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Adding on to how Seth Godin would launch a new business with $1000 and 90 days, a well-written article on medium, What can a social enterprise learn from Seth Godin- the marketing guru of the digital age? The social enterprise is born to be double crowned in sustainability- socially and financially. What can we learn from the business marketplace today that will help us in this two-fold storytelling? Empathy is fast becoming the key way in which a business approaches its consumer, as the seemingly flippant world increasingly craves for authenticity, deeper connections and a sense of belonging. As an American author, entrepreneur and blogger, Seth Godin has been constantly reviewing and sharing on the marketing of ideas in the digital age. Here are some of our thoughts on how his thinking resonate with ours: He says: "Market WITH people, not AT them. Your customers are human beings, just like you." We say: True, the outdated way of shoving products and services in your customer’s face doesn’t quite work anymore. Talking to your consumer like he or she is your intelligent friend will definitely be much more effective. At MTC, we believe in the power of the first follower. Building genuine, lasting relationships helps us to make friends who believe in what we do. They stand with us and share our impact with their friends. Until today, we are thankful that many of our clients engaged us in marketing and branding projects because of referrals and the word of mouth. He says: "Focus on the smallest audience possible. You can always expand later." We say: Agree. A natural process, believing and investing in your first follower will help you to focus and be sensitive to his or her consumer journey. If you are able to tune into the smallest details and address the individual's pain points accurately, chances are that you would be able to do the same for others. He says: "Create a remarkable product. If your first 10 customers spread the word about it, you have a winner. If not, collect feedback and start again." We say: Having two goals doesn’t mean you should ever compromise on quality. For us, we have projects with both corporates and social service organisations alike. A common myth, social enterprises are sometimes thought to be sub-standard because of their “charity” or social cause for good. Contrary to that, social entrepreneurship often begins from a heart to resolve existing issues and answer the brief directly. Trust is arguably the lifeblood of any organisation today, and Rome was definitely not built in a day. He says: "Create an abundance of confidence. Give away a huge amount of value for free so people trust you in return." We say: MTC’s give back programme is aligned with this thought. Every quarter of the year, we offer a social enterprise, VWO or NGO free creative services to cheer them on while bringing them closer to their social goals. These creative services can be event collaterals, development of corporate collaterals, videography, photography and brand Identity. Social service organisations are welcome to apply at: http://www.makethechange.sg/mtc-give-back He says: "Make a spinner and spin the wheel. There will never be a perfect time to do anything: do something and stick to it." We say: Yeap. Our fourth year running this year, MTC has been sticking to our goal of bridging the gap and helping the social service sector tell their stories in an impactful, authentic and memorable way. Be it content creation, marketing plans, website development or print design, we see ourselves doing a part for the better world. The pessimist can stay and sulk and argue that nothing is possible, but we choose to see the glass half full. After all, we rise by lifting others. Useful links and references https://medium.com/the-mission/seth-godin-new-business-5-step-fdb354988c23

A study prepared by the World Bank team in 2017 unveiled the present, bare-faced landscape of East Asia's urban poor. Seemingly paradoxical at first glance, much more can be said about these individuals who fell into the mess of uneven, consequential development overtime. The largest slum population in the world With an estimated 250 million people in East Asia Pacific living in slums, the region has the largest slum population globally. The World Bank study has also revealed an approximate 75 million people living below the poverty line of US$3.10/day. Coupled with the devastatingly high risks of disasters, lacking living conditions in slums bring about several health and environmental risks for the urban poor. Is Community Mapping the key? Many will probably want to ask us this: why SMILE Village? Out of so many countless poor, elderly, children and people in pain calling for help, why answer this one? SMILE Village is a project intricately established by community mapping. The Design For Good team believes that the heart of SMILE Village is worth investing in because of its backbone of sustainability to uplift communities-in-need. Instead of a seasonal, one-time charity project, community mapping is a tool that fosters an ecosystem with lifelong impact for people. The SMILE Village model is one of the more sustainable solution for the urban poor. It is more than just the dollar sign itself- it is about how and where you spend the money. It is about how it value-adds with a lasting social impact. Within the community, facilities and infrastructure were built based on the lifestyles