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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The journey to a world without torture is a long one, but Karen Tse from International Bridges of Justice tells Be An Idea why we must walk on.

The local education scene took a long, hard look at itself to make sure no child left behind. Be an Idea discovers individuals who are helping to write the pages.

The government and citizens need to rethink how we address societal needs, says Braema Mathi, co-author of the year-old report on unmet social needs in Singapore.

Jean Loo, content editor for Be an Idea, explains the opportunity for social narratives in Singapore.