoring the youth has been a recurring theme in his life, not necessarily by design, but from some invisible pull guiding him towards it. 

Kicking off his journey with Psychology

Joel pursued his degree in Psychology at Sunway University, a decision that stemmed from a deep curiosity about human behaviour. He was always drawn to understanding why people think and act the way they do, and psychology seemed like the perfect path for him. “I realised I really love learning about people,” he reflected.

His time at Sunway provided him with a strong foundation in many deeply intriguing psychological topics such as cognitive development, behaviour studies, and mentorship psychology, all of which would contribute to his eventual approach to leadership. However, as enriching as the contents of his syllabus were, the pandemic made learning more challenging, with fewer in-person interactions and a shift to online studies. 

Being robbed of a holistic learning experience, Joel had to find his own ways to make his psychology education meaningful. Instead of relying solely on coursework, he began applying what he learned in real life, whether in conversations with his peers, understanding behaviour patterns in everyday interactions, or even in how he supported his family. “Psychology is everywhere in everything that you do.” 

Despite enjoying the subject, he was uncertain about his next step after graduation. It wasn’t until an unexpected opportunity to teach in Johor arose that his path started to take shape.

A Calling Found in Unexpected Places

After graduating, Joel returned to Johor, unsure of his next step but certain of one thing: his family needed him. His grandparents, one battling dementia and the other struggling with limited mobility, required extra care, and he wanted to be there for them; while figuring out his own future, he took on the responsibility of supporting theirs. 

During this time, Joel stumbled upon an opportunity to step into the world of education, landing a teaching job at a nearby secondary school. At first, it seemed like a practical choice, a way to gain stability while caring for his family. Yet, what felt like a convenient and unexpected way to sustain himself and his family would reveal to be a pivotal turning point for him.

Striding into the unfamiliar world of education, Joel’s first few months as a teacher proved to be a huge learning curve. “I spent the first six months teaching during the day, marking homework in the evening, and then studying the textbook like a student at night so I could teach it the next day,” he admitted. The role pushed him beyond his comfort zone, requiring him to think on his feet, manage different personalities, and, most importantly, engage students in ways that went beyond academics.

The classroom became more than just a workplace. Joel saw potential in his students beyond academics, taking on mentorship roles alongside his teaching duties. “Part of my job was developing a system to get seniors to reinvest in mentoring their juniors.” His focus wasn’t just on textbooks and discipline but on building character and creating a culture of accountability. 

By the time he left, students had started mentoring each other, ensuring the system continued beyond his tenure. What started as a temporary role soon became a transformative experience, laying the groundwork for everything that followed.

Mentorship Beyond the Classroom

Joel’s most profound revelation during this period of his life was perhaps that mentorship wasn’t confined to a classroom.

Even before his role as an educator, Joel had already dedicated years to guiding the youth in other spaces. From the age of 16, he was a youth leader at his church, leading discussions and fostering a supportive community. Back then, he viewed his role as something he’d fallen into, as opposed to one of formal leadership. But in retrospect, those years had given him an early foundation in responsibility, guiding discussions, and fostering personal growth. 

His experience as a teacher gave him a newfound appreciation for the impact of mentorship, a perspective he carries into his ongoing role as a youth leader, where he continues to guide and empower the youth. Over the years, he has worked with over a hundred young people, many of whom have grown into leaders themselves. “It’s a joy to see 23 of them leading other youths in their schools, churches, and communities,” he shared. But what struck him the most was how these relationships didn’t end when the programmes did. “Somehow, they still message me, asking for advice on all kinds of things. A kid I met for half a day at a leadership conference in Kedah still messages me today.”

More and more, he could see the patterns of his life: wherever he went, he naturally gravitated toward mentoring young people. Seeing this, Joel wanted to find new outlets for mentorship beyond one-on-one interactions, and this is where content creation found its way into his life. 

Bridging Digital Storytelling with Real-World Impact

Joel started making videos at the age of 12, simply as a means of creative expression and capturing memories. What began as a fun creative outlet, eventually became a tool for something greater. Over time, his content evolved from simple documentation to something intended to reach, inspire, and mobilise people far beyond his physical presence. 

In 2024 alone, his videos across YouTube and Instagram accumulated over 250,000 views, a clear indicator that his work was resonating as intended. But for Joel, views weren’t the priority, impact was. Since 2022, Joel has helped raise RM55,000 alongside his family and students through community-driven challenges and social campaigns, leveraging his content creation to amplify awareness. Whether it was cycling for cancer research or walking for dementia awareness, he used storytelling to engage a wider audience. “If even one person is inspired to take action because of something I create, then it’s worth making.”

His ability to inspire action through content creation naturally extended into his professional life, where he sought to make an even greater impact on the ground.

Driving Social Change Through Generasi Gemilang

Joel’s commitment to mentorship and social impact didn’t end with his personal initiatives. Taking his efforts a step further, he now works at Generasi Gemilang, an institution dedicated to education equity in Malaysia, where he focuses on corporate partnerships and programme development.

His role involves securing funding, building collaborations, and launching initiatives that address real challenges in underprivileged communities. One such project tackled healthcare accessibility, where frequent illness prevented children in the company's early childhood programme from attending sessions. “We realised that almost 10 to 20% of them had issues coming because they kept falling sick and had no money to go to the clinic,” he explained. To address this, he helped implement a subsidy system with a private clinic, ensuring families had access to affordable medical care. Another initiative focused on teacher empowerment in East Malaysia, providing educators with tools to help students struggling with literacy. 

By bridging resources, education, and community needs, Joel continues to turn mentorship into sustainable action, ensuring that change extends far beyond individual efforts.

A Legacy of Mentorship and Impact

Joel’s journey, spanning education, content creation, and helping marginalised communities, has always been about something larger than himself. Now, he’s working toward a future where youth empowerment is not just a personal mission but a collective movement. Through The A1D Project, his goal is to build a platform that spotlights young changemakers and fosters a culture of leadership beyond his direct reach. “I don’t want it to be just Joel inspiring people. I want to create something where others can step up and do the same,” he explained.

Joel's work challenges the next generation to lead, act, and uplift those around them. Through mentorship, he continues to prove that real leadership isn’t about titles: it’s about creating space for others to do the same.