and needs of the residents. For instance, a childcare centre was built in the central area, for parents to leave for work with a peace of mind. In collaboration with PSE, a school bus fetches their older children to and from school everyday. Education is arguably the strongest antidote to alleviate poverty, and this framework helps to open the door for the next generation to rise. Other facet of education is reflected in the parents themselves as they work at the workshops built just beside the village. They learn skills in sewing, rug-braiding and woodcraft, all armed with a dream to buy their own land and home with their own hands. Community mapping also includes relationships between people as well. Initially unfamiliar with the concept of communal living, the management team stepped in to organise gatherings and sometimes even mediate arguments. The study by World Bank further advocates spatial and economic inclusion for the urban poor in East Asia, and this is exactly what SMILE Village has been doing. It goes on to say that “Other countries, such as Cambodia, Mongolia, and the Philippines, have a substantial need for slum upgrading, which requires urgent attention”. It is time for us to lift and bridge the gap for the urban poor by going back to the most fundamental unit of society- family. Every dollar from every purchase will counts to the big picture: the stay-home mother learning new sewing skills, the teenage daughter going to school in peace, the children going for classes at the childcare center to learn about shapes and colours. Not only does every purchase help to bring the families closer to financial independence, it significantly contributes to the entire eco-system. Earnings from Design For Good run on to benefit the current and future families living in slums, big and small. References Baker, J., & Gadgil, G. (2017). East Asia and Pacific cities. Washington, DC: World Bank Group. Population living in slums (% of urban population) | Data. (2017). Data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 10 October 2017 from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.SLUM.UR.ZS?end=2014&start=1990&view=chart&year=2014&year_high_desc=false

Design is about solving problems, with a concise element of intentionality to it. In a solid, 45 minute-long video interview with Airbnb's Director of Experience, Katie Dill, the two hosts from High Resolution sought to explore the ways in which the giant online marketplace and hospitality service disrupted the status quo through "stories". How does Airbnb remain relevant and make the change in the world, and what can we learn from them? Similar to many groundbreaking social entrepreneurs, Katie believes that "good design contains a humanistic approach", and went further to elaborate on how the team behind Airbnb has intricately gone through the journey of the end-user to improve on the experience. In Airbnb, experience is more like a system encompassing both the digital and physical space. In fact, much thought have been invested into facilitating the ease and transition of the user from online to offline interactions, and vice versa. One of Airbnb's core values is to be a host. How can social entrepreneurs facilitate the transition of their end-user from the online to the offline space? How can this transition help them to build relationships that matter? Putting the end-user in mind will help them to make decisions and think of solutions in a sharper and more focused manner. Just like what social enterprises are first set up to do: they are purposed to be problem-solvers. Airbnb also uses storyboards and comic strips in the designing process. For example, how can they help a tourist doing a late night check-in as a first-timer in the neighbourhood? Another noteworthy point raised in the interview has an association with the internal operations. At Airbnb, the team has a good mix of designers with different proficiencies work in pairs to sharpen ideas. For example, someone strong in visuals can be paired with another who is strong in interactions. Find out how the interview went about creating experiences here, we definitely feel that it's worth your time:

"I know that it can feel incredibly depressing to learn that helping vulnerable children and overcoming poverty is not as simple as we've all been led to believe it should be. But thankfully, there is a solution. These problems are reversible and preventable, and when we know better, we can do better." Consider your 13 minutes well spent as Tara Winkler illustrated how and why "disruption" is more than just a fancy trendy word on our news feed today. Sharing her own experience at TEDxSyndey last year, she expressed how entrenched problems in society urge us to search deeper and look beyond the surface, textbook answers. In her case, she fought to end of the era for orphanages by standing for family-based care instead of traditional forms of institutionalisation for children. Disrupting original ideas of foreign aid and goodwill, she pushed for her audience to reach deeper and think about the actual impact that their communities have. International research has highlighted that children who grow up in institutions run a serious risk of "developing mental illnesses, attachment disorders, growth and speech delays". As if this was not alarming enough, we still have to think about the likelihood of poor management practices like corruption, abuse and exploitation. This is where old answers