Singapore International Foundation

Social Enterprise Is Not About Doing Volunteer Work

“The mind of a businessman and the heart of a social worker.” That quote, describing social entrepreneurs, was a powerful takeaway for Fatin bte Isa, 20, participant of the Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) programme 2010.

The inaugural YSE 2010 was a five-day in-residence programme designed to equip socially minded youths with the fundamentals of starting a social enterprise. Held from 3^rd to 7^th March, six teams of students, who were studying in Singapore but came from China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore, were invited to participate based on pre-submitted business proposals.

YSE provided the teams opportunity to think carefully about the future of their nascent social enterprises. More than learn from speakers, staying in-residence meant that teams had the opportunity to engage across cultures, especially given that many of the team members consisted of foreigners.

The Programme

Through hands-on workshops, the students learnt how to assess the feasibility of their business plans, measure social impact and ultimately, raise funds for their enterprises. They also received lessons on pitching their ideas to potential funders and partners, and being effective leaders and team builders.

Topics covered at YSE 2010 included:

• Douglas Abrams, Managing Partner of Extream Ventures - Business Plan Assessment
• Nancy Frohman, General Manager of SingHealth Foundation -  Pitching Skills
• Bjorn Lee, CEO of JABFISH - Social Media Marketing
• Lee Junior, Executive Director of Silver Capital Investment -  Fundraising
• Sarah Marvinac, President of aidha - Social impact and Assessment

At the end of the camp, the six teams pitched their business proposals to a judging panel. The winning team, Soule from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, walked away with a prize of S$3,000. Soule’s business idea is to donate a pair of shoes to underprivileged school children in China for every pair of flip flops purchased.