Volunteer Alumni in Profile: Chester Lau

Name: Chester Lau

What was your involvement with Youth Central?
My name was Astro Boy. I was a volunteer in the 9th grade at YMCA’s annual summer camp program and was in need of a code name for the little rascals to call me as I spent my sunny weekdays chasing them around the fields. I ended up loving those little rascals, despite the fact that I thought they were taking away from time I could have spent playing Warcraft. In hindsight, I made the right choice.

By the time the 12th grade hit, I graduated from sunny fields to the bubbly Youth Central offices, finding myself in the hot seat as the Assistant Program Coordinator for Youth Earth Ambassadors (YEA), and a member of the Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) Steering Committee. I could tell you about the projects that I was involved with, but my fondest memories are with the friends that I made. We’d walk in -30 degree weather just to get bubble tea, only to have it all cold by the time we arrived at the offices. Nevertheless, it was a tradition we never let go of.

I eventually graduated (for real, from school) and some may think that one’s involvement with Youth Central ends soon after. The truth is, you’ll never divorce yourself from the Youth Central family. After my first year of University, I returned to YVC as a Team Leader for the summer, and still to this day regard it as the best summer I’ve ever had in my life thus far! If I could turn the clock back, I would, but since I can’t, I’ll forever treasure the memories.

What did you learn from being a part of Youth Central?
Buzzwords aside, giving back is an incredibly important part of being human. I received more than a handful of helping hands during my time at Youth Central, and that’s made me constantly search for opportunities to pay it forward to other people whenever and wherever I can.

It’s the right thing to do, and sometimes it’s just that simple. Don’t complicate it.

Favorite Experience?
There are too many to list, but the one that sticks out in my mind is stomping up to City Hall in hazmat suits for Youth Earth Ambassadors to protest against the use of cosmetic pesticides. I learned that as a young person, you can get away with much more. Use this to your advantage, and use it to do good.

What have you been up to since Youth Central?
I recently lived abroad in Hong Kong for fifteen months, splitting my time between studies and a gig at the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather. Having been bitten by the travel bug during my stay in Asia, I explored Singapore, Japan, and Taiwan to satiate both my curiosity and stomach.

Currently, I’m a fourth year business student at Queen’s Commerce, and will be joining the WPP Fellowship program in London this September. The Fellowship is a global rotational program in marketing communications that spans three years, three countries, and three companies across disciplines including advertising, media investment, and much more. I’m very, very excited!

Would you be willing to have youth from Youth Central who are interested in your field of study contact you if they had more questions about your school, your work, etc…?
How can I put this… absolutely 100% please please please YES! Email me at (chester.lau.hk@gmail.com) or tweet @Ches_Lau

Future Goals?
The future is ambiguous. But if there’s one thing I know, purpose trumps everything. My purpose has always been to make people feel things, to capture them in moments of wonder, and to give people what I call the goose-bump effect. It’s to touch that inner piece of humanity in people to evoke a feeling so strong that they have that inner urge to share whatever’s been done to them unto others.

My goal is to see where that purpose can take me in the future.