need to be flipped over; disruption needs to happen. Rather than the solutions we already know, we are tasked with a higher purpose to come up with new ones. New solutions because hey, old problems would not have stayed if the old solutions work. Of course, that does not mean that we should abandon the whole course of history altogether. Tara's story only developed after having took the lengthy journey of setting up an orphanage and understanding local communities. We have so much gold to glean from the amazing people who have gone before us. Similar to SMILE Village, she shifted her focus to family-based care, where the most basic unit of society returns to its rightful place. More than ever, there is space for a massive earthquake of disruption everywhere. Innovative ideas from social enterprises can question existing alternatives and let us stretch way beyond our comfort zones. Be it in communication, technology or culture, disruption should be called to stay and slain. Make The Change believes in disruption. This is why we sow seeds into our younger generation through secondary and post-secondary social entrepreneurship workshops and annual design competitions in Singapore. We see ability > disability and offer design courses to persons with disabilities, and craft out the user experience for our corporate clients to eventually run CSR events for themselves. Often, to make the change is empathetic innovation. Useful links and references https://www.ted.com/talks/tara_winkler_why_we_need_to_end_the_era_of_orphanages?utm_campaign=tedspread--a&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

The idea of a social business has been around for ages, but the concept only received a proper title in the recent decades. In essence, social entrepreneurship relates to doing good, smart. Groundbreakers like Professor Muhammad Yunus and Bill Drayton have already laid credible foundations for impact to be sustainable financially and socially. By challenging the status quo, they were able to bridge entrenched gaps and encourage communities-in-need to be part of something more. To quote the godfather of social enterprises, Bill Drayton, social entrepreneurs are "not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionised the fishing industry." Following efforts to anchor the landscape, Singapore has been witnessing numerous newborn social enterprises within a short span of time. Our team at Make The Change has been actively holding the doors open so that more can stand together with us in the quest for sustainable social good. Through workshops and introductory programmes such as Social Entrepreneurship 101, we strive to reduce and destroy any barrier to entry by providing relevant information and insights from our 4-year journey thus far. The more the merrier; for many hands make light work :) If you have been sitting on the fence and wondering if social entrepreneurship is for you, here are 3 reasons why it is time for you to stop tearing yourself apart and follow your heart to take the plunge. 1. The Singaporean web of social good is getting stronger than ever According to the Singapore Centre For Social Enterprises (raiSE) in 2017, Singapore is home to 401 social enterprises to date. The mushrooming growth can be attributed to the support hearteningly bolstered by the public and private sector. Other than government grants and funding opportunities, the private sector has also been giving tight bear hugs to promising social entrepreneurs by providing mentorship and incubation programmes. Asia For Good by the DBS Foundation is one such example. On top of this, educational institutions such as the Asia Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy (ACSEP) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Lien Centre for Social innovation at Singapore Management University (SMU) contributed to the research needful to anticipate growth and future direction. With such a collaborative ecosystem, there is little wonder how Singapore carries the potential to become a regional hub for social entrepreneurship. In 2016, Deutsche Bank and its partners supported the Thomson Reuters Foundation to uncover the best countries to be a social entrepreneur. The research polled more than 900 experts in 44 countries, and our little red dot came in fourth after US, Canada and the UK. 2. Collaboration makes more sense than competition When you align yourself with social goals like alleviating poverty and providing quality education (take the UN sustainable development goals for example), there is a constant need to remind and refresh organisational perspectives to collaborate and not compete. Having said that, the social enterprise model is so versatile that everyone can have their own take on the methods and ways to strive for social impact. For example, a social enterprise can choose to focus on advocacy and raising awareness across public domains while others strategise to impact and change lives for good, one at a time. Be it in-breath or in-depth, there are a myriad of ways in which social impact can be attained. Given the relatively petite sizes of social enterprises, it also makes a lot of sense for us to see how we can complement one another for the sustainable, long haul. A lot of social enterprises have been looking at collaborations locally, and many are more than happy to welcome volunteers and interns to join their crew. Who knows, we might even scale out to Southeast Asia or the Asian region in the