With the COVID-19 virus impacting how we go about our business, we put together some thoughts on how to have productive conversations when you are forced to rely on conference calls and remote meetings to get things done.
Tackling food waste and the art of partnerships
A look at how tri-sector collaboration can address the problem of food wastage, especially in Singapore. Co-written by our strategic solutions consultant, Anthony Caravello, for Singapore Management Universities, Tri-Sector.
The troubling potential of SKII's Marriage Market Takeover campaign
Lydia Marie Ng takes a look at the recent popular campaign by SKII to address the issue of sheng nu, or "left over women" in China. She debates whether it can work as a force for positivity or potentially do more harm than good.
Upcycling: How Recycling and Reuse can be made bigger and better
Charmaine Fong, program manager at Be An Idea, looks at ways that up-cycling can have a positive impact and how collaborations can potentially help scale the benefits of upcycling.
The ills of volunteerism
Consultant and community engagement lead, Rebekah Lin, shares her thoughts on volunteering and the real impact she made in the endeavour. She offers thoughts as to help make volunteering more meaningful.
Lessons From 4A’s Partnership of the Year: “Love Has No Labels”
Several weeks ago, 4As, a leading trade association representing the advertising agency business unveiled the winners of its second annual 4A’s Partner Awards which recognizes the creative excellence that can only be achieved through meaningful collaboration. The Be An Idea team reviewed the winning entry to look for useful lessons for those embarking on the collaboration journey.
How not to connect your brand to a social cause
Last week, the grocery delivery service Honestbee tried to connect its brand to a social cause. What may have been a well-intentioned exercise to show support for the fight against the trade in illegal wildlife products, turned into a case study for how to NOT connect your brand to a social cause.
Meeting Hiro
Inadvertently, I suddenly had to face a reality that I had been avoiding for the better part of four or so years. When my friend Hiro was diagnosed with ALS, I understood little about what it would do to him. As the years drew on, I watched from the sidelines as his health deteriorated and it was very clear what the disease did to him. What was less clear, was what it did to him as a person beyond the body.
5 reasons why a social cause should consider CRM
Nadim van der Ros explores five reasons why a social cause would consider moving beyond contact management to a more structured relationship management approach, or CRM system, to drive more impact. The discussion will be explored further in Be An Idea’s upcoming Fuze Night in July.
Using adventure as a platform for change
National netball player, broadcast journalist, emcee and speaker - Zhang Tingjun has packed in more than a bit of adventure in just three decades on this Earth. But perhaps the role that will come to define her most is as co-founder of The Chain Reaction Project (TCRP).
Facing domestic violence in Singapore
In Singapore, one in 10 women experiences physical violence in their lifetime. Seven in 10 cases of domestic violence also go unreported, while the issue itself is often seen as a private family matter.
The time is now
Want to make a difference but not sure where or how to start?
Start Now is an online platform whose mission is to make it as easy as possible for everyone to volunteer.
Decoding sustainability
Imagine living in a fully functioning treehouse with solar-powered lights and running water. Hungry? Cook lunch from fresh veggies grown in your backyard. In the urban jungle that is Singapore, this might be a greenies' pipe dream, but things are set to change as more people take steps towards a more sustainable way of living.
Tis better to give and engage
It’s not just about the money. Social engagement counts too.
Although corporate donations are widespread in Singapore, the private sector’s lack of community participation is disappointing, concluded a recent study by researchers from the National Technological University and Singapore Management University.
Lighting up Battambang
Project Battambang is an overseas community project organised by students from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Every December since 2010, the team comprising 25 students, mentored by Dr Ong Yew Jin, has been going on 2-week long missions to the Thai-Cambodian bordering district of Poipet in the Battambang province of Cambodia.
The Celebrity Effect
When the reputation of the celebrity advocate takes a nosedive, it can mean serious backlash for the charity involved — or worse still, turn people off donating altogether for fear their money will never go where it was intended. Anne de Souza takes a look at the celebrity effect for charities.
Plant-based pads to tackle period woes
In the second of a four-part feature on winners of the Young Social Entrepreneur (YSE) 2012 Programme, Be an Idea speaks to a young woman who is developing a biodegradable sanitary pad for underprivileged women in India. YSE is an initiative by the Singapore International Foundation to help young people embark on social enterprises and nurture a network of entrepreneurs to create businesses that benefit communities.
Run for a reason
This yearʼs run, which took place on November 18, involved a turnout of around 10,000 runners who took on either a 3.5km or 10km scenic route in the Marina Bay area.
Unconventional (micro)credit
The Micro Credit Business Scheme (MCBS), launched last year, is the first of its kind in Singapore to grant loans to people with little or no income to start a business – giving them a rare chance to strike out on their own.
Singing in the rain
Looking at the relentless rain and a field of muddy grass, it was probably not the best evening to be hanging out at the SMU Campus Green. But despite the weather, it was a night of entertainment and cheer as more than a dozen well-known local artistes and their supporters gathered for the In Her Shoes – Art & Music Against Cancer concert.