Social Change
Here are my resources to help you create social change.
Please email me if you have questions, comments, suggestions, revisions, and/or additions. I’d very much appreciate learning how useful you find these resources.*
And since it took 1,000+ hours of work to develop these resources, please consider giving back by helping to improve them. You can also make a retroactive payment (a.k.a., donation) to my personal social impact fund–even a few pennies are appreciated–if you find them valuable. But only if they’re valuable to you.
Singapore Focused
- Singapore Social Enterprise Starter Kit: 13 key files for understanding the social enterprise landscape in Singapore. Compiled from multiple sources and focused on new social entrepreneurs or capacity builders. Latest version: 12/31/10. Download: ZIP
- Singapore Events Guide: Nerdy & Social Change Edition: a guide for locals and expats trying to find the most interesting events in Singapore for intellectual stimulation, social change, and entrepreneurship. Latest version: 8/12/11. Download: PDF
- Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs: a guide designed to provide you the foundation and key principles necessary for creating your own social enterprise in Singapore. Originally written by staff from Social Innovation Park, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and DBS Bank. I led the same team to produce version 2.0. Replaced by Starting a Social Enterprise in Singapore – The Essential Toolkit by Social Enterprise Association. Latest version: 10/03/09.
- Best Place in the World for Social Entrepreneurs?: in this article I advocate for Singapore as being one of the best places in the world for a social entrepreneur to base himself or herself. I begin with: “Where’s the best place in the world for a social entrepreneur to live and build a social enterprise? That’s a tough question. It appears there are two schools of thought when it comes to attempting an answer: go close or go big…” Download: PDF
- Singaporean Changemakers Call to Action: a short and practical “call to action” for people in Singapore who want to create social impact. Focused on youth, but relevant to any Singaporean. Latest version: 10/21/10. Download: PDF
- Singaporean Social Change Enterprises & Initiatives List: my personal list of the most interesting social change enterprises and initiatives in or connected to Singapore. A much more comprehensive, community-generated list can be found on Concern.sg. Latest version: 2/26/11. Download: PDF
- Singaporean Social Enterprise Scene in 2020: an attempt to understand how the Singaporean social entrepreneurship scene might evolve over the next 10 years. Written by Jared Tham in an event I organized. Latest version: 6/7/10.
University Focused
- Alternative Spring Break Resource Kit: 50 useful files for creating and managing an “Alternative Break” service-learning program. Request kit by email.
- American Red Cross Club Resource Kit: 450+ useful files for creating and managing a high school or college club. Focus is on Red Cross, but applicable for any high school or college club leader around the world. Latest version: 8/13/08. Download: ZIP
- American Red Cross Mass CPR Training Resource Kit: 100+ useful files for creating and executing a Mass CPR Training. Includes an itemized task list for every sub-team (there are ~250 individual tasks required to execute a Mass CPR Training). Also useful for any event planners around the world, especially for youth- or volunteer-focused events. Request kit by email.
- American Red Cross Leadership Development Conference Resource Kit: 50+ useful files for creating and executing a Leadership Development Conference (LDC) or Retreat (LDR). Also useful for non-Red Cross youth leaders holding any kind of large leadership event. Request kit by email.
- Student Organization Resource Kit: Up to 500 useful files for any student organization leaders starting and operating organizations. Focus on team building material. Request kit by email.
Metaphors
Here are a few social change metaphors I would like to spread.
Creating Change Requires a Cannon
- Cannonball = Social Innovation. You need a great idea to punch through society’s ingrained status quo defenses.
- Cannon = Social Enterprise. You need a capable vehicle to hurtle that great idea forward.
- Gunpowder = Social Investment. You need a powerful injection of funds and support to get things moving fast enough to make a huge impact.
- Spark = Social Entrepreneur. You need a burst of energy to set things in motion in the first place.
- Ground = Social Ecosystem. You need a solid base from which to shoot.
Batman is a Change Agent
- Batman = Social Entrepreneur. Batman strategically employs resources like the Batmobile, Batwing, and other innovative weapons to fight crime.
- Bruce Wayne = Social Angel Investor. Bruce Wayne is the financial benefactor behind Batman’s activities. Without him, Batman wouldn’t be possible.
- Bat Symbol = Social Innovation. The symbol of the bat strikes fear in the hearts of criminals. Its mere existence induces positive behavior.
*To date about 2% of people have provided feedback (100% positive) and 0% have sent revised files, new files or donations.