coming days. 3. Our generation is looking for a higher purpose People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. – Simon Sinek Be it in a career or as a consumer mindset, there is a significant increase in people looking for purpose. As Mark Zuckerberg puts it in his recent Harvard speech, he shared on three ways to create a world where everyone has a sense of purpose. The first one is by taking on big meaningful projects together, second by redefining equality so everyone has the freedom to pursue purpose. Lastly, through the building of community across the world". What do you know, a social entrepreneur would have hit all three. If you have been looking for a reason or place in the world today, why not try starting in a place with purpose? People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Conclusion To conclude, there are many variations of social businesses out there right now, and there is no one perfect solution to the world's intertwining complex issues. Often, you get to hit multiple pins with a single bowl. Providing training opportunities to a disadvantaged mother gifts her with a higher purpose in life, returns her dignity to earn her open keep and pay for her daughter's tuition fees in elementary school. We have so much to share on social entrepreneurship, and we envision to come to a day where the category of "social enterprises" cease to exist. When every business has a social angle, the world will truly become a better place. Useful links and references http://www.makethechange.sg/learn http://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/surge-in-social-entrepreneurship http://www.straitstimes.com/business/spore-has-potential-to-be-regional-hub-for-social-enterprise https://www.db.com/newsroom_news/2016/ghp/10-best-places-to-be-a-social-entrepreneur-en-11689.htm https://www.techinasia.com/facebook-zuckerberg-to-harvard-students-eureka-moment-is-a-lie-go-find-a-purpose

We hope everyone enjoyed Festival For Good 2017 as much as we do! Stacking three storeys high, lyf@SMU had been a cosy space for over 70 social enterprises to gather and celebrate one another. According to raiSE, over 5,500 people dropped by to be #partofthegood that Saturday. That's a cray big number, and we are seriously thankful and humbled to be one of the social enterprises featured there. After some thought over the weekend, we came up with 5 of our favourite things from Festival For Good this year. 1. It's a potluck party for social good The location's great, and the venue also included a purple ramp to facilitate wheelchair access. Although mobility would probably still be challenging with the huge crowd, we appreciate the effort to create an inclusive space for all. Decked out in delight, every social enterprise brought a unique portion unto the table from flower arrangements to experiencing the dark. With introductory talks and special performances by awesome singers like @thecoldcutduo, the ambience was lit. 2. The raiSE in awareness is a-m-a-z-i-n-g We had the chance to chat with many people who came by, and many of them first heard of the event via Facebook. Others brought their friends over while some saw the event posters along Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. There were also many overseas friends from countries like the UK, Hong Kong and France. This raiSE (haha) in awareness has been so incredible, and it is so nice to see how the outreach and publicity of the festival has gone above and beyond to attract a lovable crowd. Without such great storytelling ideas and platforms for publicity, we wouldn't have been able to meet so many like-minded friends and even exchange contacts for further conversation. Here's a shoutout to our event organiser raiSE, for their persevering commitment to help social enterprises find their own voice in Singapore. 3. We are truly a diverse bunch Even within the same category, every social enterprise had their own business model and idea to make their own enterprise sustainable. We had the chance to walk around and check out how our fellow peers have been up to. There were tons of great ideas and inspiring people, like our neighbours Innervate CrossFit, Hello Flowers, Freedom Cups and the Nail Social. All of us were able to have a bird eye's view of what sustainable impact looks like, financially and socially. 4. People were there for a reason The location's great, and having it in a huge, independent indoor space also meant that those who dropped by had the intention to know more about social entrepreneurship. That is always heartening to see :') Furthermore, we were pleasantly surprised at how warm and receptive people are to volunteering. We made many new friends who are looking to start their own social enterprise, and others who were interested to help out here and there. This really means a lot to us. 5. Our students are legit social entrepreneurs! Last but definitely not the least, we are so so so proud of our students. Our students from Pioneer Junior College went for MTC's flagship Social Entrepreneurship programme and kickstarted social enterprises of their own. They had their own ideas, and reached out to liaise with the communities that they wanted to help, sourced for and showcased their eventual fruits of labour. All in all, we want to say a huge thank you to our event organiser, raiSE, for gathering and supporting us so far. The journey has been amazing and we look forward to many more fruitful experiences ahead.

