#2. Social entrepreneurship 101

Hello again!

Second article might be somewhat familiar to you guys... I can't recall when we might have came across this, maybe year 2? 

But its okay! DEFINITELY not year 3 ;)

Click it, read it, it's good for ya!

Its basically some pointers from two social entrepreneur pioneers, Carol Chyau & Maria So. (Our seniors!! Not BZSE seniors, but hmm y'know seniors in the social enterprise arena~~)

This two ladies own Shokay, which sells stylish posh products made from yak down.

This creates a livelihood for the Tibetan nomads, and ups their income bracket!

Yaks, by the way are very cute animals.

  AWWWWW.

*pats furry head*

Okay, so anyway its not a particularly long article, do have a read. 

Deep down in my heart I don't really think there are characteristics that you need to posses innately to be a social entrepreneur. 

I believe anyone can be a social entrepreneur, its only a matter of choice.

I guess the article provided 5 simple things we can learn from social entrepreneurs who have more experience than us~

#1. Be absorbant like:

Spongebob!

Don't ever stop seeking advice from professionals, share your business plans!

Get feedback, attend conferences, learn, learn, learn!

Keep GROWING~

As stated in the article, Carol and Maria had absolutely 0 experience in the fashion industry, and yet they went in, head on. I think we can learn to develop this gung-ho spirit.

Setting up a business would surely have challenges. 

The initial stages would require you to get down and dirty, to familiarize yourself with the industry that you intend to work with. 

#2. Be curious like:

George? Nah! Like the charming Sherlock Holmes.

Carol likened the process of creating a social enterprise to something like solving a mystery. She said "Sometimes all you have are clues. When you don’t understand something you have to ask why." 

Why why?

I feel even without uncertainties or questions, you have to continually ask yourself why to ensure that the in the end, your enterprise can be the best one it can ever be. 

"Why am I doing it this way, is there a better alternative?"
"Why am I spending so much on XXX, is there some way to cut cost?"

And the most fundamental question "Why am I doing this?" What is your purpose?

 Don't stop questioning yourself, as 

“All our knowledge results from questions, which is another way of saying that questioning is our most important intellectual tool."    (Neil Postman)

So as Neil the Postman have stated, the power to question is our most important intellectual tool.

You don't have to be too smart, you just gotta keep questioning. 

#3. Be inventive

This old man is supposedly to be Thomas Edison, the great man who invented the lightbulb, gramophone and the motion picture camera, which is an old fashioned word for video camera.

It took 10,000+ failed attempts before Mr Edison finally found the right material to make the bulb filament.

Although not that drastic, Carol and Maria took 5 years before finally constructing the best business model for their enterprise. 

We've got to be flexible and innovative in the way we create our business so that it can maximize profits as well as maximize social good.

Of course its not gonna be an simple activity! The traditional business model has been existing for so many decades to become what it is now. The social entrepreneurs of today will be the ones shaping this landscape, isn't it so exciting that we can all be part of this?

#4. Perspective like an:

Eagle.

As Robbie Williams sings in his song Bag Full Of Silly

/What I need now, is an aerial view/

'Cause I can see for myself/

That I can't see for myself/

Isn't it so true, sometimes we gets so wrapped up in the nitty gritty details of things, we forget the big picture?

Sometimes we need to alleviate ourselves to be able to see the flaws and improvements that can be made. 

The article mentions that as a social entrepreneur , we need to think of 2 bottom lines, profit + people/planet/both

It is easy to lose your way trying to achieve that, but having your mind set on the bigger picture can keep yourself in track. 

I feel its also important to maintain that mentality even in school, its so easy to get jaded by assignments and put aside our initial reasons for being here. Stay focused!!

#5. Be..

YOU!!!

I am very sure the last thing this sector needs are cookie cutter business models!

So many social issues to tackle, so many ways to get at it.

You can bring new dynamics, ideas and plans that no one else can.

What a great thing it is though to share all these creativity, and work together to achieve change. 

I know there's a sudden influx in pictures (albiet not very professional looking ones...). Realised that this blog looks sad and boring without pictures so hahaha I've included some this time around. Hopes it makes this post a little more interesting?

Hehe, but it's the content that matter right! 

Anyways! You guys can comment on some other things you think are important for social entrepreneurs, I would really like to know~

Also, I don't know if I'm really following the assignment guidelines..

Nevertheless, you could comment on other stuff too hahaha. 

References:

Huang, J. (2012). Social Enterprise 101: Five lessons from an experienced social entrepreneur. Sg Entrepreneurs. Retrieved October, 30, 2012. http://sgentrepreneurs.com/2012/01/01/social-enterprise-101-five-lessons-from-an-experienced-social-entrepreneur/#more-31279
Beals, G. (1999). The Biography of Thomas Edison. Thomas Alva Edison. Retrieved October, 30, 2012. http://www.thomasedison.com/biography.html
(n.d.). The importance of questioning. QUEST quality education support and training. Retrieved Octobet, 30, 2012. http://ictnz.com/importanceofquestioning.htm

#1. Youths and Social Enterprises

Hellowello everyone!!