From Slums to Smiles In late May, our DFG team got the chance to work with Solutions to End Poverty (STEP) Singapore and visited the vibrant SMILE village of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A residential community project, SMILE village is set up as one of the solutions to end poverty itself. It provides home & livelihood improvement for PSE's underprivileged families. These families were living in slums previously, and many of them hardly earn enough for their own keep. Housing is a severe challenge in Cambodia. Due to rising land prices in the city, more than 100,000 slum dwellers in Phnom Penh are at the verge of eviction. Slums are probably the least desirable form of shelter or housing in society today. Run-down and densely populated, you will not be able to find a separate kitchen or toilet anywhere near. In a way, the construction of SMILE Village is like a successful game of Minecraft, where design thinking is used to draft out the intricate purposes for every facility, with the end user in mind. Competed in 2015, the blueprint of the village underwent thorough planning and to foster an environment most ideal. It is way more than just a cluster of double-decked concretes lumped in a random space. A new construction methodology was used to design and build homes in traditional Khmer style. Considering long term benefits gleaned from knowledge transfer, construction methods were also passed on to the community. Not only is SMILE Village home to her residents, she also houses a childcare centre for parents to leave their children at before going to work, and a community centre for gatherings and celebrations. In our most recent visit, there is also a two-storey workshop at the corner of SMILE village, and it is a space for villagers to hone and produce their craft. Located in the same area, it is convenient for the residents to walk over in the morning and go back home to get some simple household chores done during their lunch break. Focusing on rug-braiding, sewing and wood-crafting, the workshop employs a total of 18 villagers and 2 teachers, each responsible for rug-making and sewing respectively. The team is still looking for a teacher for wood-crafting, and is also saving up to get better tools and machines to create better work. The intention of its community development was to be sustainable, both financially and socially. As the famed sociologist Matthew Desmond opines: “The poor don’t want some small life. They don’t want to game the system. They want to contribute and they want to thrive. But poverty reduces people born for better things.” Sustainable social good calls for more than just the dollar sign. By elevating the residents at SMILE Village, they are given opportunities to break out of the poverty cycle themselves. After a period of 3 to 5 years, it is ideal for them to have gained enough skills and savings to move out of the village and become financially independent. This is a system set in place of good faith that once the problem is solved, help exits to meet the needs of another helpless person elsewhere. For many, success would look like the receiver standing up to become another giver. In the cyclical demands for clean water, sanitation, education, access to healthcare, zero hunger and poverty reduction, perhaps housing can be the roof over the others in the ecosystem for social good. From slums to smiles, SMILE Village has truly came a long way. If housing is the first step, then a sustainable livelihood would be the next battle to fight. The elevation of community doesn't just stop at the construction. SMILE village has already started, and we are helping to strengthen their might. Find out how they are using their own hands to provide for their families here: https://www.designforgood.sg/by-projects

Time flies when you are having fun, they say. Some of these people go on to say that time is not measured by the hands of a clock, but by moments. We certainly had a few weighty, memorable moments in the past four years. Our excitement and joy gleaned from Festival For Good will certainly make it on our list. It's the one festival put together for social enterprises in Singapore. How can we not celebrate that? Clocking in a year on the calendar, it feels as if we were not far away from Festival for Good last year. Our team took the chance and made the change by doubling up as postmen and postwomen, encouraging the crowd to be #partofthegood by writing their commitment towards social good and "posting" them inside gigantic and generous-looking mailboxes. The first step is always to declare and commit, and the journey follows :) This year, our team will be having our very own event booth prepped on the lyf@SMU. It feels like an annual family gathering for social enterprises, a potluck party for social good. As cliché as it sounds, it is both nerve-wrecking to be meeting fellow changemakers (potential and existing) and exciting to see what the landscape has to offer in 2017. As iron sharpens iron, we are geared up as part of the good this 2017 :)

Design For Good (DFG) 2017 has officially come to a beautiful close. We can't be any more proud of the works that came in. The submissions this year has certainly heightened our expectations for future works. We particularly love how students explored different mediums of art online and offline, some even using their own photos to craft out a story. Creativity is shown, along an excellent use of colours and design principles. Several works also caught our eye due to their thought-provoking text. A poster often reflects the thinking process of its artist. DFG's heart is to invite participating students to step out and think about communities-in-need. Not just looking at them living their separate lives, but also re-imagining lives with empathy to speak for them. Roll the drums for our finalists! Assumption Pathway School Mohammad Zikry B Mohammad Yusof Hwa Chong Institution Lewin Basil Slader Marsh Yeo Jun Seng Erasmus Dillon Poh Jiahe Chen Yiming Foo Jun Wei Aloysius Hung You Zhi Institute of Technical Education Naveen S/O Pannirsilvam Loh Ngin See Matthew Lee Ban Hock Miza Umairah Bte Mazlie Muhammad Nazri B Nasir Liew Zhi Bei Sharifah Nurul Fakhirah Bte N Jurongville Secondary School Harith Daniel Bin Zanudin Fildza Fitrina Bte Mohamad Y Tan Sok Leng Khor Yun Xuan Koh Kian Yew Juying Secondary School Shauna Ng Nisha Elyana Mohd Nur Sarah Nazaruddin Ang Jia Xing Nur Umairah Mohd Cherlyn Leong Alicia Ng Safi Arinah Saad Nur Muhd Muhaymin Sahari Firzanah Hanem Ahmad Effie Nursarah Mohd Nur Hidayah Zulkifli Jay Lam Han Thit Saing Methodist Girls' School (Secondary) Chia Jenxi Jamie Seow Tze Jen Clara Sim Pei Ting Sarah Loh Yen Ann Celyn Tan Shi Hui Glenda Chan Yan Tong Inez Aw Jun Yenn Erin Wong Wenjin Saffron Zenta Banks Cathlyn Wong Yan Ning Sharon Liang Yu Qing Ngee Ann Secondary School Chen Jia Qi Lynn Sim Quek Tian Yi Yeh Ming Hui Pasir Ris Secondary School Sharifah Qistina Binte Syed Faries Alkaff Siti Nuraqilah Bte Ahmad Sheridan Sherine Sum Siong Yue Guo Xin Nur Soon Hui Qi Serangoon Garden Secondary School Evelyn Lim Kai Xian To Guan Yu Avril Shaine Sandejas E Ashley Koh Hui Xuan Benzon Anne Jolina Carillo Mohammed Iraj Khan B Mohammed Iraj Khan B Mak St. Anthony's Canossian Secondary School Ang Shi Hui Whitley Secondary School Clara Ng Khai Sharn Jocelyn Yeo Heng Joo Pratibha Pokhrel

Make The Change (MTC) is honoured to host the graduation ceremony for her latest batch of graduates at M.A.D. school last friday evening. Together with 11 graduates from Essential Communication Design and 16 graduates from Digital Marketing, everyone gathered together to celebrate the end of a journey and at the same time, mark the start of another fruitful one. The CEO of Make The Change, Michelle Lim, gave her opening address to congratulate the graduates. She emphasised that the completion of the two programmes was not the end of learning, but rather the beginning. She opines: “your success keeps us motivated”, and urges the graduating batch of PwDs to approach the team with aspiring ideas for change. Furthermore, she highlighted that MTC will continue to keep the community together. There will definitely be challenges ahead but no one would be left alone. Our nurturing lecturers Andy Xu and Tiziana also shared on their sentiments. Andy concluded his journey with the current batch of students as inspiring, for the students’ consistency to pursue a better self motivates him as well. As tough as it was, his students still wanted to try and give it a shot. Tiziana looks forward to seeing her students’ future works, and she warmly welcomed opportunities to work together. Moving forward, MTC strives to continue offering programmes for persons with disabilities (PwDs). Essential Communication and Digital Marketing will welcome their 3rd and 2nd intake respectively. Highly anticipated, the next chapter will also open up a new course for Website Management and E-commerce. Applications are warmly welcomed at http://www.makethechange.sg/personswithdisabilities

The global village of today is home to millennials who practically live, breathe and play connected. As digital natives, almost every youth is connected to at least 1 social media platform at any given time. Leveraging on their personal publishing spaces such as Instagram and Facebook, this Make The Change (MTC) programme is created for youths to consciously engage and promote social awareness as active citizens. When done right, it can grow into a powerful peer-to-peer influencing opportunity rooted in empathy and giving. Here are 9 keys to unlocking a purposeful yielding of social media marketing for good: 1. Keep it real The voice of your social media account should remain authentic even as you seek to advocate for a cause. How does this NGO/VWO/SE stir your heart? What makes you feel like you want to stand with them, and speak for them? Jotting that connection not only enhances your reliability, it also gives your stand authenticity. Furthermore, it is often hard to write from a persona different from your own. 2. Keep it fresh One important note is to be aware of the big picture. Have you been posting similar posts, with the same message over and over? Social media fatigue can cause your audience to scroll past your posts without batting an eyelid. Keep it fresh by tapping on various platforms and mediums. What if the event booth is captured by boomerang or hyperlapse instead of a still picture? Can you involve other stakeholders to share their view instead of constantly airing just your own? 3. Consistency is king Consistency might very well be the single hardest thing to do in life. Yet, it is also the biting necessity. One good question to ask yourself: "Would you still believe in the same thing that you are writing about 5 years later?" Also, don't be afraid to own your style, it helps you get momentum and people know it's you. Re-read what you wrote before posting- this self-check helps to see if you are being true to your voice, instead of highly regrettable text and sudden emotive frustrations. 