I took my article, titled "Social Innovation and Social Enterprise: Report" off TheOnlineCitizen.

Does that count as an article?? It does right!

Do click and have a read, it's quite interesting. Not too long too!

Okay~ 

So to summarise the article briefly, here are 5 points it touched on:

1. Factors hindering youth in Singapore to explore social innovation

2. Existing challenges faced by social innovators/ entrepreneurs

3. The future of growing & nurturing social innovators. 

Relevant right!!!

So ya'll should click on the link;)

For the first point- roadblocks to social innovation. The writer (Ng Yi Shu) mentioned a big and relevant point: FEAR.

To quote exactly "In answering the question about the issues that were stopping youth from social innovation, the panel concluded that a culture of fear and introspection caused by competition has led to a growing belief that financial security is paramount to a secure future. This culture has led to youths not taking risks towards solving social issues, and hence has stopped them from doing social innovation." (Ng, 2012, para. 6)

I believe that this resonates with many of us who have big hopes and dreams in becoming social innovators/entrepreneurs. It has been ingrained that a good future first consist of having a good and stable job that generates an income that is sufficient to support not only yourself but your parents as well. With the prices of, well, almost everything on the rise, how can we discount the importance of financial security?

I am thankful that my parents have always been supportive of whatever i endeavour in, sustainable, profitable, practical or otherwise. But yet, this fear still remains real. Would I still be a responsible daughter if I am halfway across the globe, rendering aid to countries which have been hit by disasters? Or helping in developmental programmes which honestly, doesn't pay very much. More importantly, besides money, who will be there to accompany them, to look after them, to make sure that they are healthy? This may seem a little off-point what i was mentioning, but even in starting my own enterprise,  would I have the hours and energy to spend with them?

Mr Tong Yee said "... that he hoped youths of today would have ‘the courage to take (social) responsibility for more things.’ In having more responsibility, youths would have the ability to socially innovate new solutions to social issues, he added." (Ng, 2012, para. 9)

Which leads me to point 2-CHALLENGES. 

I guess courage sounds a whole lot easier in theory than in practice. Taking the road less traveled would in itself ensue a lot more challenges that many might not have faced. It would be more convenient to get into a university, graduate with a degree. And find a boring ol' job.

But I know I won't be satisfied. There will always be this restlessness in me to do something more.

Mr Damien mentioned that this world beginning to take on a consumerism mentality, whereby people focus more on their needs and to buy,buy,buy. 

I don't want to be part of that, I am sure many of us now equipped with some knowledge of the community needs out there, can't just close our eyes and spend recklessly without feeling a stab on our conscious. I am sure that we are not the first of our generation that seeks to be part of social change. 

The article yet again mentions on teachers and parents, to quote "Competencies with regards to the character of a person can be built in education, but the culture of competition and survival must first be changed among parents and teachers." (Ng, 2012, para. 12)

I feel that this is only partially true. Yes parents and teachers play an essential role, but to be more effective, the different environmental elements must work together. 

What I would suggest is making awareness more evident across all levels of education and not just isolated to just the BZSE or humanities courses. My opinion is that very little is done to show how much a youth can do to make changes, for example in secondary school, our community service activities are merely picking rubbish at the beach or conducting performances at old folks home. They aren't bad activities, and I am sure schools have their limitations, but I feel that stopping at this first level leaves the impression that that's all students can do. Anything more than that has to be left to more "trained and educated professionals". 

It is such a waste to see the passion extinguished before it has been fully harnessed. Imagine all the innovative ideas that could have made ground breaking changes if only a little more time and guidance had been given to these motivated youths. 

And that's touching on the last point! Nurturing future social creators and not consumers. 

    "The beliefs that pragmatism is the way to go has been increasingly been shattered by a greater number of driven youths who count themselves as responsible citizens advocating and creating change – and this trend is something society cannot ignore." (Ng, 2012, 16) 

Youths will in time come on board this bandwagon that is creating social changes, but how long would that take? How many generations will pass before greater changes in society will be seen? 

The time is now!!! Do not let all these seeds of compassion and awareness wither and dry out, lets all do the most we can into sowing them and growing them, so that it can bloom pretty flowers of positive change in time to come.  ❀ ✿ ❁ ✾

-end-

Reference:

Ng, Y.S. (2012). Social Innovation and Social Enterprise:Report. Theonlinecitizen. Retrieved from http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/09/social-innovation-and-social-enterprise-report/