4. Know who you are talking to We often forget to be conscious of who we are talking to. Take a good look at your friends list, and try to make your thoughts relevant to at least 70-80% of the intended audience. Where are your audience at? Are they just becoming aware of your social cause, or do they already have basic understanding? How many of them have been convinced to take the next step? Would they be willing to commit and stand alongside you in the long run? Your posting content depends on where your audience is. 5. Remember, it takes two hands to clap The word "communication" is a Latin word that means "to share". You will want the person behind the tablet or phone to gain something from your content. Write like you are expecting to share that information with someone. 6. Less is more If your audience is not there, you don't have to go there. Social media platforms like Instagram might be the trending spaces, but it will not do you any good if the people whom you are looking for cannot be found in that context. Also, online-offline marketing is crucial as well. Many, if not all successful social media movements have a offline-online connection ie. Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014. 7. Put your heart into it Your target audience are people and individuals like you too. Like a dear friend, they can feel it when you are sincere about supporting a beneficiary group or advocating for environmental conservation. Being sincere would also necessitate you to be inclusive as well. Simple acts like adding captions in videos will help the deaf to understand your content, for example. 8. Try something new It does not always have to be a tear-jerking video that resembles the moving Thai commercials. Be willing to experiment with a variety of styles, especially in moving pictures and videos. For example, local social marketing tend to be on the more emotional side, with a heart to unveil stories behind broken people. What if we produce something that is shorter, and more straightforward without compromising on the sincerity? 9. Keep calm and ask At the end of the day, ask yourself this question: "Does this social media post further or detract me from my purpose?" If you find yourself uncertain and hesitant, perhaps you can hold the post first, and ask for other opinions.

For the month of July, the MTC spotlight is shining on GobblerShop! A dear partner, GobblerShop has been liaising with us to engage our first intake of graduates in Essential Communication Design. With their employment opportunities, our graduates were able to venture out into the marketplace and put what they have learnt in class into good use. A nimble problem-solver with a heart for social change, GobblerShop bridges the practical gap of costly living expenses. Let's hear what they have been gobbling up these days. Q1. First and foremost, tell us a little more about GobblerShop! How do you guys make the change? Our Social mission is to change the lives of low-income single parents through groceries and retail. We work with corporate partners to raise awareness of the struggles of low-income single parents and at the same raise grocery hampers as financial aid to our beneficiaries. For every grocery hamper donated by a customer, GobblerShop will sponsor half of hamper cost towards a single parent beneficiary. Q2. What made you open the door to welcome PwDs on board? We believe every human being, who may be disabled, underprivileged or marginalised should have the ability to showcase their talents and gifts and at the same time, earn a living. GobblerShop believes in helping such individuals identify and harness their abilities to gain self-confidence and meaning in their lives. Q3. Were there any considerations or thoughts that challenged this move? Our considerations were about work processes. As the company has set them in place over the years, perhaps further thought needs to be put in for a comprehensive structure towards the employment of PwDs. Another considerations are human-resource related, like whether our full-time staffs have the right mindset and skills to manage the beneficiaries as they might have different needs and sensitivities. Q4. How has the collaboration been so far? Collaboration with Make The Change has been meaningful and we have been providing several jobs to PWDs. Q5. Tell us more about some of the interesting or memorable incidents that happened in this project! I think what was memorable was the time when we went down to MDAS office for the training of the students regarding the tasks that we would like them to work on. They inspire us with their passion to learn and their independence despite their disabilities. It was indeed a very pleasant experience to work alongside with these PWDs as they proved to be very trustworthy and accountable in their timeline and delivering quality work.